New York Adventure

Or

The Selkirk’s Take the Big Apple By Storm

by Pam Sharp

Well, the Cats! New York show is over and I feel that it will go down in history as one of the most exciting CFA shows ever. Donna Bass and I attended, with GCh, BW Pamacs Winnie the Blue (Bear) and Pamacs The Wizard of Woolibaar (the Wiz) (both co-owned by Donna and I). The people in New York were fantastic and very enthusiastic about all of the cats. I understand that there were a total of 25,000 people who came to the show hall over the two-day weekend. That doesn't seem like a large number unless you were there. I was marveling at the super wide isles as Donna and I set up our cages. However it wasn’t long until I realized that every inch was going to be necessary.

To begin at the beginning, the trip was grueling as coast-to-coast plane rides always are, unless you travel first class. Needless to say, we did not. However both Bear and the Wiz were relaxed and comfortable where our feet would have been in normal circumstances. Bear is a veteran at air travel, but since the Wiz is only 5 months old, this was his very first flight as well as his very first show. Donna and I were proud of the boys and their impeccable behavior.

The CFA site suggested that a cab from the airport to the show hotel would be the best deal. I checked with Map Quest and since it was only 11 miles, we decided to try the local yellow taxi. As we exited the terminal we noticed a very long line waiting for a cab. Very long, as in at least a block, with about fifty people ahead of us. A private driver who had a luxury car available for a flat rate approached us. It was about the same as the cab fare so we joined the other two ladies who were in New York on vacation and we were off to the famed Hotel Pennsylvania.

Two and a half hours later we are just arriving at our destination. It was the World Series and the traffic was unbelievable even for someone who had grown up in Southern California. But we did get to see the edge of Central Park, Park Avenue and even Broadway along with Macy’s and several other well-known businesses. All of us were thankful that we were not in a cab with the meter ticking as we were stalled in traffic.

The hotel left a bit to be desired. Check in took another 45 minutes and when we reached the room it was not as we requested almost four months earlier. There was only one bed and barely enough room for a litter box and our suitcases. And it was hot and stuffy. It seems that the hotel shuts off air conditioning October 1st regardless of the weather. A phone call to the front desk, while entertaining, did nothing to help the situation. It seems as if there was not another room in the entire building that was available. I explained that I understood, but since this was not my room, it must belong to someone else and I just wanted to trade back with them. They offered to bring up a roll away bed, but unless one of us slept in the hall, there was simply no room for it. So I left Bear happily sitting in the bathroom sink and went down stairs to speak with the manager. He politely told me that he had eight other problems to solve right now. I just as politely told him that I was his number nine and would be happy to wait right here until he got to me. Within 20 minutes we had a lovely (well, much nicer and much larger) room with two beds and an air conditioner that blew out barely cool air. After three trips to haul cats, luggage and show equipment from old room to new room we settled the cats in their new weekend home, turned the air conditioner on high and settled in for a take out sandwich and early to bed.

Saturday morning check in time was 7:30. Although Madison Square Garden was across the street, our entrance was around the corner and down a long block. Once in the building, we had to go down long halls, around corners, up and down ramps and through walkways filled with sports equipment. Then we packed into a large freight elevator, went up four floors and made a similar trek into the show hall. By this time Bear weighed a ton, Donna and I were both sweating and agreed that we may not do this one again.

Set up was normal and easy since Donna brought her Sturdi cage, and judging did start on time. They set up curtains behind the judging cages and barriers in front of the judge’s table, so the spectators could see but could not approach the cages. As a result we had to walk behind the judging area and down to the entrance for each ring. No short cuts across the hall this time. It was a six ring show so each cat was up three times each day. This gave us lots of time to talk to spectators. And every minute was full of people asking questions, television cameras, newspaper photographers and hundreds of cat lovers with cameras. With no exaggeration, I would say that at least 1000 people asked if they could take Bear’s picture. Everyone said either “what a wonderful cat” or “I have never seen anything like that before. What kind of a cat is he?” As I was grooming Bear in preparation for his first ring, an attractive lady with a cameraman in tow approached Donna and said she was from Russian TV and was doing a segment on the cat show. The program was based in New York, but was sent all over the world. She asked if she could sit in front of me and do her opening monolog. It took about five minutes so Bear was thoroughly and totally groomed within an inch of his life before she was finished. Later in the weekend, we were approached by a man from “Kid’s TV” a cable program. He asked if they could do their start up in front of some cats. So Bear and I, The Wiz and Donna joined three Ragdolls and their owners who were benched across the isle for an opening segment with a cute little girl from the program.

There were television photographers in the hall all weekend. But the highlight of my weekend, publicity wise, was on Sunday when a gentleman approached me from New York Town and Country magazine. He was doing an article on the cat show and wanted to use Bear in the article. The photographer brought a large velveteen cloth, put it down on our grooming area and draped it over the cage behind us. We placed Bear on it and she started snapping pictures like a Chanan clone. Bear immediately perked up and started posing for the camera. He stood, he sat and raised one paw, he turned and he even lay down and stretched out for the camera. What a ham he was, totally enjoying all of the attention. Here's the final product - first page of the article and the largest picture to boot!

When it was over, the spectators applauded and everyone wanted to touch the Selkirks. Donna and I gave up. We opened a bottle of alcohol and brought out the roll of paper towels. Even with tearing each paper towel in half, by mid afternoon we had run out. People were standing six across and two deep waiting with their hands out to be disinfected just so they could touch one of the babies. Soon everyone had the routine down pat. Get the alcohol, rub your hands, wipe them on a paper towel or after we ran out, on your pants. Then wave them in the air so the cat won’t smell the fumes. Then they were able to pet one of the most amazing cats on the planet. For a while, all I could see were outstretched hands waiting for alcohol and all I could hear were people saying, “me too” and “can I pet them too?” We just unzipped the cage doors and let the people reach in one at a time. The Wiz was so tired that he slept on his back and got most of the petting on his curly black tummy. Bear alternated between snoozing and rubbing his head on everyone’s outstretched hands. Donna and I couldn’t have been more proud of their behavior.

As far as judging went, we received no finals this time. When the Best of the Best judging came, all three judges came back to give Bear a second look. And one judge jotted down his number in his top ten. But this show was not really about points. It was a breed awareness show to educate the public about purebred cats. And because of two very special Selkirks, a shorthair grand champion and a longhair kitten, thousands of people in the New York area now know all about the most wonderful Selkirk Rex breed. And you know what, I think both Donna and I will do it again next year.

from Michele Aughenbaugh