Conference misery::feline

269.0. "SHOWING AT FIFE-ORGANIZATIONS" by IJSAPL::MOLL () Mon May 04 1992 09:19

		< Showing at FiFe-organizations>


	As in entries 258 and 171 showing with CFA is made clear to
	anyone entering a show for the first time, I would like to
	explain how show-rules within FiFe-organizations are.
	[IF ANYBODY CARES]
	Although it's very unlikely that you'll EVER enter a FiFe-show, just
	in case you might, I give the main issues from an ordinary show.

	Each show is taken place on Sunday. Sometimes there are 2-day
	show which start on Saturday. Saturday will be for judging,
	Sunday for Best in Show-election. You are obliged to come
	both days.
		
	As for the different breeds we (read FiFe) divide the cats in
	4 groups; Oriental & Siamese, Shorthair, Semi-longhair and
	Longhair (only Persians).

	Classes
	-------
	
	All races are divided in different color-groups and within that
	group placed in separate classes acoording to their title and gender.
	We've got 7 classes for each gender.
	Kittens 3 - 6 months         male/female
	Kittens 6 - 10 months        male/female
	Open class	             males/females/neuters
	Champion class		     males/females/neuters
	International champion       males/females/neuters
	Grand International champion males/females/neuters
	European champion            males/females/neuters


	E.G: As a MC-breeder I'll give the color-groups of the maine coons:
	As of jan 1992 the colour group of MC, Norwegians and Rexes are
	changed by the FiFe. Before that we had only 4 groups;
	Agouti, Agouti with white, Non-agouti and Non-agouti with white.

	The new groups consist of 9 types and are
	1. Black and Blue non-agouti
	2. Black and Blue with white non-agouti
	3. Black* and Blue tabby 
	4. Black* and Blue tabby with white
	5. Reds (Red, Cream, Tortie, Blue-cream etc)
	6. Reds with white
	7. Silvers (Smoke, Silver tabby, Smoke tortie etc)
	8. Silvers with white 
	9. White
	(* Black = Brown)
	As we're not very happy with this new grouping we would like to
	restore the 'old' groups. 

	Every judge is given a category of a breed (eg. Persians black,
	Birman Blue-point, Chocolate-point and Maine Coons group 6, 7 and 8).
	A judge may only judge short-hair, semi-longhair, longhair or an
	combination of those. An all-round judge may judge all breeds.
	
	Reports
	-------
	
	Within FiFe-organizations, the judges WRITE reports about your cat,
	concerning the standard of that breed. The head, body, eyes, ears
	coat, tail and condition are examined to that standard and are
	written down. The cat is only judged once !!!
	(I would like that changed)
	At the end of the report the judge fills in the qualification of
	the cat; Good;      Better stay home next time with this cat
			    No breeding quality
		 Very good; Depends on the judge, but if this happens
			    more often, leave it at home.
		 Excellent; Show quality, keep on  going.
	If there are any competitors within the same class the judge
	will have to make out who's first, second etc.
	So with 3 males within the same group (eg. persians black/
	open class/ males) the cats are given execellent 1, execellent 2
	and very good 3). The cat with execellent 1 gets his certificate.
	
	Certificates
	------------	
	For entering a class you'll have to gain a certain amount of
	certificates, except for kitten and open classes. 
	For Champion class; 3 CAC-certificates won on previous shows
	For International Champion class; 3 CACIB-certificates won on previous
	shows in at least 2 different countries (2 Dutch and 1 German or
	1 German, 1 Dutch and 1 Belgium).
	For Grand International Champion class; 6 CACGIB-certificates won on
	previous shows in at least 3 different countries.
	For European Champion class; 9 CACE-certificates won on	previous shows
	in at least 3 different countries.

	Show
	----

	The show start at 7.00 Am with the veterinary examination. A vet
	checks the 'passport' of the cat (containing his vaccinations)
	and the cat itself on fleas, checking his teeth etc.
	After passing this test you'll get the cage-number for your cat(s)
	and the catalog of the show. After putting your cage in order and
	letting the cat in, take a rest a cup of coffee and make a chat
	with the people you've seen last week at a show !!
	Most of the time you run into the same people over and over again.
	
	At 10 o'clock the judging start and the visitors can come in.
	A steward takes your cat to the judge when it's due.
	Every cat has a number and the number is on the judge's report,
	as well is it's age, gender, breed and class.
	After writing the report the judge may/may not tell you what
	he thinks of your cat and gives the certificate or not.
	After that he might leave the cat with him for selecting best
	of breed (Best in Variety).
	This best of breed is giving within a color-group;
	3-6 month kittens, 6-10 month kittens, neuters and male/females.
	But there must be a minimum of 3 cats within that color-group.

	Eg. 2 kittens 3-6 months;  | 1 BIV given for all kittens
	    2 kittens 6-10 months; |

	    4 neutors;             | 1 BIV for neutor

	    2 male/females;	   | no BIV given


	After judging all cats, every judge makes a nomination for
	Best in Show of the ones she's had.
	This is taken place for every main group; Longhair,
	Oriental & siamese, Shorthair and Semi-longhair.
	The judge can nominate :
	1 kitten 3-6 months	
	1 kitten 6-10 months	
	1 female 	
	1 male 	
	1 neutor
	Most of the time, these will be the BIV-cats. If there are more
	BIV-cats within the group the judge must decided which one is
	nominated. For instance, choose between a Norwegian Forest cat,
	Maine Coon and Birman, who all got a BIV from the same judge.
	As a result there can be more nominated cats for each class
	(eg. 4 kittens 3-6 months) because every judge makes his
	nomination.
	
