Bred by Donna DeGroot
Article by Becky Orlando
Who would ever think that sunny day in Seattle, Washington so many years ago would lead to a lifelong friendship and the start of my line of Exotics that people would recognize worldwide ??? This is where I met Donna for the first time and discussed whether or not she was willing to sell me "a top show Persian for an Exotic breeding program".
I fell in love with her male - GRC RW Prideomine the Sting, and wanted to incorporate that in an Exotic. The big, round eyes, short body with heavy bones and sweet expression was just what my breed needed. When we spoke I knew right away this "union would work". Donna said she had some litters due and would send me a photo if there was something I might like.
I will never forget the day I opened the letter and this photo fell out. On the back was a "post it" note with the words "do you want him ?" I was so excited to see this huge eyed baby just staring at me. I picked up the phone and called her. We set it up for me to pick him up at the show the end of July, again in Seattle.
I arrived at the showhall as I was showing a white Exotic kitten at the time. I was so impatient for her to arrive and kept pacing back and forth. When she came in and set him on the grooming table I was consumed with mixed emotions. He had a body unlike anything I had seen. He had eyes bigger than anything I had ever seen. His color was so deep and intense he looked like an Irish setter... BUT his nose was not as high as I wanted and feared he would not do well in the showhall - remember those days when all the winning cats were soooooo extreme and not so pretty ????
I'm not sure if Donna knew what I was feeling or not and of course I told her I wanted him. She said all her cats "go off" at this age and he will be more extreme as he gets older... Well how many of us have heard those words before? But, I figured if worse came to worse I wouldn't show him and use him for breeding because he would be such an asset to my breeding program.
A long time campaigner and friend of mine said "Don't take him; he is not extreme enough to grand in our Region" and "he will not produce typey babies for you". BOY if I had listened back then, where would a lot of zots be today ? We have had great laughs over this statement for many years.
The trip home was exciting and I could not wait for Anthony to see this bundle of eyes. In the car I took him out and he ran over and layed down in Anthony's lap for the entire drive home. He still didn't have a name ... we thought and thought and since I got him on a rare, sunny, summer day in Seattle - Summer would be in there AND he was truly a JOY to have - but was a male... thus SUMMER JOEY it was.
Joey did well his first couple of kitten shows but got an intestinal illness as well as being allergic to the Tylan he was given. He became very very sick and stayed with my vet for almost a week. Long story short ... he had the runs and was a mess and my vet's office help shave him so he would "look better when I picked him up" and would be pretty and clean ... Well ... It took me weeks to tell Donna he was shaved ... and then we waited for months for his coat to come in ...
When he was a year old I entered him in a local show - for winners ribbons - with very short coat. He made many finals and Donna asked me to send him up to her for the Seaside show coming up and then I could meet her at the Seattle show the following week. When she got him she called from the airport laughing and saying "you weren't kidding about his no coat... it's only 2 inches long". I told her if she was embarrassed to show him, then don't.
Joey got over 150 grand points at that show and the following weekend he granded with well over 300. We will never forget the comments Kim Everett made when she gave him Best Alibreed Champion - "I don't want anyone going home saying you lost because your cat lacks coat, because this cat has the least coat of any Persian I have ever finaled but there is more to a cat than it's hair."
I showed Joey the rest of the summer as we were thinking this could be my first Regional winner - so I set a low goal of 2,500 points and kept going. At 3000 points I began to think he might get a 2nd Best of Breed award and kept going. At 4000 points I began to think he could be Best Tabby and kept going. At 6000 points he was Best Tabby and I kept going - because Joey loved the showhall ... He was, however, the worst spraying male any of my friends had ever seen and no one would bench around me. Towards the end of the show season the judges would also NOT let me put him in the ring. I had to sit and hold him until they were ready for him. Joey finished with about 6600 points, was 5th Best Cat in my Region and Best Tabby in CFA. My first Regional winner was also going to get a National Breed award. I will never forget that Annual.
Joey had turned out to be more than I ever expected and when breeding time came, I was not disappointed. He could breed faster than anything I had ever seen. He was gentle but quick and the girls liked him.
Joey was bred to Ch. Becton's Chelsea Morning, a torti Exotic. Her litter produced GC, GP, RW Becton's Here Comes the Son - a red tabby male. When he was born, and we knew he was a shorthair, I let Donna name him. He looked just like his father and as a nick name he was "BJ" for baby Joey.
Joey was then bred to Ch. Becton's Midnite Fantasy, a black. This litter produced GC, RW Becton's Mister Trouble, a black and as a baby showed with BJ. The repeat of Mr.T produced 3 torti's and all were Exotic this time - GP Becton's Miss Behavin, DM and GC Becton's Miss Cheevious.
It was apparent from his first litter that Joey's "look and expression" would be stamped on his children. His huge eyes, short legs and heavy bones would be carried over on to his children, grandchildren and so on. He was also an outcross breeding, which meant some inbreeding could be done safely.
I bred Joey to his daughter, Miss Behavin, and these breedings produced GC RW, Becton's Summer Fantasy, a cream tabby and GRC RW Becton's Summer Jackpot, DM, also a cream tabby. After this success, and because these breedings also produced Longhair's, I knew it was time to breed Exotic to Exotic.
I bred Joey's son, Mister Trouble, to Joey's daughter, Miss Behavin, and again "Joey stamped his huge eyes and body" on the babies. These breedings produced many Grands, and many Regional winners which also made Miss Behavin a "DM" as well as did 2 of her daughters.
Joey was not used for outside stud service, but when Mister Trouble started breeding, Joey was loaned to Bruce and Donna Isenberg - who produced 6 GRC's out of Joey. After this I gave Joey back to Donna ... He has been used on a very limited basis and we hope this coming year to achieve his "DM" title.
Joey is behind my 4 National wins, my National Breed win, my 3 DM's, and all BECTON Regional winners and Grands. Joey's children, grandchildren, etc. are also in many winning lines today and the best compliment I have ever received over the years is when anyone says to me "I would know one of your Exotics anywhere".
WELL - This "LOOK" only came from once place -
Becky Orlando
Email: BECTON@email.msn.com
| We are pleased to announce that on 8/20/00 Joey became a Distinguished Merit award winner. Congratulations to Donna DeGroot, Becky Orlando, and everyone else involved in this wonderful accomplishment! |
