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(Reprinted From the Autumn 1998 issue of "ExPress")
GC, NW Pum-Ko Fancy Pants
Bob and Carole Salisbury have been breeding and showing cats for 30 years. Their first love was the Burmese, followed by Abys, Siamese, Devon Rex and Persians. But in 1978, they decided to try their luck with an Exotic. They called Carolyn Bussey of New Dawn fame, and purchased a beautiful black smoke female from her, GC New Dawn She's A Pepper of Pum-Ko. "Pepper" had a rather respectable show career in the Southwest Region, and Bob and Carole were "hooked" on the Exotic.
This past year the Salisburys have the distinction of having bred the 14th Best Kitten in CFA, Pum-Ko Fancy Pants, a gorgeous black female owned by Connie Stewart and Patricia Helmick. "As Connie was campaigning a white Persian adult again this past season, it wasn't as easy for 'Bloomers' (as Fancy Pants is known) to achieve her national win as one wold think. Sometimes the judges can be a bit biased about finalling a kitten and an adult shown by the same campaign exhibitor," Carole says.
Bob and Carole insist that they had no plans to push Bloomers for a national win, although they have had many cats with regional and national campaign wins in the past. These days, Bob is judging most weekends, and Carole doesn't like to travel to shows alone. Last November, while at the Palm Springs show, they were overwhelmed by the enthusiastic comments about Bloomers made by fellow exhibitors and judges alike. Many said that Bloomers was the closest thing to a "shaved-down Persian" they had ever seen!
As Carole says, "Campaigning is not for everyone! Some people want to campaign any cat that can grand. I feel a cat should really stand out and be totally extraordinary! Bloomers is that type of cat. I think her parents are also pretty special, but not what I would call exceptional."
"Bloomers is our 4th National Winner, and most likely she is our last. As we all know (or should know), some of the best cats are never shown. We feel that our goals in breeding Exotics were met when Bloomers was born. So, in the future, we will no longer be breeding or showing Exotics."
"Hopefully, Bloomers will be bred and will continue our line. But most of all, she is now retired from the show ring and is enjoying life as a pampered pet."
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