The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy

Definition of Cat Shows

There are three types of GCCF shows - Exemption, Sanction and Championship. There is also the GCCF's own Championship show - The Supreme Show - to which entry is restricted to cats and kittens who have qualified at other Championship shows. Many shows have a special section for Non Pedigree cats and all GCCF shows are one day events.

Exemption

An Exemption show is the first type of show that a GCCF affiliated cat club may hold and the only type an agricultural society may apply for. It is less formal than a Sanction or Championship show and does not have to comply so strictly with the GCCF Rules regarding classes and judges. In an Exemption show, cats with Preliminary Recognition that are normally judged in Assessment Classes are allowed to be given competitive Open Classes as for other breeds. No GCCF Certificates are awarded at Exemption shows and the results of Exemption shows are not recorded, therefore the entries are not checked by the Office for errors.

Sanction

A Sanction show is basically a dress rehearsal for a Championship show and may be held only by a GCCF affiliated cat club. Clubs may apply for this status of show only when they have been granted 3 Exemption show licences and have held 2 of the shows. The GCCF Rules apply in full but no GCCF Certificates are awarded other than Merit Certificates for Assessment breeds, if these breeds are included in the show, which go towards the promotion of the breeds to Provisional Status. All Open Class entries placed 1st, 2nd or 3rd are checked by the Office for errors and the Merits awarded in the Assessment Classes are recorded on the cats' show histories.

Championship

A Championship show is the ultimate status of show which may be held by a GCCF affiliated cat club. Clubs may apply for this status of show only after they have been granted 3 Sanction show licences and have held 2 of the shows. The GCCF Rules apply in full and GCCF Certificates may be awarded where applicable, if the judges consider their exhibits warrant them. It is at Championship shows only that cats can gain GCCF Challenge Certificates (entire cats) and Premier Certificates (neutered cats) which go towards their gaining Champion and Premier titles and Intermediate Certificates (Provisional breeds) which go towards the promotion of the breed to Championship status. All Open Class entries placed 1st, 2nd or 3rd and Merit winners are checked by the office for errors. The Adult and Neuter Open Class placings and any certificates awarded are recorded on the cats' show histories.

The Supreme Show

The Supreme Show does not have Miscellaneous or Club Classes as in other shows as it is basically a 'knock out' competition to choose the best Adult, Neuter and Kitten in the Pedigree section. These winners gain the title of Supreme Adult, Supreme Neuter, and Supreme Kitten (the Supreme Kitten title is not a permanent one) and then compete against each other for Supreme Exhibit (no extra title). The Non Pedigree cats also compete in a similar way for Supreme Non Pedigree Exhibit.

GCCF, 5 King's Castle Business Park, The Drove, Bridgwater, Somerset, TA6 4AG, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1278 427575 email: info@gccfcats.org