Showing and Cat Shows - with special reference to showing your Tonkinese in a GCCF show
Mrs Diana Harper with GrCh&Pr Mymystic Pharoah
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Mymystic Mandu at ease in his pen
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1) IS MY TONK ELIGIBLE TO BE SHOWN?
The answer depends on the policies for the authority with which your cat is registered. The following relate to GCCF registered Tonks, your authority may have similar restrictions so be sure to check before you buy a cat for showing.
The answer depends on the policies for the authority with which your cat is registered. The following relate to GCCF registered Tonks, your authority may have similar restrictions so be sure to check before you buy a cat for showing.
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You CANNOT show your Tonk if ANY of the following apply
1. It is not registered 2. It is not registered as Tonkinese 3. It is not registered in your name 4. It is registered on the Reference Register (CSREF...) 5. It has been surgically altered to enhance its appearance - amputation of a digit for medical reasons may be accepted but may reduce your cat's chances of a certificate. 6. Has any defects listed in the Breed Standard (SOP) or in the GCCF Rules. 7. Is pregnant, suspected of being pregnant or lactating. 8. Is under 14 weeks of age. 9. Is not fully up to date with its inoculations. 10. Has an out of date, or incomplete, inoculation certificate. 11. Is not in good health - has fleas, dirty ears or eyes, has diarrhoea, is sneezing or coughing, has bare patches or skin lesions etc. |
You CAN show your Tonk if ALL of the following apply
1. It is registered as Tonkinese on one of the following registers: Supplementary (CSSR.....) Full (CS....) 2. It is registered in your name. 3. It is 14 weeks of age or older 4. It is Suitable for showing. If you wish to show your Tonk be sure to carefully read the Rules printed in the Show Schedule before entering your Tonk, to avoid disappointment on the day. If your correctly bred Tonkinese is only 1st generation, why not put it on exhibition, or enter it in the Pedigree Household Pet Section to complete for the Master Cat titles? |
2) IS MY TONK SUITABLE TO BE SHOWN?
If your cat is eligible for showing it doesn't necessarily mean it should be shown. Only consider showing your cat if it meets the following conditions, otherwise you are in for expensive disappointment - unless you don't care about your good name and your cat's feelings.
1) Is a good size and weight for its age
2) Has a good temperament and tolerates handling well
3) Has good Tonkinese type (head and body shape)
4) Has a good expression of its registered coat-colour (BCR, TCR, CPP)
5) Adult - free from spotting or barring unless it is a Tabby or Tortie-Tabby
Note: some breed standards permit faint barring on the head, limbs and tail of Reds, Creams, Apricots and the orange areas
of Tortie markings, but the body should be clear
6) Kitten - barring, if present, should be very faint unless it's a Tabby or Tortie-Tabby
Note: some breed standards permit faint barring on the head, limbs and tail of Reds, Creams, Apricots and the orange areas
of Tortie markings, but the body should be clear
7) Has good eye-colour for its coat-pattern - see Eye Colour
8) Is in good health - with no signs of fleas, dirty ears or eyes, has no diarrhoea, is not sneezing or coughing, has no bare patches
and no signs of skin lesions etc.
For further information read the Tonkinese Breed Standard (aka Standard of Points)
3) IS THERE A SPECIALIST TONKINESE SHOW?
YES - In the UK both the Tonkinese Breed Club and the Tonkinese Cat Club hold a Championship Tonkinese show under GCCF licence. Visit their web sites for more information.
4) WHERE DO I FIND THE OFFICIAL SHOW DESCRIPTION USED BY THE JUDGES?
In the Tonkinese Breed Standard aka Standard of Points (SOP)
5) WHERE ELSE CAN I SHOW MY TONKINESE?
In the UK you can show your Tonk in any of the GCCF all breed shows or specialist Tonkinese shows (see point 3 above). You may also show your Tonk at one of the TICA (EW Region) shows, but not Tabby Tonks. Click here for more detail: GCCF Cat Show Calendar, TICA.
6) HOW DO I ENTER A CAT SHOW, AND WHAT EQUIPMENT DO I NEED?
