Soupie and the curlies do TICA

[Soupie]

This weekend I made my first venture into the world of TICA (The International Cat Association) and shows run under its rules and I have to say I was a little bit daunted. My friend and I spent the weekend in the city centre Hilton in Newbury which was really nice and took Quando, Mister F and my friend's lovely dilute tortie Selkirk kitten.

I did really enjoy myself once we had got over the vetting in issues - pink skinned cat plus awful lighting = vetted out for red eyes which were fine outside in daylight! I was a little put out at the way this was handled (not by the vet). What a shame they don't have a daylight lamp when the lighting is so poor - thankfully the vet had said he would have another look in an hour and when it came to it he revetted outside as he said he had had a number of cats appear to have very red eyes due to the lighting

To be honest I was already for packing it in there and then as I felt like dog poo but we carried on and good job too!

The show itself was really busy and quite tiring but I found it interesting and the finals judging style is really entertaining as well as informative. One judge put his top hat and fancy dress coat on to present the finals which I thought was a lovely touch and made it feel special?

Mister F took to the TICA ring judging style like a duck to water and had a great day on the Saturday finalling in 4 out of the 6 rings and ending the day as a Grand Champion Alter just needing some points to make him a Double Grand Champion Alter. Unfortunately on Sunday he was shattered bless him after his and Quando's friday night of partying in the hotel and being so busy with the rings the first day. He still managed to final in both the Speciality Longhair rings on Sunday taking a 2nd and a 3rd which I was over the moon with! He ended the weekend as a Double Grand Champion Alter just missing out on being a Triple Grand Champion Alter by 100 points. I am so so pleased with my little man as I had not really expected to come away with any finals/titles let alone do so well and will definitely take him to another in the future at some point I do feel the judging style allowed my little man to show off his appeal and potential as well as his cute nature!

Quando didn't final the first day and in fact didn't seem to enjoy the ring judging so the plan was to try him in the first ring on Sunday and then withdraw him if necessary and let him sleep the day away in the pen. However he was much livelier and really showed himself off, placing in both of the Shorthaired Speciality ring finals and becoming a Grand Champion Alter in the process. Again am very happy with how he has done particularly as he will probably be retiring from competitive showing this summer

So all in all great fun but extremely tiring. Cats tired too so whilst I would do it again I will only do my very local ones as it is expensive etc with a hotel on top and I couldn't have done it without staying over?

Some things I found odd - as you know you handle your own cat and pop it in the pen. I found it strange that the show managers are allowed to show their cats in a show they are organising where they know judges and the judges clearly knew which cats were theirs but that is permitted in TICA

All in all a great experience though

[Kay]

Congratulations Soupie to both Mr F and Quando. Glad you enjoyed it.

I will probably give it a go but I think I will stay with GCCF for my main showing. I couldn't afford stays in hotels and there are no TICA shows near me. There are unlikely to be any near me in the future as the nearest GCCF show is about an hour and a half away.

It must be great getting the titles in one weekend but then what? My friend made one of hers up to Triple Champion in one show. I think I would get withdrawl symptoms from not showing every 2-3 weeks. It is bad enough when I am not showing because of kittens.

Any pics?

[Soupie]

Pics not yet uploaded and only a few because lighting so shocking.

To be honest in my opinion I found the TICA show quite disorganised and venue quite shabby and poorly provisioned compared to the GCCF shows I have been to but perhaps I have been lucky.

Our lunch took 35 minutes to come from the cafe on Saturday by which time judging had started again so we had to leg it to the rings so we didn't bother on the Sunday ....

It is expensive and not something I can afford to do often - next one will be in February in Birmingham so local to me. I know what you mean about the titles but it is only the better cats which get them so quickly - I guess I am lucky with Mister F as if he has a superb show next time as well he could gain all titles available

GCCF is my main committment especially with the breed hopefully going up to Championship level next year!

[Fran]

Glad you had a good day Soupie!! I would be interested in popping along to one of the shows and most likely will do at some point but I'm not sure TICA showing is for me, I'm really not convinced I'd feel my cat was worthy of titles all gained in one weekend and the problem is I know so many people with double and triple grand champions that I wonder just how easy it is to be made up I can see the attractions to showing TICA, especially being able to handle your own cats. However, congratulations on your results and I look forward to the pics

[charliebubs]

Congratulations Soupie!!!!

It sounds like a very interesting day - but I'm not sure that TICA showing is for me. I might try and pop along to a TICA show just to have a nosey around though. I'll keep my eyes open for one near me.

[yola]

Hmmm - it sounds quite a different experience to a usual show (not being that up on shows anyway ).

However such a shame I didn't know it/you were there Soupie; I'm close to Newbury anyway, but was about 5 minutes by car on Sunday!

I'd love to see some more pics of your fellas doing their thing at the show though

[Soupie]

Originally Posted by Fran

Glad you had a good day Soupie!! I would be interested in popping along to one of the shows and most likely will do at some point but I'm not sure TICA showing is for me, I'm really not convinced I'd feel my cat was worthy of titles all gained in one weekend and the problem is I know so many people with double and triple grand champions that I wonder just how easy it is to be made up I can see the attractions to showing TICA, especially being able to handle your own cats. However, congratulations on your results and I look forward to the pics

If you have a good cat then it is easier but every time we finalled we were in the top 10 of 40 cats or top 5 of 20 odd in the Speciality rings and I was suprised at how high the standard was.

Like you I thought it would be easy etc but it isn't unless you have an outstanding cat and a number of cats didn't final all weekend. Several of the neuters there were GCCF Imp Gr Prs and a couple of UK titled cats there too .... it seems the recent turmoil in the GCCF has meant more people doing TICA

[Soupie]

Originally Posted by yola

Hmmm - it sounds quite a different experience to a usual show (not being that up on shows anyway ).

However such a shame I didn't know it/you were there Soupie; I'm close to Newbury anyway, but was about 5 minutes by car on Sunday!

I'd love to see some more pics of your fellas doing their thing at the show though

I'll let you know if I am ever that way again