Bombay Cats CFA Breed Club - Boyd Tinsley National Winner

GC NW Caricature's Marian Anderson ended her show career as a one show Grand two shows after her national winning kitten campaign ended. Naturally, we asked ourselves, "What about Marian's kittens?"
GC NW BW Caricature's Boyd Tinsley is one of those kittens. Boyd only went to a few shows as a kitten because we were showing a sable Burmese kitten to a RW as well as supporting a new exhibitor showing her Bombay kitten to a RW. Boyd turned eight months old in July and finaled twice as an open. The following week, at Garden State as a champion, Boyd finaled three times in the top ten and granded in three rings! Several judges verbalized that they wondered where Boyd came from and noted they hadn't seen him as a kitten. Garden State is often the show that cats and kittens use as a spring board to a regional or national campaign. Boyd took Garden State by surprise to our delight. We were happily off and running.

Several months before this show, I tapped on a hotel room door with eight week old Boyd tucked inside my cardigan. "Would you like to see something cute?" Once inside the room, Boyd hopped onto the bed. He played in the baby doll clad laps of two friends, both CFA judges.
They were delighted with him. Little did this kitten know the journey that lay ahead. Both "Auntie" judges did…….
In October at the CFA IAMS championship New York show, we began campaigning a champion and a kitten, both trying for NW's. Sig took Boyd. Sharyn took Dinah…also one of Marian's kittens. Some weeks we traveled together. Some weeks kitten and championship counts varied and we traveled separately. Winter storms disrupted travel and show counts. Many shows changed weekends this season and some clubs didn't hold shows. Past statistics were often of questionable value in deciding which shows to enter.

     When the kitten secured her National Win and officially became an adult at eight months, she was best in the Region. Although Boyd was secure in a NW, he rose rapidly in the ranking. Now we competed for both to hold the number one position in the North Atlantic region. In early December, the northeast had a treacherous ice storm while Sharyn was at a show with Boyd. Home she drove at less than 40 mph, passing over 40 accidents along the way. Behind her slept a shiny black cat…..trusting he was always safe with her.
     Week after week as shows came and went, Boyd developed his judging routine. He knew how to stack for Walter, flex on the pole for the ladies, and knew that Jeri and Gene allowed him to pick his favorite toy on the table beside the judging platform. He became a dependable showman. His interest in a couple of next door holding cage neighbors led to two hopeless love stories. First with a "Happy to see you" sweet-faced Brown patch tabby ASH and later in the season as he played footsies with a strikingly beautiful French seductress from Louisianna, the Chatreau. Through January competition in the Region for number one was nip and tuck. But by the end of February, Boyd had pulled ahead to stay.
     During his campaign, Boyd gathered a wide range of judges who finaled him high consistently. This simplified the choice of shows. However, Boyd missed a few big shows in August and early September because we were in Scottsdale awaiting the arrival of our most recent new grandson. He also missed a few other biggys during the season as we balanced family fun weekend events with "Fancy" ones. Still Boyd was able to attend 32 shows as an adult, black-lined in eighteen and was second or third highest scoring in all the others except one in which he was fourth.
     We are grateful for the encouragement and support of all the judges who so consistently enjoyed Boyd. We couldn't have kept up our stamina without the loyal friendships we enjoy and the cheerleaders we gathered along the way.