Russian Spirit hits White Horse Country!

It was the 1^st October 2005, and the Russian Blue Breeders Association show was in its 20^th year. The sun was up, the entries were up and even the visitor numbers were up! The powers that be were really smiling down on us at our new venue at the Guildhall, Abingdon.

Marlene Buckeridge, Dot Thomson and myself as the show management team spent many hours planning and worrying about the potential pitfalls of arranging a small breed show in a new venue. Would everyone (or at least most of them) turn up? Would everything go to plan? Would the cats co-operate? Who would win the coveted Best in Show? We need not have worried for a minute though - it was a "meowing" success in every sense of the word. Thanks must also go to the committee and table workers and everyone who helped behind the scenes. It really isn't just the show management team who organise everything; in a small club like ours everyone has the opportunity to lend a paw!

We had 54 Russian Blues, 4 Snow Marbles, 2 Thai Lilacs and 1La Perm, together with 13 wonderful Household Pets, without whom we would struggle to support our show.

I was to be seen handing out flyers for our show in the shopping centre wearing my now famous grey cat suit, with my wonderful assistant Aimee Thomson, it obviously aided our 'gate' as we had many more visitors than we expected. Keith Thomson was also a star - he didn't stop for a minute helping anyone and everyone with anything and everything.

With our photograph competition, "William" our "cat with the prizes" for adults and children alike, our raffle, bottle stall and tombola - there was something for all the family.

The show buddy scheme was in operation for the first time this year to useful effect, a method of helping new exhibitors in completing their entry forms and various forms of assistance on the day - obviously new exhibitors are the future! This was ably taken on by Anne Murray-Brooks previously Assistant Show Manager and stewarding for the first time today.

We had countless interesting stalls, including Scat Mats, a beautiful hand-made card stall and a Harvest Festival stall for the health conscious amongst us. Robert Fox was also in attendance photographing all the beautiful cats on competition and on exhibition.

We closed the show promptly at 5pm and we all went home to our beds tired, happy and dreaming of our 21 st Show at the Guildhall, Abingdon on 7 th October 2006.

Amanda Roberts
Assistant Show Manager