GCCF Certificate Classes at Championship Shows change from 1st June, 2011

A cat can enter only ONE certificate class and exhibitors should check carefully which class their cat is eligible for.

For example: cats with Champion/Premier titles will not be able to enter the Open (Breed) class and must enter and compete for the Grand Certificate. Only untiltled cats can enter the Open class.

Looks like this is inline with the new Olympian Certificates which you can enter and compete in once your Imperial Certificate has been achieved.

What do you all think about the new stucture? I was told about this over the weekend but did see it posted on the GCCF website this morning.

__________________

My extended family
2 Birmans, 2 Ragdolls, 1 Cockatiel and lots of Tropical fish

Love it but can understand why people don't like it.

I can't see why people would object. It all sounds very sensible to me.
Why do exhibitors enter a cat into Champion/ Premier classes when their cat already has theat award? Seems pointless to me.

__________________
http://www.scottishwildcats.co.uk

I was one of those people who went to shows all over the country to try and get away from people who kept entering their titled cats in the open classes. That was few years ago when I was showing my neutered boy, my first show cat that I bred, we were both novice to the show world and I found it very disheartening at the time. I am looking forward to the change.

__________________

My extended family
2 Birmans, 2 Ragdolls, 1 Cockatiel and lots of Tropical fish

They do it because they either want points for a trophy with a club or they are doing it because they want to guarantee a critique if they miss out on an Imp or a Grand.

The change means that breed clubs no longer can have cats with Imp titles in as they can't do the Olympian. A lot of small breed clubs rely on some people bringing these cats to boost numbers/entries so there is concern that this change has killed the breed club shows.

Personally, after hearing so many novices moan about how dear a show entry is & how pointless it is when the same "Supreme & UK Imperial Grand Ch/Pr" is in their grand/imp/open class & then never to return to a cat show, I think it's fab!

I have mixed feelings on the changes, probably just, on balance, being in favour of them with one or two reservations. I can entirely understand someone who is showing in perhaps a limited geographical area (and don't we all to some extent given the cost of fuel) who continually comes up against the same, perhaps more mature cat that is a already a ch/pr/gr, etc and still being entered in the regular open class, or gr class when it is already a gr, etc, getting mightily cheesed off.

On the other hand I think titled cats are there to be beaten; it should give breeders something to aspire to and uphold the quality. I know some judges will withhold if they don't feel they have a cat in the open class worthy of a certificate but the fact is that many don't. I hope the changes don't lead to a 'cheapening' of titles earned... at shows which are already often depleted to only one or two cats in open classes.

There will be a time when you would want to enter into your own breed club show but may not be able to if your cat is at Imperial status. I know I like to support my cat club and enjoying entering a cat at the annual show. This could be a disappointment for many. Yes you would not see these spectacular cats under normal competing conditions but surely this could open up the opportunity to show off your cat as an exhibition exhibit and an inspiration to others.

Plus thinking about this more and being the novice chasing certs in the past, wouldn't more people be more attending shows if they know that titled cats will not be competing in the same class as them?

__________________

My extended family
2 Birmans, 2 Ragdolls, 1 Cockatiel and lots of Tropical fish

I'm absolutely certain there are instances of owners continually showing the same titled cat(s) in open/grand classes though, oddly, it doesn't appear to happen very much at all in 'my' section - British Shorthaired. I do, however, recall it happening much more commonly in the neuter section; not sure why... perhaps because neuters tend to look/stay in good condition year round, where entire queens are off the bench having kittens and studs may not look their best year round.

I do sincerely hope the new structure will encourage people to show - god knows show entries have declined dramatically. I'm still not convinced though that that, in the main, is a result of titled cats being shown in their open class. When money is tight for people, as has been the case in recent years, one of the first things to go out of the window is expenditure on their hobby. If we do see an upward turn in show entries as a result of the new class structure, I honestly think it will very minimal... but I do hope I'm proven wrong

why do man utd still play in the prem when they've already won it?

Thats not the same comparison is it? I would have no objection to a cat being repeatedly enetered into the Imperial Class (or soon to be Olympian Class).

Your question should be why would man utd choose to re-enter the First Division when thay had qualified for the Premier Division surely?

__________________
http://www.scottishwildcats.co.uk