And the cats came back

Breeder Natalie Burton from North Shore was pictured with a Birman kitten

More than 2000 people competed or watched when the Hamilton Cat Club held its 75th anniversary show at the Tamahere Community centre last weekend.

Matt Branagh was one of six judges from outside New Zealand to attend the Hamilton Cat Show. Photo: Roy Pilott

The event was moved from its previous home, Hamilton Gardens last year when  work was being carried out there, and a decision was made to stay.

Show manager David Crymble called it a spectacular venue.

It catered for a total of 178 cats, representing 30 breeds from 90 exhibitors from Northland to the South Island as the event underlined its standing as the best supported show of its type in the country.

Visitors who did not want to  test the softness of a grassed parking area found parking at a premium.

Megan King, Hamilton Cat Cub president, pictured with one of her entries, Zachariah, a five year old domestic long hair blue and white. Photo: Roy Pilott

Eight judges were at the show – two each from Australia, the United States and New Zealand and one from pan and South Africa.

The event was also a triumph for club president Megan King – who is a Tamahere resident.

“It was a full on day… without exact figures we think over 2000 members of the public came through the door, there were queues on occasions,” she said.

The overall supreme winner was Taniver My Silver Lining –  an eight month old  Black Smoke and White Persian kitten.

The owner and breeder is Cheryle St Clair-Newman from Christchurch.

Cheryle St Clair-Newman, whose cat Taniver My Silver Lining was the overall supreme winner, pictured with Megan King, left, and cat club show secretary Anita Cheetham.

Breeder Natalie Burton from North Shore was pictured with a Birman kitten, which she bred and was entered in the show by Jacob Marshall. Birmans are like “teddy bears” and are the dogs of the cat world, Burton told The News. Photo: Roy Pilott

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