I got started showing in TICA in late 2005.  I simply started with rescue kitties which are classified as Household Pets, or HHP.  Below are photos from past shows and you will see most of the kitties featured on the Meet The Cats! page here in action in the showhall. 

   October 8-9, 2005  Issaquah, Washington - The Evergreen Cat Fanciers

Sunmoon in her first show for both her and myself.  Here she is in her newly decorated for Fall benching cage. 

Looking like the pretty little princess she is and wondering why she was on display :)

The showhall was carpeted and nice and warm.  My film camera caught the glow of the eyes of the Ragdolls from Victorian Rags.

Sunmoon won herself three rosettes!  Her mama was so pleased!

Dec 3-4, 2005  Seattle, Washington - The Maine Event

This was Jewel's first show and Sunmoon's second.  Both are rescues and competing as HHP's.  This is a special division just for these cats. 

I was so amazed at how well Jewel did!  She took to showing the way a hound dog takes to water, it came so natural for her.  Jewel is one of those kitties that loves everyone she meets so the judges were a pleasure for her.

This little Birman kitten was just Oh so stressed out! ;)  If you look closely, you will see two others in there cozied up as well.

I cannot believe what we walked away with: 5 Finals for Jewel and 3 for Sunmoon and one of Jewel's Finals was Best Cat!  In her first show!

February 10-12, 2006  Seattle, Washington - The Evergreen Cat Fanciers

Jewel, now competing by her nickname of Jussi, at her second show.  Here she is on the judging table with Ellen Crockett.

HHP's Dallas (left) and Serenity, owned by friends and fellow exibitors Kathy and Melissa Berg.

March 10-12, 2006  Surrey, British Columbia - Cat Fanciers of British Columbia

For this show, I traveled up with and shared a room with fellow exibitor Laurinda and her HHP Humphrey.  We drove up a day early, got settled in and watched as the cats interacted with each other.  I brought Jussi, Sunmoon, Tipsy and Beauty.  Beauty was competing as a HHP also due to the fact that I don't have her papers and she has a heavier black pattern than what the show Standard requires for Turkish Vans.  Here Laurinda and Humphrey are relaxing on the hotel bed.

It only took a little while and Humphrey, with his easy going nature, decided to try and make friends with my cats.  Both Jussi and Sunmoon were a little leary of him at first, but by day two they were all ok with each other. 

Beauty was in much better condition, five months after I rescued her, so I decided to show her to see what the judges thought.   Here she is settled in next to the bed.

The next day was the start of the three day show.  Here Sunmoon is being judged by Robbin Higgins.

This Persian was fully decked out in the St. Patricks Day theme.  :)

After showing that evening, the cats, including Tipsy here, didn't waste any time settling in and relaxing.

Beauty:  "Time to sleep!"

Our benching spaces, from left to right:  Tipsy

Beauty

June 10&11, 2006  Chehalis, Washington - Commencement Cat Club

No photos are available for this show.

July 15&16, 2006  Yakima, Washington - Emerald City Cat Fanciers and The Maine Event

For this show, I brought Beauty, Jussi and Marble.  Here is Beauty relaxing between rings.

Jussi

Marble

October 21&22, 2006  Seattle, Washington - The Evergreen Cat Fanciers

This was Maxi's first show and because he is a Maine Coon he was competing in the Kitten class which is the class specifically for pedigreed kittens.  Here he is just four months old, barely old enough to compete in this class.  All kittens must be at least four calendar months old to compete in a TICA show.  Here he is being held by friend and fellow exhibitor Melissa Berg.  

It was at this show that I celebrated Jussi's achievement as a Supreme Grand Master HHP.  She earned this title at the July show by getting a Best Cat as a Quadruple Grand Master and by having 4000 points from all the Finals that she won.  The only way a cat can earn a Supreme Title is by fulfilling these requirements first, then by being awarded a Best Cat (top cat) by a judge.  Celebrating by cake with your fellow exhibitors is a tradition that many people follow.  This was a first Supreme for any of my cats so I went to town.  :)     

December 9&10, 2006  Seattle, Washington - The Maine Event

For this show, I brought Jussi and Beauty.  Here Jussi is snuggled in her benching cage awaiting judging. 

"I think I will relax a bit before I have to show my stuff to the judges."

Beauty had the same idea.  :)

Jussi with judge Mark Coleman.

February 9-11, 2007  Seattle, Washington - The Evergreen Cat Fanciers

For this show, I brought Beauty, Maxi, and Tucker, although I did not get any pictures of Maxi.  Beauty was not a happy camper and you could see it on her face.  Because of this, I decided to stop showing her.  Here she is with Melissa Parsley, who awarded her with her only final in the show - 5th place Allbreed.  HHP's MUST show a sweet temperament on the judging stand if they hope to final and Beauty was unhappy.  But Melissa marveled at her excellent condition for her age, hence the final.  I really appreciate Melissa, she is so gentle with Beauty.

Alice Rhea here TRIED to get Beauty to relax and respond but as you can see by her eyes, Beauty had it by then, as it was three days into the show.

