Drama at the World Show
written by Jen Lacey, Jenanca Korats


The Climax of the FIFe World Show, Milan, March 21, 1999

Dramatis Personae

EC. IP. Primprau's Meo Hao
Donatella Mastrangelo (owner)
Camilla Baird (breeder)
an onlooker and scribe (Jen)

A very long wait through hordes of Persians and Exotics, and throngs of Semi-Longhairs, and at last it's time for the Shorthair Section to be judged. The suspense whilst the adults and kittens are considered is palpable. Camilla hugs her knees with hands that are white knuckled. Donatella's face has no colour, yet the nervous tension is evident in the slight sheen of perspiration.

At last the female neuters are paraded across the stage. Meo is first up, carried in the firm, capable hands of Biagio, a steward who knows her well, and handles her confidently, thus giving her the security to relax. The Korat breed is described by the President, other breeds follow swiftly, and the judging by the panel of seven is underway.

The Aby and Russian are finished. My impression is that they are both out of the competition. The other five return for a second look, until only the Korat and a Chartreux are there. Will it be one of these two?
The stewards are asked to parade the cats along the projecting stage, whilst each judge deliberates for a brief moment longer. There is a silence as all eyes fix on their voting cards.

"Judges your vote", calls the presenter;

The cards are turned and held up. My view is immediately obscured by the anxious pair beside me. I can only listen for the numbers, thank goodness I'm wearing a translation kit.

669 wins by 5 to 2. Meo is a World Winner!!!!!!!

Donatella and Camilla are ahead of me. Camilla is pacing beside the stage in excitement, whilst Donatella is doing an extremely good imitation of the mating's victory roll on the carpet beside me. Now they rush together and hug ecstatically.

Why not?? We have a Korat World Winner. She is the one and only, the first, and it has taken 15 long years. We cheer her appropriately in Spumante, in our three different languages. Then for the toast:

TO MEO. AND MAY SHE BE THE FIRST OF MANY.

Jen Lacey (the impartial reporter!!!)






The ultimate experience!
written by Camilla Baird, Primprau's Korats

 

Now to my report from the World Show! Jen has already revealed the incredible result, but I will follow with my report anyway. I wrote it Sunday evening while I was still dancing on pink clouds and needed to express my joy and pride somehow - Donatella and Jen had left for Rome, so I was alone at the hotel in Milan...

After 17 years of Korat breeding in FIFe and hearing derogatory remarks like 'why recognise a 'new' blue breed?' and 'Korats never win anyway', we showed them all! We finally did it! We have a Korat World Winner - EC/IP Primprau's Meo Hao won BOX SH Neuter at the World Show in Milan 1999! We were a small very international Korat delegation in Milan - Jen Lacey from UK, Camilla Baird from Denmark, Donatella Mastrangelo and Susanna Zorzi from Italy. 4 Korats were present at the show
- an adult female, Jadeye's Arrogance,
- a 6-10 female, Jenanca Anakot Sanyanai,
- a female neuter, Primprau's Meo Hao,
- a male neuter, Primprau's Ditakah Pakhdi.
All Korats got their certificates by Eiwor Andersson from Sweden, a judge very familiar with Korats. She nominated Meo without even comparing her with the competition - this was a promising sign, but we didn't dare hope for anything more - who ever heard of a Korat winning at a World Show?

As it turned out, the SH Female Neuter panel was tough - 7 cats, an unusually high number of female neuters. Tension in the Korat camp was at its highest while counting votes - 5 out of 7 for the Korat! Meo was World Winner! Donatella, as her owner, and I, as her breeder, were ecstatic! We couldn't believe it! While we were on the stage presenting the Meo at the World Winners Parade, "We Are The Champions" was blowing out the loudspeakers - it was a great moment!

All Korat breeders can be proud, as this kind of result is the ultimate proof that what we are working for - a beautiful and healthy breed - is indeed worthwhile. This result will bring a lot of good PR to the Korat in FIFe and in Italy - can we ever get enough good PR?

As Meo is a very international cat with a Norwegian mother, an American father, a Danish breeder and an Italian owner. she is truly a World Winner. Without the good and solid co-operation between Korat breeders across the world, we would not have had a Korat FIFe World Winner today. WW99 EC/IP Primprau's Meo Hao is the result of co-operation between Korat breeders from US, Norway and Denmark.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank some people who helped make this possible:
- Anita Hem, Sawat's Korats in Norway - Anita has bred GIC Sawat's Kirilin, Meo's mother. I want to thank Anita for letting me breed with Kitty.
- Maureen Cray, Yang Chen Ma Korats in US - Maureen has bred Hoo, Meo's father. Maureen sent over
a wonderful boy, who has meant a lot to several breeding programs in Europe.
- Elfi Kleive for letting me use IC Yang Chen Ma Hoo Who's for his first litter. Hoo is Meo's father and
has influenced her good looks a great deal. Elfi helped getting me started in breeding - this litter is very
much her idea... Also without Elfi's hard work 20 years ago with getting the Korat recognised in FIFe, this
could never have happened!
- Donatella Mastrangelo for showing Meo so much, so she could qualify for this World Show.

Without all these things preceding the World Show, we wouldn't have a had a Korat WW in Milan 1999...

We can all proudly note the cat's name:

WW99 EC/IP Primprau's Meo Hao


©Photo by G. Marcoaldi©
Background picture: Primprau's Meo Hao as a kitten

 

 


© Camilla Baird, Jen Lacey ©

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