This show season has all the earmarks of a very competitive one for Siamese. After a fairly quiet year in 2004-2005, our breeders have come out with some excellent examples of our cats this year, and they are taking top awards in major shows.
The most prestigious was the win of Best of the Best at the NYC Madison Square Garden show in October. This great honor went to GC Marmese Cobalt, a beautiful blue point male bred and owned by John and Margaret Robbins. BOB judge Gary Veach chose Cobalt for this award over some very impressive competition. Then Cobalt did the Siamese breed proud on early morning television, displaying to the public the grace and elegance of the CFA Siamese.
We will also have a probable national win in the kitten division to honor this year. As of the end of November 2005 GC Gimsin's Golden Wings, bred and owned by Ruth and Tom Taylor, has earned enough points to have her currently third best kitten in the country. "Lefty", a wonderful sealpoint female with charisma and presence to spare in the show ring, earned multiple best kittens in tough competition through regions 1, 4 and 7.
There are also other notable Siamese being shown throughout the country this year, including several on the west coast, and the classes are considered highly competitive where ever you go. This is particularly noteworthy and appropriate as we approach our 100-year anniversary of the acceptance of Siamese into CFA.
In honor of this 100-year event, the Breed Council has been sponsoring breed flats at select shows around the country. The flats have been well received, and the judges have been very gracious in handing them out and explaining their significance. The list of shows was chosen through careful analysis of each region's shows, including their size, number of Siamese breeders in close proximity, location within the region and date of the show. However, this list is not closed and anyone is welcome to sponsor a show, either taking over sponsorship from the BC or a new show not already represented. The cost of the sponsorship is $25.00, which includes shipping of the breed flats directly to the person designated to bring them to the specific show. I have attached a list that show which shows have been sponsored and which ones still need sponsors. If you are interested in sponsoring one of these shows or one which you have chosen, please contact me at my new address: 786 Keeneland Pike, Lake Mary, FL 32746 or call at 407-323-3702.
I am sure that most of you have seen the ballot for this year already. It is simply a housekeeping measure to complete the removal of the albino classification from our breed. At last February's board meeting Mr. Dent explained that simply removing the color class for albinos did not authorize Central Office to stop registration of this color of Siamese (though I am not sure how they would be registered without a color classification). I was asked to poll the breed council regarding not allowing their registration to finalize the removal of this color class from our breed. There are no other issues at this time on our standard, so this is the only matter to vote on this year.
I would also like to remind everyone that if you wish to submit a candidate for the next year's Lifetime Achievement Award, that you need to send the application to me or Sharon McKeehen-Bounds by January 1st, 2006. I have attached the guidelines for the minimum criteria needed for this award.
Please don't forget to contact Sibyl Zaden or myself if you are interested in participating in our plans for a very special Breed Council meeting at the Annual next year. For this special event CFA has allowed us to schedule a luncheon, with Betty White as keynote speaker. Virginia Wheeldon is working on a special PowerPoint presentation of the great Siamese of the past, and we are hope that others of you will come up with ideas to make this the most special celebration of our 100-year anniversary.
Merry Christmas, and the Best of Luck for your shows in the New Year!!
Debbi Stevenson
Siamese Breed Council Secretary
shimasu@citlink.net