The best way to find these answers is to obtain a show schedule, any 'all breed' show schedule will do, well in advance of the show you want to enter. For GCCF shows check out the show calendar (see point 5.) and download a schedule, it will contain the rules you must adhere to, information about the types of classes, required inoculations and vetting-in information - and what you'll need for your cat on the day. You can purchase your white blankets, litter trays and bowls at most 'all-breed' shows - its best to make sure you have your show equipment before you start showing - visit a show to purchase them and get the feel of a show before you start showing your own cat/kitten.
7) WHERE DO I FIND TONKINESE CLASSES IN THE SCHEDULE?
Classes in show schedules are organised in to a hierarchy, here I have only shown the Pedigree section. It looks more complicated than it actually is.
Pedigree:
Breed Classes (used to be called Open classes)
Breed Sections in order: 1 Persian - 2 Semi-Longhair - 3 British - 4 Foreign - 5 Burmese, Asian, Tonkinese & Australian Mist -
6 Oriental and Siamese & Balinese.
Cat status in order: Adult, Kitten and Neuter
Individual Breed
Colour &/or Pattern
Miscellaneous Classes
Breed Sections in order: 1 Persian - 2 Semi-Longhair - 3 British - 4 Foreign - 5 Burmese, Asian, Tonkinese & Australian Mist -
6 Oriental and Siamese & Balinese.
Cat status in order: Adult, Kitten and Neuter
Individual Breed
Colour &/or Pattern and various other classes such as novice, debutante, limit etc.
Tonkinese are in Section 5.
Tonk coat-patterns are: -
Burmese Colour Restriction (BCR) aka solid
Tonkinese Colour Restriction (TCR) aka mink
Colourpointed Pattern (CPP) aka pointed
First go to the 'Breed Classes Section 5 - Burmese, Asian, Tonkinese & Australian Mist' (usually arounf page 18ish of the schedule). If your cat has a title you know where you should be looking already; then go to the relevant sub-section - Adult, Kitten or Neuter.
Tonkinese Breed classes are listed between the Asians and the Australian Mists. (NB: unfortunately they are not in alphabetical order but in the order of their recognition by the GCCF). The class list will show the class number that you put on your entry form, the title of the class and the name of the judge (you'll notice that the Tonkinese TCR classes just say Tonkinese), for example:
375 Tonkinese Burmese Colour Restriction Adult ................. Mr Y Judge
415 Tonkinese Colourpointed Pattern Kitten ........................ Mrs J Udge
785 Tonkinese Neuter ........................................................... Mrs X Judge
Once you have selected your Breed class you can go to the Miscellaneous Classes Section 5, in Miscellaneous classes you will be competing with the other breeds in Section 5.
Again find your classes in the Adult, Kitten or Neuter sub-section. Your entry form will tell you the maximum number of classes you can enter, which must include your Breed Class. Toward the front of the schedule you will find a page headed 'Definition of Classes', this contains an explanation of what the different Miscellaneous classes mean. Just select your classes and if you have any problems completing your entry form I'm sure that anyone on your Club committee will be happy to help you.
8) PROTOCOLS FOR THE EXHIBITOR (& VISITOR) IN THE SHOW HALL (this is still in construction)
If your cat is eligible for showing it doesn't necessarily mean it should be shown. Only consider showing your cat if it meets the following conditions, otherwise you are in for expensive disappointment - unless you don't care about your good name and your cat's feelings.
1) Is a good size and weight for its age
2) Has a good temperament and tolerates handling well
3) Has good Tonkinese type (head and body shape)
4) Has a good expression of its registered coat-colour (BCR, TCR, CPP)
5) Adult - free from spotting or barring unless it is a Tabby or Tortie-Tabby
Note: some breed standards permit faint barring on the head, limbs and tail of Reds, Creams, Apricots and the orange areas
of Tortie markings, but the body should be clear
6) Kitten - barring, if present, should be very faint unless it's a Tabby or Tortie-Tabby
Note: some breed standards permit faint barring on the head, limbs and tail of Reds, Creams, Apricots and the orange areas
of Tortie markings, but the body should be clear
7) Has good eye-colour for its coat-pattern - see Eye Colour
8) Is in good health - with no signs of fleas, dirty ears or eyes, has no diarrhoea, is not sneezing or coughing, has no bare patches
and no signs of skin lesions etc.