April 21&22, 2007  Austin, Texas - Austin Cat Fanciers

This show was where VanCity Turkish Vans officially started as I went down to Texas to pick up my new kitten Aledo Un Eski, a solid white Turkish Van from Sharon Walcott of Aledo Cattery.  We timed my coming to coincide with the show so I could show Eski at the same time.  At this time, white Turkish Vans, which are known as Vankedisi in Turkey were still in the New Trait class in TICA.  In May 2007, they will be accepted in the Championship class.  Above is Barbara Lindsey's beautiful tortie girl of Kayserai Cattery awaiting judging.  

And on the judging stand with D'Ann Kovic. 

Here are four solid White Turkish Vans (Vankedisi) being judged in New Traits.  Eski was second from left. 

Here judge Frances Young was judging Kayserai Fauzi, owned by Barbara Lindsey.  Fauzi is also a solid white and competing in the New Traits class at present.

Here is Frances with little Eski at just four months old.

Some other nice sights in the showhall were this absolutely handsome Norwegian Forest Cat owned by Katherine Pennington.  Fully lynx tipped the way they should be, large size and a thick skirt of coat.

Head shot, same boy.

June 9&10, 2007   Chehalis, Washington - Commencement Cat Club

Here is Eski in her first NW show being judged by Elaine Weitz.  She is competing in the Kitten class since solid White Turkish Vans (Vankedisi) have been accepted for Championship in May of this year.  She is six and a half months old.  

July 7&8, 2007   Longview, Washington - International Specialty Club

Valentino, my stud boy arrived at five months of age on July 1, and one week later, after flying up from Texas, happily competed in his first NW show.  He competed in the Kitten class and is here with judge Jay Bangle.

"You going to give me that toy?"

In the judging ring making biscuits!

August 4&5, 2007   Langley, British Columbia - Cat Fanciers of British Columbia

We drove up the day before and checked into the motel.   Here the two of them are getting a good night's rest for tomorrow's big day in the showhall. :)

Mom made us a cattery name plaquard so people would know what kind of cats we are.

Soon mom will separate us when we are old enough to breed, but for now we just love to snuggle in our benching cage.

Mom, don't leave us!

October 20&21, 2007  Seattle, Washington - The Evergreen Cat Fanciers

One of the great things about breeding and showing cats is that you end up meeting some very interesting and beautiful breeds of cats along the way along the way.  I met Debbie, my friend who owns Savannahs, on a cat List and I invited her to fly from her home in Albany, NY and bring her cats to come show on the west coast with me.  She took me up on my offer and above, pictured in their benching cage are Motzie and Kadur, two Savannah cats.  A Savannah is a hybrid between African Serval and a domestic cat so you will see the spots in a strong pattern on these cats.   

Motzie was so stunning that it drew many people inside the showhall to see him.  They would stand outside the window and look in and then they had to come inside to meet him.  Here Debbie is explaining about him and letting a spectator scratch his chin.

Here he is with judge Melissa Parsley as Exibition Only and boy, did he ever make the exhibit!  People flocked as Melissa had him on the table and he just sat there showing off.  He seemed to know his job and was soaking up the Oohs, and Ahh's.  

Valentino and Eski at the start of the show, relaxing and enjoying the hubub.

At home that night, Motzie didn't see any problem with cozying up in Beauty's bed, much to Beauty's chagrin, hehehe.  But because Beauty is my desk girl, always with me on my desk while I am at the computer, she had another spot to lay.  :)

Eski looking quite coy in her benching cage the following day.

Judge Karen Stinson looking carefully at Valentino's head...

...and picking him up to assess his body for proper Type.

At the end of the show and the night before flying home.  Motzie cuddled in Debbie's arms.  She had him since he was a kitten and the two hold a very special bond.

December 8&9, 2007  Seattle, Washington - The Maine Event

December's show sponsored by the Maine Event is always a fun show filled with Christmas cheer.  Here Valentino is displaying some amazing bulk considering he is not quite eleven months old in the picture.   Judge Alice Rhea giving him the careful feel down - in this picture feeling for tail kinks which would be a disqualifying fault. 

She was describing the Turkish Van a bit for the benefit of the audience but he gave everyone a laugh when she tried to take the toy away from him in order to put him back into the cage.  He would not surrender that toy!  In the end, she put him back with the entire toy in his mouth and when she came back a few minutes later to retrieve it he had it in three pieces.  She told me to watch out as I might have some interesting coloured poop.  :)

Again, seeing and learning about new breeds.  These two cats are LaPerms.  The lady flew up from California and brought them to the show.  They are curly coated cats that are not related to Devon or Cornish Rexes which are also curly coated. 

This cutie is Penelope Princess Pumpkin, owned by friend Laura Holland.  She is an Exotic Shorthair and is a rescue kitty adopted from a shelter.  Yes, unfortunately some pedigreed cats do turn up in shelters but this little girl got her herself a good second home.

January 12&13, 2008   Seattle, Washington - Pacific Northwest Outlaws

February 9&10, 2008  Seattle, Washington - The Evergreen Cat Fanciers

March 1&2, 2008   Albany, Oregon - Sassy Katz & Royal Canin

March 7-9, 2008  Surrey, British Columbia - Cat Fanciers of British Columbia

June 21&22, 2008  Victoria, British Columbia - Garden City Cat Club