Arina very kindly entered Tavolga into the FIFe Filidae Club's Forest show on the Saturday and stayed up until 2am on the Friday night after taking us sight seeing, to ensure Tavolga and her mum Elan were ready for the show.
It was really exciting to attend the show which was quite different to those in the UK. The hall was huge and was shared by a TICA show being held simultaneously with some cats entered into both shows! The layout was lovely and very social with the exhibitors inside circles of pens so that visitors could easily walk by and see all the cats while the exhibitors could easily talk and relax together.
I was amazed to see so many Siberians in attendance. There were cats from Rossity, Nevas Legend, Onix Gloria, Manchzhury, Volgskaya Krasa and Angelur to name just a few! It was really lovely to actually meet some of these famous breeders as I have spent many hours pawing over their websites over the last few years!
We were so excited to finally meet our girl Tavolga as we have been following her development since her first photos at one week of age and she is now 9 months old. She is really a fabulous girl and we couldn't be happier with her looks and her sweet temperament too. Judge Mrs Sirpa Lindelof seemed to like her and gave her an excellent write up. I didn't expect her to do brilliantly as she is currently a teenager and, as it was a Forest Show, there was a lot of competition with tonnes of Maine Coons in attendance as well as the good number of Siberians.
Tavloga however surprised us and was awarded Best in Variety and was then Nominated for Best In Show! I couldn't have been happier at that point but the day just kept on getting better! She wowed all of the judges and went on to be awarded Best In Show (category 2 kitten), then overall Best in Category 2 before being announced as Best of Best 1! I.e. best cat in the whole show! Amazing! Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined such an amazing result when we were planning the trip to the Moscow just a few weeks prior!
Arina and Alex also had a second win to celebrate- Tavolga's beautiful mum Elan Sibaris won BIS too and as this was her 15th BIS win this awarded her the title Distinguished Show Merit (DSM). Wow! What an incredible achievement!
So I must say a HUGE thank you to Arina and Alex for your warm welcome to your country, for taking us to see the beautiful St. Serguis Monastry, for driving us around in the crazy Moscow traffic, for all your preparations for the show and of course for allowing us to adopt the gorgeous Tavolga! We can't wait to have her home here with us!
So now for some photos for you to see. (I forgot to bring a program home so unfortunately I don't know all the names of the cats. Sorry.)
The incredibly beautiful St Sergius Monastry:
My wonderful husband and very patient baby in the show hall:
Some Russian refreshments:
Siberians being judged in the TICA show:
Some of the Siberians in the TICA show:
Beautiful Tavolga was very relaxed despite it being her very first show!
Izbrannik Manchzhury owned by Nevas Legend:
A junior female from Nevas Legend:
Onix Gloria Veresk:
There were lots of Russian blues in attendance:
And tonnes of Maine Coons!
A golden adult female from Volgskaya Krasa:
Tavolga and her beautiful mum Elan:
Tav again:
Bereginya Onix Gloria:
Arina and Alex doing some final grooming on Tavolga:
Ethan made lost of friends!
Arina and I watching Tavolga being judged:
Tavolga being judged by Mrs Sirpa Lindelof:
Me wondering how she will do!
Tavolga being compared to the other female Siberian juniors:
A golden male junior from Angelur:
Tav being compared to the Angelur male:
Tav winning Best In Variety!
Ethan is pleased with his cat's first ribbon!
Tav being compared to the other category II juniors for BIS nomination:
The judge takes another close look before making her decision:
The judge explaining the good points of the lovely Maine Coon junior:
Tav wins and is Nominated for Best In Show:
Alex and Arina watch on while Elan is judged:
Elan knows how to strut her stuff!
Rossity Kamysh with his breeder Elena:
A certified female Siberian:
A golden female adult from Volgskaya Krasa:
Judging the adult Sibis for BIV:
Alex with Elan:
Elan wins Best in Variety:
Very handsome Onix Gloria Veresk:
Izbrannik Manchzhury with his owner Valeria of Nevas Legend:
Valeria and Arina with Izbrannik:
Rossity Kamysh:
Elan is BIS! This is her 15th BIS win!!!:
BIS judging for the category 2 juniors:
Tav didn't want to pose!
But she won Best In Show Category 2 junior anyway!
All of the Category 2 winners (neuter left, adult middle, kitten right and Tav out of the shot):
Tav is the best in the whole of Category 2!
All of the category winners compete for Best of Best:
And Tav wins the overall Best of Best 1!!!!! Amazing! Well done gorgeous girl! We are so proud!
Arina and I with the beautiful winner!
All the judges and stewards and BOB winners:
Best in show baby?!
Of course he is!!!
Tav's trophies and ribbons! What a huge haul!
And of course the obligatory Moscow tourist shot, me in front of the amazing St Basil's catherderal:
