Conference misery::feline_v1

    Well, I showed there last year and found it to be a small show.
    Don't really remember how many cats - but, it was a nice show
    and you would probably enjoy it.  Guess it depends on far you
    wish to travel.  They may have shelter kids - I don't know for
    sure.  Sorry not to be more help, but it's not my club and I
    don't know what their plans are until I show up at the door
    that morning - other than what is in the show flyer, which
    tells us how many rings, who the judges are, the entry cost,
    you know stuff like that.  
    
    The entry clerk is Susan Stewart - Phone: 207-586-6659 after 6 pm.
    The show manager is Marjorie Winchenpaw - PHone:207-832-5307
    
    These folks could give you what ever information you would like
    to have.  I'm sure they won't mind if you give them a call!
    Maybe after you call, you could post the good news!
    
    E.T.

    I've been to the Portland Show several times over the past few years.
    The show does tend to have a larger number of Maine Coons than some
    of the other shows, but they are usually still outnumbered by Persians,
    Siamese and some of the other more popular breeds.  
    
    The show is held in a large roomy gym and usually is more pleasing
    for spectators (and exhibitors) because there isn't the usual
    congestion in trying to get through the aisles or watch the rings.
    
    They usually have several vendors selling products, along with a
    club table with speciality items.  
    
    I don't remember if they have had shelter kittens or cats in the
    past.  Sorry!!
    
    For exhibitors, if my memory serves me right, this show has terrible
    People Food!!!  Exhibitors might want to bring their own, or there
    is a Domino's that delivers!!!
    
    If your interested in seeing Maine Coons though, this is probably
    one of the better shows for seeing a large class of good quality
    ones.
    
    Hope this answers some questions.
    
    Purrs
    cin
    

    -< I Called >-
    
    Just got off the phone from Marjorie (the show manager) -- a
    delightful conversation.
    
    She said it is a sizable show -- 150-160 are entered (and one year
    they had 190).
    
    Highest percentage will be Household Pets
                        then - Persians
                        then - Siamese/and others
    with a fair estimate of 10-15% Maine Coons.
    
    She will be showing 2 MC's of her own.
    
    As far as shelters go, she said Baxter will be there with at least
    a table.
    
    I *really* am psyched to go now!
    
    Thanks E.T.
    Diane
    

Sounds like a lot of fun -- where and when is it?  I gather it is
in Portland but that's a big city!  Hours of show?

Any idea what to expect from vendors?  I'm looking for a number of
large enclosures for my future cattery but only saw one vendor at
the Concord, NH show, not a lot of choice!

Thanks for any info...


Jan  who_still_needs_to_isolate_Spats_from_all_his_hated_fellow-cats

    Who from DEC is going.  I'm planning on attending as a spectator
    only and would like to know who I'm going to plan on meeting there.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Sandi  (Lightning's & DejaVu's mom)
    
    

    Hi Sandy,
    
    I'm going & showing - TenkaBabies & Pashenka Shelton.
    
    See you there.
    
    E.T.

    Secret Princess aka Coo will be accompanying me to the
    Portland show!
    
    Jan_Brown_from_the_East_Coast:  give me a call (617-492-6262)
    about cat cages.  Keep trying if you get my answering machine
    or no answer or busy...I am ill and spending (too) much time
    at medical appointments.
    
    	Coo (writ by Penelope)

    I'll be at Portland, escorted by Tiger, of course.
    
    purrs
    cin
    

    Good - Cin, can I scratch his beautiful head again?  What a beauty
    -  You better check my pockets before I leave the show hall.....
    
    E.T.
    

    Hey, Elaine, I think he's a little too big for pockets now....you'll
    have to bring a big duffle bag....or maybe you could borrow one
    from Pen!!!!!  tee hee....
    
    cin...in a weird mood this afternoon!
    

Okay, lot's of people are going.  Can't one of you provide an answer to
my question (see .4) about where it is?  It sounds more interesting by
the minute, but I'm not about to wander around Portland in the hopes I'll
stumble across it!  (I'm renowned for my lack of sense of direction,
heaven only knows where I'd wind up).

Thanks for the help, look forward to meeting some of my fellow 
FELINE's...


Jan Brown_from_the_East_Coast

    Jan,
    
    Read E.T.'s note 1183.4.
    
    Sorry, I started the answer the day you asked -- but
    expected someone else to do it.
    
    I am really looking forward to this one!  We are going
    to stay overnight Saturday -- there is a lot to see and
    do up in that area.
    
    Diane
    

    Ok, I'll ask her if I can borrow it - boy, am I a sucker for a
    handsome face!  I thought it was cute when you called him a
    short haried persian!  What was the name of that double breed
    that those folks were asking about - when I looked at your
    face with that blank look on it - I felt the same look on
    mine (THIS DOES NOT COMPUTE !).  sigh

    Thanks Diane - just thought I would keep the coon stuff together!
    This show is easy to find - sounds like a fun day.  HOpe the 
    weather is good ,,,

    Elaine,
    
    They were asking for a Birman Snowshoe!!!
    
