by Chris Hadfield

Hadfield's Purrdy Brown Patched Tabby (Photo by Alan Robinson)

When I set out I never realized just how hard it would be to develop colourpoint SH and to retain the boning and type, but we are making good headway. In breeding it often feels like two steps forward by three back and this is the way with the colourpoints. It did not take me too long to make contact with several breeders. I became ftiends with Barbara Knight of Greenmores Cattery and so my first two exotic SH imports arrived, Greenmores Paten Pending a wonderful flame point male and Suthernsmiles Creme De CoCo a sweet seal point female. Barbara had agreed to let me have to keep Patent company whilst he was in quarantine. Sadly Patent never worked for me and Barbara offered to replace him, she had sent me some photos of the cutest little flame point female, I was in love! She had to be his replacement! We went over to stay with Barbara and it was agreed this baby was to be mine and the name was to be Greenmores Pandora Simpson. I had the thrill of showing this little baby at a CFA show in Jacksonville, what a wonderful time we had, we spent 4 days with Barbara and Bobby and they made us so welcome. I could not wait for Panda to fly to us. The 6-month quarantine seemed to take forever but she settled in so well.

My imports have added so much to my SH programme and I am truly grateful for the help these breeders have given and for the lasting fiiendships I have made.

Last year saw a new addition to our Cattery begin to work, many thanks to Dany and Aime Corporal for letting us have CFA Grc Maylor Red Robin of Hadfields, a wonderful flame point himalayan male. Working with himi's makes it a longer process but I felt this was the way to go. Ch Karabels Shamrock of Hadfields will also be home from Quarantine in May with his girlfriend Karabels Wishing Star a cream tabby CPC, they will be joining us to help our SH programme. I would like to thank his breeder Christine Arnold for sharing her lines with us. We are hoping his wonderful pedigree and his didy little ears and super conformation will also help us with our exotic programme.

Hadfields Confetti Blue Cream (Photo by Alan Robinson)

1999 was a very good year for us, we had 4 Best in show winners, 3 of these were Exotic SH's, Hadfields Confetti a blue cream CPC was unbeaten as a kitten and went Best in show LH at the Preston and Blackpool Championship show in March 99. She has since then been Best of Breed IP Adult at two shows but is taking time out for matenal duties, she will be back showing later in the year.

Her Litter sister Hadfields Purrdy, brown patched CPC exotic, has also had a fantastic show career, her very first show she was best kitten under all of her judges and Best of Breed exotic kitten. She has been to two adult shows and has won her Challenge certificates at both. She was also Best in Show exotic at the Chinchilla Silver and Smoke cat club show.

One of our most outstanding winners has been GRP Hadfields Heartthrob (tigger) the UK's very first brown mackerel tabby GRP. His show career has been amazing; he has had 11 shows so far where he has been first under every judge! He has 16 Best of Breed awards. He has been best in show LH alter 4 times against very tough LH competition. I cannot thank his owners and our dear friends Lynne and Colin Carter enough for showing Tigger in such tremendous condition.

During 1999 we had many great shows but one which stood out for us was The North of Britain Championship Show, we had Best of Breed exotic kitten with Hadfields Jeepers, a brown classic cpc. This was his only kitten show as well as being Best of Breed he was also first under all of his judges beating some outstanding LH competition and was also nominated for best in show. Hadfields Confetti, blue cream CPC was best of breed exotic adult and Grp Hadfields Heartthrob was Best of Breed alter and first under all his judges and went on to be Best in Show alter. One to truly remember!

We began the 2000 shows with similar successes at the Shropshire Cat Club Show. Grp Hadfields Heartthrob was Best of Best exotic alter, Best in show LH alter and then went overall Best in Show Alter. A thrilling moment for us and his owners! Hadfields Jeepers was at his first adult show and got his first Challenge Certificate so this was a great day when we had a red Persian baby who was Best of Breed and was first under all his judges! Another wonderful day!

We look forward to seeing more colourpoint babies this year (fingers crossed for them all to be SH!). We will see less and less cpc as we move forward with our programme. We are hoping for the addition of a non-colourpoint (tabby) SH male later this year to blend into our lines and to add stripes to our lines! Wishing everyone a fabulous year it is wonderful to see just how popular the exotic SH has become, long may that continue.