	At the Best in Show the judges that we're responsible for
	those groups get the nominated cats to judge. Then they have
	to vote which of the cats is going to be Best in Show
	(kitten 3-6 months, kitten 6-10 months, neutor, male and female).

	The best male and female are again compared and the winner
	gets Best in Show. The 'looser' gets Best Opposite Sex.
	
	Sometimes there's a Best of Best competition. Here the winners
	(BIS of the groups) are competing. The winner will be BOB 1,
	second BOB 2 etc.

	This is in a nutshell the average show at a FiFe organization.
	Any questions left; write an entry !!!

	Erwin.
	
	

Erwin,

What does FiFe stand for, and where are these shows held?

Thanks,
Jill

    Excuse my ignorance, but what is a FiFe organization? I've never heard
    of it! Is it new? Is it in the U.S.? I'm confused, but interested in
    hearing more!
    
    Cheryl

    I think the FiFe is a German organization.

    Fife is the Federation Feline Francaise (that is close, we will have to
    get the true answer from the author).  It is an international
    organization equal to CFA.  It is a registering body, and has it's own
    show rules, etc.  
    
    For several years CFA had tried to make an agreement with Fife
    regarding show rules, etc. so that CFA cats could compete in Fife shows
    over there.  The arrangements never worked out, so Fife and CFA are not
    working together.  CFA then branched out to an International Division
    and is now holding CFA shows in Europe with CFA rules and standards.
    
    The author of the base note and I have chatted about Fife a little bit.
    I have a good friend who is a Fife judge, and the base noter knows her.
    Thank goodness he thinks well of her!!! ;')
    
    Jo

	
	Because of the time-delay (for you US-people it's at least
	6 ours, as I'm leaving you've just started) here's the reply.

	Well, well, well ! A lot of questions to answer.
	As I'm not very busy at the moment (our project is on hold)
	I can clear things up a bit more.

	> What does FiFe stand for, and where are these shows held?

	FiFe is the 'Federation Internationale Feline' and you could
	compare it with the United Nations. The organization exist of 
	members (cat associations) from most European countries and
	a few others (eg. Brazil, Singapoure, Isra�l, Maleisia and
	in a short time Australia and Russia). 

	(Jo, you got it almost; it's not francaise but the language is
	 french).

	The cat-associations have a boardmeeting every year to discuss
	new members, standards, contributions, show arrangements etc.
	All members are entitled to enter 5 issues that they want to
	be changed (eg. show-rules, standards). At the boardmeeting
	those points are discussed and a decision is taken (accepted/
	refused). The accepted issues are valid for ALL members.

	Every assocation connected to the FiFe is obliged to follow the
	rules given by the FiFe-committee. Although it is possible
	to have separated rules within a association, they can not divert
	from the FiFe-rules.

	As you can see the FiFe is more of an international agreement
	concerning standards and shows. Every member must give the FiFe
	a list of dates when and (if possible) where they are going
	to give a show (1 or 2 days). The FiFe then checks if no other
	show (at least 350 miles away) is given on the same date, if so,
	the last entered date should be changed. It is possible to have
	a show for instance in Danmark, Italy and Portugal all on the
	same date.
	(For European thoughts, this is 'not nearby', although the
	distance may not be less than 1500 miles).
	
	This is not valid for: Great Brittain, Norway and Sweden because
	of the quarantine of cats (6, 4 and 3 months). It is not possible
	for 'us' to show in those countries as long as your not willing
	to expell yourself from your cat for a LONG time.

	If you are a member of a cat-association connected to FiFe
	(as I am; Dutch association is called 'FELIKAT'. Holland is
	the only country who have 2 associations connected to the FiFe.
	The other one is called 'MUNDIKAT') you are entitled to show at
	any organization which is connected to the FiFe. So if there's
	a show in Brazil, you can go there.
	YOU CAN NOT SHOW AT AN ORGANIZATION WHICH IS NOT A MEMBER OF FIFE. 
	As like religion and politics there are other cat-associations
	who are not within FiFe. We call them 'the independants'.
	For them goes the same, they only can show at other independants
	and not at FiFe. Show-rules within these organizations are different
	from ours.


	As for the United States they are not within the FiFe; They've
	got the CFA, TICA, CFF and a few others.
	It is possible for CFA-judges to come to judge within FiFe,
	they are 'talking' to TICA to get to a similar agreement.
	Last week we had a show where Mr. Bob Everett was judging
	(he's the husband of Kim Everett, the show-gang know who they are)
	and last year a judge called Mrs. Barbara Saint-Georges was at one
	of our shows.

	>Excuse my ignorance, but what is a FiFe organization? I've never heard
	>of it! Is it new? Is it in the U.S.? I'm confused, but interested in
	>hearing more!

	It is not a new organization; I'm not sure about when the FiFe
	was established but it's certainly over 20 years old.
	And no, it's not in the US. For now it's not possible for you to
	show at FiFe, but maybe in the near future you could get into 
	our shows.
	As Jo stated in her reply FiFe and CFA are negotiating on further
	expansion of cooperation.

	Well, hopefully this will give you more of an idea how 'our' side
	is coping with shows.


	Erwin.