BOSSYBOOTS STARLIGHT
Owned and Breed by Susan Rayner
Can you tell us a little about who you are and your Cat Fancy journey?
My name is Susan Rayner and I have been breeding & occasionally showing my much loved Burmese for forty years now. The first show I visited was the Yorkshire cat club show, there I saw my first Burmese & decided they were the breed for me. In 1986 I managed to find my first Burmese, not an easy task with no internet! She was cream & I named her Aura & she started my long love affair with the Burmese breed.
Although my prefix Bossyboots, is in my sole name, my long suffering partner of almost twenty seven years, John is just as much a part of everything I do with the cats & has always been keen to show them.
Have you entered the Supreme Show before? If so, how did you get on?
Previously, I have only exhibited twice at the Supreme, once many years ago & again a couple of years ago. Both times my cats were placed second in their open classes. However I have visited the Supreme on many occasions & always look forward to it as it is such a special event.
Can you tell us all about your wonderful Supreme winning cat please?
Bossyboots Starlight (UKI Gr Ch Aureus Maximus X Gr Ch Bossyboots Darlin Starlin) otherwise known as Finch was not meant to be a keeper. Friends, family & the stud owner thankfully convinced me she was. There was always something a bit special about her. She is quite a character & has loves to sleep under the covers at bed time. My other five Burmese including her Mum, Granny & Great Granny & my Springer Spaniel all adore her.
Before the Supreme she had only been to one other show, she seemed to really enjoy it and was happy and confident, so i decided to enter her for the Supreme.
What advice would you give to someone who’s starting and thinking about showing their cat? What tips would you give them?
If you are thinking of showing the best thing to do is visit a local show so you can see what it is all about. All of the exhibitors are very friendly & love to chat about their wonderful cats, you can get lots of advice from them. I would highly recommend you give showing a go. I have received enormous encouragement from my fellow exhibitors, many of whom are now good friends. They have always stepped in to assist when I had no idea what was happening, guiding me to where I needed to be, or helping out when I struggled with cat carriers! So there is always someone there to help you. A massive thank you to all who have helped me, you know who you are.
Can you describe the Supreme for someone who’s never been?
The Supreme is unlike any other show, the excitement you feel when you enter the show hall is palpable. It is the chance to show everyone the very best of the cat fancy. If you visit you can see the cats being judged & hear the judges critiques. You can also watch to see if your favorite cat progresses through the day. The very best examples of all the breeds of cats are on display. It is also the only show where the pens are decorated & it’s amazing to see how much work some people put into them. There are also lot’s of stalls where you can purchase anything & everything you could possibly need for your cats and a whole lot of wonderful things you never even knew you needed.
How did it feel to win the Supreme 2026?
It is just about impossible to describe how I felt when Finch was announced as the World Cat Congress cat of the year for 2026. If I completely honest I had no idea that she was going to be judged by the world Cat Congress judges!
I was so thrilled when she was awarded 1st & BOB in her open class by Maria Chapman-Beer, she was up against some gorgeous kittens. Then for Sandra Devereux to give her best in section 5 kitten felt unbelievable, I was in total shock.
Once again I relied on lovely friends to get me to the World Cat Congress judging. When she was placed overall best in section 5 against such magnificent cats I was blown away. To see my girl then next to all the amazing winners from each section was heart stopping. The judges all took their time looking at the fantastic exhibits and then they got Finch out of her pen, she never went back and was announced Best in Show! I have to admit to a few tears, to think all those judges from around the world thought so highly of her. I am unbelievably proud of her, she behaved so well and really loved her day out.
She also went on to be Reserve Supreme kitten & was made up to kitten Champion.
Truly a once in a lifetime day & one I will never forget. Every time look at her stunning rosettes the wonderful memories of that special day come flooding back.
A huge thank you to all her judges & stewards without whom none of it would have been possible.