    Sometimes it amazes me how much we cat people know, that we just
    take for granted!!!
    
    Sometimes at cat shows, people ask for some pretty strange breeds!!!
    And it never fails that at least one spectator will refer to the
    persians as angoras!!!
    
    Were pretty special!!!
    cin...
    
    
    

    Whose going to the Portland show as spectators???  Maybe there are
    some people who can carpool.  
    
    Are there people here who want to go but don't have transportation??
    
    Are there people here who are willing to drive and wouldn't mind
    a passenger or two???
    
    Maybe we can get some of these feline lovers together.
    
    cin
    

    Oh Cin, I couldn't for the life of me think of that combination.
    That was a good one!  I'm not really up on all breeds, but, boy
    that one really just didn't make it! 

    Cin,
    
    I'm 99% positive I'm going on the 16th, so if anyone would like
    to "pool" with me, you're welcomed!
    
    And regarding comments from spectators, the one I love is "Oh, I've
    got one at home that looks just like that!"  Ever hear that one
    about Fire????
    
    Mary

    Mary,
    
    I don't know which one I heard most:
    
    "I've got one at home that looks just like that!"
    
                    or
    
    "He looks just like Garfield!!!!"
    
    
    Hmmmmm, the problems of having a red squishey faced cat!!!  Although,
    I sometimes think that Fire thinks just like Garf!!
    
    Look forward to seeing you in Portland....you'll get to meet Tiger,
    Fire's shorthaired son!!
    
    cin
    

    Really..  Only I get that plus, "Oh, I've got one at home
    that looks just like that, EXCEPT mine has......"   
    
    I never do know how to respond to that one?

    At the last Marlboro show, I think I insulted one of the exhibitors.
    She had an unusually colored, ticked golden brown cat. I said that my Argus
    was that same color, that this was the first other Argus-colored
    cat I had ever seen and asked if there was a special name for the
    color. The woman damn near bit my head off telling me how rare that
    color was, the difficulty in breeding to get that particular color
    and how highly unlikely it was that my mixed breed's fur looked anything
    like that of her precious puss.  She never did answer the question. Did
    I ask something wrong or was this woman just being a b**** (word
    meaning female dog)? 
    
    Deb

    Deb,
    
    It is OK to ask anything.  She was being a b****.  I can understand
    some of the frustration of hearing someone say s/he has a pet at
    home exactly like what you've spent years trying to get.  We breeders
    have to remember that even our "man-made" breeds and colors are
    based on gene pools that either exist or are fairly recent mutations.
     And if I can get it so can you.  I wonder if the cat was a fawn
    abyssinian or possibly a sangapura.  If Matt Goldman is still checking
    this file he will probably be able to describe the fawn abby to
    a T.
    
    Frank

    Deb, I agree - ask anything!  I guess sitting in front of a 
    cage all day or for 2 days can get us "peopled out" - I think
    it's the number of times the questions are asked not the actual
    question that get to a person.  Maybe HHP exhibitors like to
    think that their baby is the most unusual, most flashy, etc.
    and that no one else has one exactly like that!  It's the end
    of the season also - sigh - I'm getting tired - and these last
    few show that my kids are entered in are either overnighters
    or a fair distance to drive.  
    
    Remember, without sepctators, clubs would have a tough time puting
    in a show and paying the bills!  Keep coming and keep asking!
    
    E.T.
    fo

    The very best line I heard was at the first cat show I ever visited
    in Denver.  A spectator was looking at a gorgeous Maine Coon and
    commented that she had one at home that looked just like that, and
    the breeder replied "Oh, isn't that interesting, and we have Doberman
    bitch at home that looks just like you!"  You should have seen the
    look.....
    
    Cin, Fire is to Garfield what Miss Universe is to me...
    
    I can't wait to meet Tiger and all the ZhivagoKids and Secret Princess
    and everyone else!

    Mary

    Mary, I can't stop laughing!  Can I use that sometime??????  Just
    kidding!!!  
    
    E.T.

Re:>  < Note 1213.24 by CLUSTA::TAMIR "ACMS design while-u-wait" >
   >                         -< Up your nose, lady! >-


Wow, talk about intimidating the spectators!  I had sort of planned
to attend the show but now I think I'll be too afraid to open my
mouth to enjoy it.  When we went to the Concord NH show I did see
cats that looked "just like one I have at home"; oh no, I may have
even SAID that.  Lucky to have escaped alive...  

My point is that not all of us are experts on the subject of breeding 
and conformation and so forth, those comments aren't being made to 
purposely insult those showing.  If I should display my ignorance by 
making such an obviously stupid remark, please try to forgive me -- 
and maybe educate me.  I thought that was one of the purposes of
the show, to help me appreciate the special qualities of your cats
as opposed to the strays I happen to collect. 

