News - 2006
Click here to see current news and links to other years
West of Scotland Cat Club show, 16 December 2006
Special congratulations to:
● GRAND PREMIER DUSHENKA OLIVER on winning his third, and qualifying Premier of Premiers certificate, and
having a red card day, winning 1st prize in all of his side classes. This seems to be a lucky show for
my darling boy who won his Premier title at the same show last year. We celebrated the only possible way
by cracking open a grand bottle of Bolly in honour of my grand Olly!
And congratulations to his young nephew:
● Dushenka Technetium Star, who won 1st open, his second Premier Certificate and Best of Breed Russian
Blue neuter, along with a further 3 x 1st prizes and 2 x 2nd prizes in his other classes. Very well done
gorgeous Techs!
Finally, many thanks to:
● 'Auntie' Ellen for helping to look after my cats, and giving us all a lift home
● Techs' doting owners, Jules and Diane, for allowing themselves to be parted from their beloved boy for the
day
Ulster Siamese & All Breeds Cat Club show, 11 November 2006
Many congratulations to Jennifer Fleming's Imperial Grand Champion Shoelina Horowitz on winning his title today. Handsome Horace is Tasha and Techs' gorgeous father and won his fifth Imperial Grand certificate, making him the UK's first ever Imperial Grand Champion Russian Blue.
Cumberland Cat Club show, Brampton, 14 October 2006
Three Dushenka cats at the show - three winners! Congratulations to:
● Dushenka Tashabella - at her first show as an adult on winning 1st open, Challenge Certificate, Best of Breed
Russian Blue adult and another four 1st prizes
● Premier Dushenka Oliver - on winning the Premier of Premiers class and his second Grand Premier Certificate
● Dushenka Technetium Star - Tasha's litter brother at his first adult show as well, who won 1st open, the
Premier Certificate and placed well in side classes. Many thanks to his owners Jules and Diane for letting me
borrow their lovely boy for the day.
Our thanks to Lenny and Lorraine Pontello for squeezing us all into their car on the way home - much appreciated!
Northern Counties Cat Club show, Spennymoor, 9 September 2006
Congratulations to:
● Dushenka Tashabella, at her last show as a kitten on winning another four 1st prizes (taking her total to date
up to 26!) and the Arthur & Enid Burrows Memorial Trophy
● Premier Dushenka Oliver on winning 1st open, Premier Certificate, reserve Grand Premier Certificate, and a
further two 1st prizes
1 September 2006 - website now 1 year old
Celebrating our first year on-line with nearly 11,000 visitors to date. I am really pleased that so many people appreciate the subtle charms of Russian Blues! This seems a good time to add in a bit more information about each of my cats - more to follow.
Teesside Cat Club show, Spennymoor, 26 August 2006
Congratulations to:
● Dushenka Tashabella on winning first in her open class and Best of Breed Russian Blue kitten
● Premier Dushenka Oliver on winning five 1st prizes, and keeping his niece amused on the long drive to and
from the show!
Thanks again to Lenny and Lorraine Pontello of Pontaby Abyssinians for giving us a lift, and congratulations to their beautiful Abyssinian boy Grand Champion One Shot from A'far on another successful day. Special congratulations to his son Simon, and daughter Red who were both made up to Premier on the day as well.
Edinburgh & East of Scotland Cat Club show, Musselburgh, 22 July 2006
Another scorching hot day, which is never easy on Russians with their plushy fur. Sophie decided to go paddling in her water bowl and spent most of the day with wet paws! But my pretty girls still managed to have a good day.
● Champion Dushenka Sophia Bella won her open class, in the face of really, really strong competition, plus the
Challenge Certificate and Best of Breed, another two 1sts, and the Ch Astahazy Nizhny Novgorod trophy for
the second year running. She crowned her day by being nominated for Best in Show - well done Sophie-pops!
● Dushenka Tashabella won a further three 1st prizes to add to her collection, thus equalling her mother's
record of winning 20 1st prizes as a kitten
My thanks to 'Auntie' Ellen again (my cats' auntie, not mine!) for looking after my girls whilst I was stewarding, and for giving us all a lift home.
Russian Blue Breeders Association trophy winners
We just got news today (24 June) that we have won the following Russian Blue Breeders Association trophies:
● Top-scoring Russian Blue female adult of 2005 - Grand Champion Dushenka Mirabella
● Top-scoring Russian Blue female adolescent of 2005 - Champion Dushenka Sophia Bella
Well done again to my wonderful mother-and-daughter duo. Obviously I have always thought they are the best (!) but it feels great having it confirmed!
The sun is shining and it's a very beautiful day...
Lakeland & District Cat Club show, Kendal, 17 June 2006
Back to just two cats with us today in sunny Kendal. Many congratulations to:
● Champion Dushenka Sophia Bella, on winning the Champion of Champions class again, and her second
Grand Challenge certificate
● Dushenka Tashabella, on winning first in her open class, Best of Breed Russian Blue kitten, and a further
three 1st prizes
My thanks to Ian and Caroline Thomson of Saladin Abyssinians for giving us a lift to the show.