For further information read the Tonkinese Breed Standard (aka Standard of Points)
3) IS THERE A SPECIALIST TONKINESE SHOW?
YES - In the UK both the Tonkinese Breed Club and the Tonkinese Cat Club hold a Championship Tonkinese show under GCCF licence. Visit their web sites for more information.
4) WHERE DO I FIND THE OFFICIAL SHOW DESCRIPTION USED BY THE JUDGES?
In the Tonkinese Breed Standard aka Standard of Points (SOP)
5) WHERE ELSE CAN I SHOW MY TONKINESE?
In the UK you can show your Tonk in any of the GCCF all breed shows or specialist Tonkinese shows (see point 3 above). You may also show your Tonk at one of the TICA (EW Region) shows, but not Tabby Tonks. Click here for more detail: GCCF Cat Show Calendar, TICA.
6) HOW DO I ENTER A CAT SHOW, AND WHAT EQUIPMENT DO I NEED?
The best way to find these answers is to obtain a show schedule, any 'all breed' show schedule will do, well in advance of the show you want to enter. For GCCF shows check out the show calendar (see point 5.) and download a schedule, it will contain the rules you must adhere to, information about the types of classes, required inoculations and vetting-in information - and what you'll need for your cat on the day. You can purchase your white blankets, litter trays and bowls at most 'all-breed' shows - its best to make sure you have your show equipment before you start showing - visit a show to purchase them and get the feel of a show before you start showing your own cat/kitten.
7) WHERE DO I FIND TONKINESE CLASSES IN THE SCHEDULE?
Classes in show schedules are organised in to a hierarchy, here I have only shown the Pedigree section. It looks more complicated than it actually is.
Pedigree:
Breed Classes (used to be called Open classes)
Breed Sections in order: 1 Persian - 2 Semi-Longhair - 3 British - 4 Foreign - 5 Burmese, Asian, Tonkinese & Australian Mist -
6 Oriental and Siamese & Balinese.
Cat status in order: Adult, Kitten and Neuter
Individual Breed
Colour &/or Pattern
Miscellaneous Classes
Breed Sections in order: 1 Persian - 2 Semi-Longhair - 3 British - 4 Foreign - 5 Burmese, Asian, Tonkinese & Australian Mist -
6 Oriental and Siamese & Balinese.
Cat status in order: Adult, Kitten and Neuter
Individual Breed
Colour &/or Pattern and various other classes such as novice, debutante, limit etc.
Tonkinese are in Section 5.
Tonk coat-patterns are: -
Burmese Colour Restriction (BCR) aka solid
Tonkinese Colour Restriction (TCR) aka mink
Colourpointed Pattern (CPP) aka pointed
First go to the 'Breed Classes Section 5 - Burmese, Asian, Tonkinese & Australian Mist' (usually arounf page 18ish of the schedule). If your cat has a title you know where you should be looking already; then go to the relevant sub-section - Adult, Kitten or Neuter.
Tonkinese Breed classes are listed between the Asians and the Australian Mists. (NB: unfortunately they are not in alphabetical order but in the order of their recognition by the GCCF). The class list will show the class number that you put on your entry form, the title of the class and the name of the judge (you'll notice that the Tonkinese TCR classes just say Tonkinese), for example:
375 Tonkinese Burmese Colour Restriction Adult ................. Mr Y Judge
415 Tonkinese Colourpointed Pattern Kitten ........................ Mrs J Udge
785 Tonkinese Neuter ........................................................... Mrs X Judge
Once you have selected your Breed class you can go to the Miscellaneous Classes Section 5, in Miscellaneous classes you will be competing with the other breeds in Section 5.
Again find your classes in the Adult, Kitten or Neuter sub-section. Your entry form will tell you the maximum number of classes you can enter, which must include your Breed Class. Toward the front of the schedule you will find a page headed 'Definition of Classes', this contains an explanation of what the different Miscellaneous classes mean. Just select your classes and if you have any problems completing your entry form I'm sure that anyone on your Club committee will be happy to help you.
8) PROTOCOLS FOR THE EXHIBITOR (& VISITOR) IN THE SHOW HALL (this is still in construction)