My name is Barbara Bosco. I have been working with Silver and Golden Persians under the Castlegate cattery name since 1989.
It has not always been an easy journey. In fact, I did not even have a grand champion for the first 10 years.
Since then, I have had a few grand champions, several regional winners and breed winners over the years but I never dreamed of having a national ‘anything'.
The Kitten
When a lovely shaded silver kitten was born on January 14th, 2008, it never occurred to me how truly special he would be. Of course ‘to' me he was very special indeed, but that is normal for any of us. :-).
I gave him a magical name: Puff The Magic Dragon', hoping he would live up to it!
Boy, he has done exactly that and more!
His sire had already produced a few grands for me, and his mother's pedigree contained some of the finest NW solid and silver lines in CFA ... so he had excellent credentials.
At The Shows As Kitten
When Puff turned 4 months old, I packed up his "stuff", myself and my darling boy and off we went for his first show ... and he immediately began his winning ways. I was so excited.
The months passed and by the time we entered the prestigious National Capitol Cat Show near the end of his kitten career, Puff was already in a position for a very nice regional win.
By the end of the National Capital weekend, with over 200 kittens entered, Puff finished the show as 6th highest scoring kitten in show and 2nd highest scoring LH kitten!
I was in shock. It never ever entered my mind that Puff might have been good enough for a NATIONAL title... but those points put him into the top 25 kittens nationally!
If by season's end, he was still in the top 25, it would be the first national win by a silver Persian in 10 years!
As An Adult
Puff turned eight months old and he granded easily in two shows with points to spare. I thought of retiring him, but realized he had a good chance to possibly earn the coveted BW title as Best of Breed of the Silver/Golden Persian division of CFA ... so we kept showing ... and winning ... and by season's end he officially became:
GC, BW, NW Castlegate's Puff The Magic Dragon
CFA's 23rd Best Kitten 2008-2009
CFA's North Atlantic Region's 13th Best Cat in Championship 2008-2009
CFA's North Atlantic Region's 2nd Best Kitten 2008-2009
CFA's Best of Breed Silver/Golden Persian in Championship 2008-2009
I am still over the moon! It has been an incredible journey . .. a once in a lifetime experience ... and another highlight in the history of Silver Persians in CFA
With the show season behind him. Puff now enjoys the life of a ‘happy' boy with a few girls to court.