Back from Poznan - Fifé World Winner Show 2011

Galvin, after the WW show, back home - we can still see that his right eye was sore...

Little Vinou and I travelled to Poland last week-end to attend the Fifé Wolrd Winner Show.

It was a veeeeeeeeery long trip, we left home at 4.15 a.m. on Friday, October 27th and eventually arrived in Poznan 12 hours later... The weird thing is I didn't even go by car (I don't have a driving license and yes Angelika I will soon, it's planned!) so you may wonder what took us so long as we travelled by plane. We didn't have a direct flight and first flew via Zurich to go to Berlin from where we took the "Berlin Express" (thank you Sylwia and Pawel for arranging the trip for us!!)... I couldn't directly fly to Poznan from Berlin as all flights with pets were already booked: no less than 1,500 cats were to be at the WW show this year!

In Berlin I first experienced some problems (travelling alone abroad always makes me feel a bit anxious if I don't speak the local language) finding the driver of the Berlin Express as he wasn't waiting for me at the right place in the airport. I only had his name and phone number and I soon discovered that we were to have a little problem: he only spoke Polish and German and I do not speak any of these languages... Hopefully I had a nice German man helped me out and talked to the driver for me.

By the way, the Berlin "Express" is not so ''express''. Probably because the trip wasn't already long enough, after 20 minutes on the road the car had a flat tyre... (*sighs*) The noise it made scared my poor Vinou and he jumped out of his skin to hide behind my jacket :-) Then in Poland there were some traffic jam so we finally arrived and checked-in our hotel quite late and veeeery exhausted.

There we could get some rest and I ordered some food: I hadn't eaten anything since the day before and I was kind of starving. Actually in the second plane I was given a small croissant but I had to give it away because Galvin was noisy trying to get a part of it. And as I was "hiding" him I didn't want the cabin crew to pay attention to us: we needed to be discreet as I wanted Vinou to stay with me and not be forced to be stuck in his Sturdi-bag again. He stayed on my lap during the whole flight (it's not allowed usually but I didn't care!).

By the way Galvin really has everything of a "show-cat", he loves to be admired and kept purring all trip long. People were looking at him quite amazed by his big, large and floatting ears :-P

At the end of the day we met Sylwia and Pawel (Divine Madness cattery, Poland) who fetched Simon (Ostior cattery, Germany) and me at the hotel. We went in town and had dinner with other breeders. There I met Kristin from Norway, Jitka from Czech Republic (... and many other breeders) with whom I started to have so much fun... fun that lasted all week-end long:-)

Unfortunately my dearest friend Céline (Dreamlands cattery, France) couldn't join us this year and go to the World Show as she was busy with other plans but hopefully we will go together next year (Zagreb), I am looking forward to it already!!

This first evening in Poznan was a great one. Thank you Céline for having cheered me up when you called so that I wouldn't stay alone in my hotel room. Yes usually I am the kind of girls that stays alone because I'm too shy to go out and meet new people - or at least "I think I'm shy". Actually people made me feel so comfortable this week-end that I discovered I'm not so shy anymore, I'm a grown-up now:-) 

And I must say I didn't feel like going to the WW Show this year after I lost Flint last Summer. I was first planning to go with Galvin and with Flint. But sadly Flint died and I was so devastated I couldn't imagine I'd still go anyway. By the way again there was not a single balinese cat at the WW Show this year, really a pity!!

(to read about Flint click  here)

It was my first time in Poland and the first time I went to the World Winner Show alone, I mean with no friends (Céline from Dreamlands cattery, Angelika from cattery of Noah's Ark, etc.) so I was a bit anguished but really all went just perfectly fine. 

Everyone was quite in the same situation as we all were coming from different parts of Europe (or even from different continents) and hardly knew each other but from Facebook and through our websites/blogs. We all talked in English but there were also a little bit of Czech and Polish words from time to time and I mostly learned two words: something that sounded like "tam" (there) and "tak" (yes) lol :-P To me it sounded like Russian even though I was told these languages are totally different! 

 Sandra, Sylwia and Me - thank you Pawel for the picture!

On Saturday the big show began. Galvin was to be judged by Mrs Pahl from Israel. She loved him a lot (how could she have not?!) and she said things like "hem I think I can say there are the ears and then there is the cat" and "you wanna fly to Ameeeeeerica, don't you?!". I was a bit afraid he might be to heavy (English type) and not enough muscular but Mrs Pahl said Vinou had a wonferful body with a very long tail, everything seemed just fine.

Thank you Pawel for the picture - Galvin quite impressed by all the nose. I was showing him to Mrs Pahl (judge from Israël)

At the end of the day Mrs Pahl compared Vinou to the other cats among the Junior class and I was so very proud when she eventually chose to nominate him. Some judges don't like the "extreme" look but Mrs Pahl told that even if Galvin's ears are very large and low-based on the head "that's still correct", so he is not "out of the standard":-)

That night we went to a Tapas Bar and the evening was quite memorable. Those who were present know what I am alluding to :D :D :D

Sylwia, my hands (yes these are my hands!), Simon, Christine, Barbara, Sandra, Vera, etc. :-))))

Yummeee... my first pizza is coming... yes I had two lol - was quite hungry that evening!!

On Sunday Galvin woke up with a sore eye, so from that moment I knew it would be difficult not to say quite impossible for him to win the World Title. And even if I did everything I could before the Best in Shows to try and fix his eye, it didn't look better when it was time for the BIS. I am still very proud of my red baby boy, being nominated at a World Winner Show is a big reward already. 

It was my very first time in Poznan and well I must say I enjoyed it so very much!

A special thank goes to Sylwia and her husband who welcomed us very warmly, gave us so many rides, and did everything to make our stay comfortable and unforgettable.

Barbara (Artegato cattery), me and Sylwia - after we had gone out for some fresh air... I needed some, those who were present probably remember why :-)))))))

Well to sum up I must say this World Show was quite amazing not only because it's a big show and that I could see many beautiful cats, but also and especially thanks to all the nice people I met there. Honestly I didn't know I could have so much fun :-)

Don't I look happy on this pic?

Tapas Bar, sitting next to Simon (Ostior cattery, Germany)

What the hell were we talking about...

...even the waiter was laughing.... :-)

Jitka (Czech Republic), Kristin (Norway) and Me after lunch on Sunday

(I miss you girls!)

It was a great World Show. I am happy I have met many nice people and even if Galvin isn't a World Winner he's still the Winner of my Heart, it shall be enough!!

Meet you in Zagreb again next year everyone! :-)