Supreme Grand Master Toby the Tabby(UMC)
Supreme Non-Pedigree Exhibit, GCCF Supreme Cat show 2009
Toby's Story
I am often asked if Toby is half-Bengal but he is actually a true moggy. His mother was a feral semi-longhair golden tabby called Elsa who was found in a very poor state in a builder's skip. His father was probably another feral farm cat. We still have his mum - now neutered -and she remains fierce and feisty to this day - unlike her son who is the sweetest natured boy ever. Toby was one of four kittens born on 2/3/97. Little Toby was the only shorthair and the only pure tabby. The other three were very pretty semi-longhair tabby and white kittens and we had no trouble finding good homes for them. Toby stayed and soon started accompanying me to cat shows where I was working as the duty vet. Toby did extremely well as a kitten - he was Best in Show Household Pet Kitten at the Tabby CC show when just 6 months old and also qualified for the final of the Whiskas Non-Pedigree Stakes at the Supreme Cat show.
Little Toby aged 6 months looking adorable in his first BIS Pen - Tabby CC Show October 1997
His first Supreme was an exciting occasion as it was my first too and he did very well to reach the last 8 in the Whiskas class and finished 6th in his Supreme Class - that was in the days when classes were much bigger than they are now. Toby grew up into a huge magnificent tabby and has done well at shows all his life achieving 14 best in show wins so far. One of his most notable achievements was to win BIS at the Blue Persian Cat Society Show in three consecutive years from 1999 to 2001. He quickly achieved "Silver" in the South Ribble Pet Cat Club Awards scheme. Gold eluded him for many years but to our great joy he finally made "Gold" by winning a SRPCC class in 2009. In the meanwhile he had quickly gained the title of Mastercat in the Coventry and Leicester Household Pet title scheme and later went on to become an Ultimate Mastercat. When the GCCF started awarding titles to household pets in 2009 Toby quickly achieved three Grand Mastercat Certificates to become a GCCF Grand Mastercat. In spite of all this the one show where success eluded him was the big one - the Supreme Cat show. He has been placed 2nd - 6th in his class many times over the years - only missing one show in 2008 because his sister Rosie had qualified for the Crystal Clear Final at the National CC show which was unfortunately held one week after the Supreme that year. Every year I dreamed of him doing well but that class win never came until 2009 when to my great surprise and joy he won the UK grand class and then went on to win the Tabby Group. To see him up on the stage bring judged for Supreme Shorthair was the proudest moment of my life and when he won this and went on to beat the Supreme Longhair - old friend and rival, Pat Creaton and Carol Walker's UMC Littleman Raffles - and win Supreme Non-Pedigree it was absolutely amazing. Raffles is the most beautiful cat and was Supreme Non-pedigree in 2008. Many thanks to Carol for being so gracious in defeat and I am sure Raffles will get his own back on Toby in due course!!
Toby is a quiet gentle soul with a very loving nature. When our first Bengal Lily arrived as a young kitten in 2000 I was a bit worried the 3 year old Toby would not be impressed - he is very devoted to me and I thought he might be a bit upset by a young upstart receiving a lot of attention. I need not have worried - Lily quickly worked her magic on him and he soon became her constant devoted companion. Over the years Toby has seen many young Bengals grow up - he really loves kittens and they love him. He puts up stoically with having his tail played with and being ambushed. He likes to pin them down and wash their bottoms just like a mother cat! They obviously see him as a replacement mum as they are usually introduced to him just after mum has left and they have been vaccinated.
From now on Toby will be semi-retired although he will have a go at the GCCF Imperial title if he continues to enjoy his shows and remains fit and well.
Stop Press 4/3/10: Toby is well on his way to that Imperial Title with three Imperial Grand Challenge certificates to his credit following his successful day at Coventry and Leicester CC Show on 27/2/09 when he beat old rival Pebbles, owned by Debbie Lewis. Toby also won the heat of the Royal Canin Midland Challenge.
Toby's Gallery
Toby relaxing in his favourite high spot on top of the freezer.
Thank you to Karen Parker of The Art of Animals for this lovely photograph
Toby enjoys being an Uncle to our Bengal kittens - seen here with Tinkerbell and Pandora
Toby in his BIS pen at Blue Persian CS Show
Toby winning BIS at BPCS 2001
Lily - she loves him really!
Some of Toby's Show Reports from June 2009 onwards
Merseyside CC - 6/6/09,
Supreme
Show 21/11/09,
Burmese CS 5/12/09
Aren't you coming to bed yet?