Durham County Cat Club show, Washington, 27 May 2006
A long journey, but it was certainly worth it, with my three cats taking home all three Best of Breed awards, four certificates and a total of 14 1st prizes between them. Fresh salmon for tea tonight!
● Champion Dushenka Sophia Bella, who on her return from maternity
leave won 1st in her open class, Challenge Certificate, Best of Breed
Russian Blue adult, 1st in the Champion of Champions class and the
Grand Challenge certificate at her first attempt, plus another two
first prizes
● Sophie's daughter, Dushenka Tashabella, on winning 1st in her open
class, Best of Breed Russian Blue kitten, and 1st prize in all five of
her side classes as well
● Sophie's big brother Premier Dushenka Oliver, who also won 1st in his
open class, Premier Certificate, Best of Breed Russian Blue neuter,
1st in the Premier of Premier class and the Grand Premier certificate
at his first attempt, plus 1st prize in both of his side classes as well
My thanks to Lenny and Lorraine Pontello of Pontaby Abyssinians for transporting us on the day and making all this possible. Plus, special congratulations to their gorgeous sorrel Abyssinian boy, Champion One Shot from A' Far, who also won his open class, Best of Breed and his first Grand Challenge certificate - what a day!!
Nor' East of Scotland Cat Club show, Dundee, 13 May 2006
Many congratulations to our winning cats:
● Premier Dushenka Rurik, on winning the Reserve Grand Premier Certificate
● Premier Dushenka Penelope, on winning her 1st open, and another Premier Certificate
(both owned by Johanna Davidson)
and the kittens
● Dushenka Technetium Star (owners Julian & Diane Stark), on winning 1st open, Best of Breed Russian Blue
kitten, and on being nominated for Best in Show
● Dushenka Tashabella, 1st open, plus two other 1sts in side classes. This time she let her brother take best of
breed - so much better to share the honours!
And finally, nothing to do with us really , but just because he's gorgeous... (well, he is a distant descendant of our beautiful Beau Bellis)
Congratulations to Imperial Grand Premier Shoelina Rostropovich (bred by Jennifer Fleming, and owned by Frannie Sykes) on winning that all-important fifth certificate and best Foreign exhibit. Popov is the first ever Russian Blue to win the Imperial Grand title and a fully-deserved win it was as well. That gives us something to aspire to - after all, we can dream!!
Scotia Cat Fanciers show, Dumbarton, 22 April 2006
Tasha and Techs made their showing debut today, aged just 4 months and 5 days. They were both absolute stars, taking everything in their stride, and thoroughly enjoying all the attention they got as well. Anyway, the results....
● Dushenka Tashabella - Clever girl Tasha won four x 1st prizes, plus Best of Breed Russian Blue kitten
● Dushenka Technetium Star - Beautiful boy Techs also won four x 1st prizes, plus a Saladin Special award, but
on this occasion let his sister take the best of breed - better watch out next time Tasha!
Tasha posing prettily Techs is more interested in scoffing his lunch - as usual!
19 March 2006
It's official - the Dushenka household now has five feline members, with Sophie's daughter Dushenka Tashabella definitely staying put. Any kitten named for my first Russian Blue, Beau Bellis, is never that likely to leave home! Congratulations also to Tasha's handsome father Grand Champion Shoelina Horowitz, who won his fourth Imperial Grand Challenge certificate yesterday, at the Shorthair Cat Club of Scotland show in Glenrothes.
The Scottish Cat Club show, Clydebank, 11 February 2006
A great start to the year! Congratulations to Johanna Davidson's handsome boy Premier Dushenka Rurik on winning the Premier of Premier classes and his first Grand Premier certificate at his first attempt. Clever boy!
2005 was a very good year for the Dushenka Russian Blue cats….
...with four new title winners, and four new kittens!On the show front, 2005 started with Premier Dushenka Penelope winning her first Grand Premier certificate at the Scottish Cat Club show in February, and ended with Premier Dushenka Oliver winning his third, and qualifying Premier Certificate at the West of Scotland Cat Club show in December.
In between, Premier Dushenka Rurik also won his qualifying certificates, and Bella returned to the show bench as a veteran, becoming Grand Champion Dushenka Mirabella in pretty short order!
Not forgetting (as if I could) my most precious Sophie –
Champion Dushenka Sophia Bella - who won Best of Breed five times as a kitten, together with a total of 20 first prizes. She then proceeded to win her Challenge Certificates at all four of her adult shows (even beating her mother to Best of Breed on two occasions) and was a champion before she was a year old.
And on the breeder front, Sophie was also pregnant shortly before her first birthday, courtesy of super stud cat Grand Champion Shoelina Horowitz. She produced four fine, fat, healthy kittens on 17 December – see Kittens page for details.
But my vote for Supermum still goes to my dear old girl Bella, who has now had a title-winner in each of her four litters of kittens, all of them as gentle and sweet-natured as their mother:
● Premier Dushenka Oliver;
● Premier Dushenka Penelope;
● Premier Dushenka Rurik; and
● Champion Dushenka Sophia Bella.
Special thanks to Penny and Rurik’s owner over in Edinburgh, Johanna Davidson, for loving her cats so much, and for showing them with skill and pride.