I was surprised to read some of these comments, it really sounds like
a bunch of snobs who enjoy being rude to those who are not part of
their inner circle!  That isn't at all the folks I've come to know
through this notes file, maybe someone else typed them in under your
name?  I'm not trying to start an argument, just wanted to let you
know how it sounded to me -- maybe I'm just feeling espcially sensitive 
today but I thought they sounded pretty harsh.

Dare I attend?  If I promise not to say the "looks like" comment?

Thanks for listening, and sincere good luck to all those who are
entering the show.


Jan  

    Frank and Elaine,
    
    thanks. I'm glad to know that it wasn't me, as I make a point of
    not saying things like "my cat looks exactly like that [EXCEPT ..]"
    I don't remember the breed of the cat whose owner I "insulted", but as
    far as Mr. Pussycat goes, he is sort of fawn colored, only a bit
    lighter, with sort of a creamy hue to it (it's a real difficult color
    to describe, and very eye catching). Pip's hairdresser, who occasionally
    trims Argus's claws (and breeds Himmies herself) isn't sure what
    his color or make up is, but she thinks he has a little
    Abby in him, and he certainly does have a few Abby personality
    characteristics, like playing in water and just a great friendly
    personality. 

    Deb

    Holly would like it to be known that she is pleased that her Aunt
    Carol has magically acquired the kitten Baba who has the good taste
    to look exactly like Holly.  I asked her what she thought of the
    replies in this note, but she said "A lady would not deign to discuss
    them."
    

    Go - Go - just ignore us nasty exhibiors!!  stop by my cage - you
    can ask anything you want - I can't promise to know the answer,
    but I'll try.

    I haven't show that much, but the times we did show, there were
    *always* people who said things like that ("My cat is just like
    that..."). At least when we were showing Russian Blue, we could
    ask things like "Is the skin really Blue? Are there two layers
    of fur?" Occasionally they'd insist, and then we'd say "Well, you
    should show it!" It's a fact of showing life to meet guests who
    have cats like yours. Maybe she just got dumped from a ring or
    something...
    
    Bryan

    re: .26
    
    Don't be intimidated!!!  
    
    Us Exhibitors joke alot about "the most common line" at the show:
    
    I have one at home...
    
    We just can't help it....you would be amazed if you were exhibiting
    how many times during one day we hear it!!!  As the old saying goes,
    If I had a nickle.....
    
    Anyway, my usual answer is:  "Your cat must be very beautiful then."
    
    So, please, do come to the show....
    
    purrs
    cin
    

    
    	I plan to attend, but with a table full of my crafts and artwork!
    Please stop by and say hi!!!! I have wonderful cat door stops and
    shelf kitty's and note paper ect..... you may have seen me one time
    at a DEC Christmas fair! I'm really looking forward to the cat show!
    
    	Becky

    I have only shown in one show, but I did get a few people saying
    the old line, "My cat looks just like that."  They were mainly talking
    about Tabbatha, though.  Not many people had cats like Silver. 
   
    One little girl did come up to the cage and said, "Hey, that cat
    looks just like Rosco!" and she pointed to Silver.  Her mother came
    over and, much to my surprise, said, "I don't think so, Rosco is
    a rare breed."  I asked her what kind o breed Rosco was and would
    you believe, it was a Korat?  Needless to say, I was slightly amazed.
    
    Holly
    

Reply after a long time:

Yes Frank, you are right; I hardly read FELINE anymore.  I'm not sure whose 
pet resembles an Aby, but I am Master Clerking at the Portland show so if
he/she is going please bring a couple of good color photos and I'll see what I 
can figure out.  It's hard to judge color and ticking from a photo but even
harder w/o anything at all! 

About exhibitors being nasty.  In any group people there will always be a wide 
mix of personalities.  Don't let these few spoil your enjoyment.  I always try 
to be friendly, but there are times when a show can become very frustrating and 
this becomes difficult.  The "if I had a nickel" story is so true, especially 
with breeders of Maine Coons and ASHs.  Believe me, I do not condone this 
nastyness; however, people are people.  I just ignore them and laugh ... I even 
laugh at myself sometimes when I get stressed.

See you all at Portland!

    cin, I just had to add a comment about people ocassionally calling
    Persians by the name Angoras:
    
    How would you like spend a show explaining that a Birman wasn't
    a Himmy, Burmese, Siamese, Balinese, Snowshoe or Ragdoll?  That
    is the problem with having a relatively unknown breed.  Actually,
    I usually use the opportunity to explain why Birmans are so much
    better than those other breeds.  ;^)  You have to sieze the moment
    you know!

    Jo

    Yeah, Jo, but I can't think of any advantages that a Persian has
    over an Angora.
    
    Let's see, with a persian, you get to spend more time combing, bathing
    and washing their faces.  They also eat more!!
    
    hmmm, maybe I should start breeding T.A.'s!!
    
    ;-)
    cin