SOUTH AFRICA'S FIRST
CHINCHILLA
GRAND CHAMPION
Article that appeared in overseas magazine ~1981
by
Stella Slabber,
8 Avenue Bernard, Southfield, Cape Town
For five years I haunted cat shows in South Africa searching for a
Chinchilla Persian. I saw many, including imports from the United Kingdom and
European Continent, but none was to my liking. My search ended when I bought a copy
of the book, Persian Cats and Other Longhairs, written by Jeanne Ramsdale.
It was exciting to discover in the pages of this book photographs of
the type of Chinchilla cat that I had always wanted to own! Although I was warned
that American cats would stand no chance of winning in South African shows, I am
one to prefer my own judgement so lost no time in ordering a pair of Chinchillas from Mrs
Ramsdale. In May, 1971, two kittens arrived in their new country from USA: a
male, DEARHEART ALEXANDER, and a female who was destined to make cat fancy
history, DEARHEART JENNIFER.
Cat shows were few and far between in South Africa. There were
six clubs: two in Cape Town, two in Johannesburg, one in Durban and one in port
Elizabeth. In order to become a Champion then, a cat had to win three challenge
certificates under three different judges in three separate shows. The same applied
to becoming a Grand Champion: a Longhair Champion, for example had to compete against all
other Longhair Champions and won against them three times.
JENNIFER, born November 25, 1970, began her adult show career at the Western Province Cat Club's show, Cape Town, in May, 1972. She won her first Challenge Certificate from judge Don Daly and was Best Chinchilla and Best Longhair Opposite Sex. The following month at the Eastern Province Cat Club show in Port Elizabeth, she won a C.C. from judge Rosa Anderrson, going BOX Chinchilla to CHERIE DEARHEART ALEXANDER, IMP., who was named Best Longhair and Best Cat.
On August 12, 1972, JENNIFER earned her Silver Medal for full Champion with a third C.C. from judge A. Bac at Natal Cat Club's show in Durban.
Next may, JENNIFER began her quest for Grand Championship honors by competing at the Cape Town show. Judge Yvonne Akersten awarded her a Grand Challenge Certificate but, unfortunately, it could not be counted as there were an insufficient number of cats entered in the class.
Mrs M.Simpson gave JENNIFER the first G.C.C. to count at the All Breeds Cat Club show in July and Ms Andersson did likewise at the October show of Western Province Cat Club. The latter show was quite a truimph for JENNIFER: she swept the board winning Best Chinchilla Adult, Best longhair Adult, Best Grand Championship Gold Metal and Best Cat On Show. The Grand Championship Gold Medal was hers after she won a fourth G.C.C. from judge Mrs Ferreira at which she repeated her top wins of the previous event all the way up to and including Best Cat!
This very beautiful Chinchilla female drew favorable reports from her judges. Ms Andersson wrote: "Very impressive Chinchilla of true Longhair type, medium size, but cobby and well proportioned. Head shape correct, small ears and enormous blue-green eyes. She had the smallest nose leather I have seen. The longest coat in the class. Texture beautifully soft, ticking light but even. Brush short and well furnished."
JENNIFER's show personality was superb. She thrived on public appearances showing herself off to her judges to the bet advantage. She seemed to open her huge, beautiful eyes to their widest to acknowledge the applause fo the public!
Sire of South Africa's first Chinchilla Grand is CH. BEVERLY-SERRANO FANTASY and her dam is DEARHEART LITTLE GENI.
CH. CHERIE DEARHEART ALEXANDER and GRAND CH.
CHERIE DEARHEART JENNIFER, IMP. have had two litters of kittens. Two of the
first litter, SHERIE DAUPHINE (female) and CHERIE CHERUBIN 9male), born
October 15, 1971, became Champions and the latter had a Grand Challenge Certificate to
his credit. One male of the second litter, CHERIE CHASSEUR, born October
25, 1972 had been shown terularly as kitten and adult and had two C.C.'s. Kittens of
both litters, whenever shown in Cape Town, have consistently won Best and BOX Chinchilla.
These to wonderful Persian imports from Dearheart Cattery, Long
Beach, California, brought a great change and improvement in the type of the Chinchillas
in South Africa and will surely go down in the history of the cat fancy. CHERIE
DEAR HEART JENNIFER is a Grand champion of whom the cat fancy in the USA can be
justly proud .... not to mention her breeder, jeanne Ramsdale, a person of such integrity
that she
sent her best to an unknown person in faraway South Africa.
For these, and more interesting articles, visit the
Chinchilla Breed Group web site at
http://www.ad.co.za/sacatco/chinchilla/