Lê Hương

Audiences feasted their eyes on dozens of beautiful cat breeds competing in the first-ever Cat Fancier's Association (CFA) International Cat Show in Hà Nội on Saturday.

More than 70 cats from South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Việt Nam took part in the show, assessed by famous judges Allan Raymond, Bob Zenda, Carol Forgaty, Jan Walker Rogers, John Webster, and Russel Webb.

The cats were marked by all six judges, who chose their own best cats. The final marks of each cat were then summed up, and the cats with the highest marks won the champion titles.

A cat owner from South Korea makes up for her cats before joining the show. VNS Photos Lê Hương

Six champion's cups were given to the cats with the highest points.

The Best Kitten In Show belonged to a tortoiseshell female Persian cat from Thailand; a black golden shaded British shorthair from Thailand won the Best Bred Cat in Show title, while a Persian calico cat from South Korea won the Best Premiership in Show title.

A blue silver classic tabby polydactyl Maine Coon from Việt Nam gained the Best House Hold Pet in Show, and a classic cream tabby Maine Coon cat got the Best Local Bred Kitten in Show. A shaded silver Persian cat from Việt Nam won the Best Local Bred Championship in the Show cup.

Nguyễn Kiều Ngọc, president of Việt Nam Cat Club and head of the organising board of the show, told Việt Nam News that the contest aims to judge whether the cats are solid and beautiful according to CFA's criteria or not.

Judge John Webster examines a cat.

"There is a category for indoor cats to determine if the cat owners are offering healthy nutrition and care for the cats; the cats' characteristics are suitable to be raised in the house or not," she said.

Ngọc said in comparison to other cat shows, this is the biggest in scale as it gathered the most significant number of international contestants and judges.

"This is the first time the Việt Nam Cat Club has hosted such a show," she added.

Atcha Yuenyadchai poses for a photo with her Scottish cat, who is among the top 10 cats chosen by judge John Webster at the show.

According to Webster, a judge at the event, there were a lot of friendly cats at the show. "We have standards for every cat breed, following which we mark the cat," he said.

Webb, vice president of CFA, said though the show has been run for the first time in Việt Nam, it was organised very well.

"The first show was organised in 1906 in the US," he said. "Such a show has been organised in Indonesia, South Korea, Japan and Thailand. However, this is the first time in Việt Nam, and I hope it will return."

Webb said the cats at the show were good.

"They show up potential," he said. "The kittens need to mature. I'm happy to see the cats competing at categories today."

Highest scored cats received cups from the judges.

Vũ Dung, owner of a cream classic tabby Maine Coon cat from Bắc Ninh, who won the Best Local Bred Kitten in Show title, said she has been breeding cats for the past two years.

"I feel thrilled to win the title," she said. "But the more important thing is that I can prove that cats bred in Việt Nam are as healthy and beautiful as others in foreign countries. Some are even better."

Atcha Yuenyadchai from Bangkok said she wanted to join the CFA show in Việt Nam as she thinks her cat can get some prizes there.

"I also want to see cats from other countries in Asia," she said. "I also want to take this chance to travel around to see Việt Nam with my friends after the show."

Lê Thị Ngọc, owner of Adora Cattery in Hà Nội, highly appreciated such a show.

"This helps Vietnamese cat breeders ensure they raise cats in a good way or not," she said. "Vietnamese cat fanciers also understand more about international standards for cats. The breeders that own cats scoring high marks at the event can sell cats at a higher price in the market as they are somewhat internationally recognised at a show." VNS