CFA Judging Program

Applicant must be at least 21 years of age.
An applicant must hold, at a minimum, a certified ring clerk license for at least three months prior to application. In addition to this the applicant must complete three error free master clerk assignments.
An applicant must have a cattery name registered with CFA for a period of at least seven (7) years. An International Division applicant must have a cattery name registered with either FIFe, GCCF or an Independent Association for seven years (7) and registered with CFA at least four (4) of the seven years. A copy of the cattery registration must be provided.
An applicant must present a letter from at least one CFA member club which verifies a record of not less than five (5) years of active continuous participation as a club member. The letter must carry the signature of the club’s president and secretary. If applicant holds one of these offices, another club officer must sign. (Relocation of an applicant will be considered by the Executive Board.) A detailed, specific resume of club activities must be provided. Experience as a show manager or show secretary is recommended.
An applicant must meet the following requirements for initial acceptance, first specialty, into the CFA Judging Program:
- Seven (7) consecutive years of breeding experience. A detailed resume of breeding experience must be provided.
- The date of birth of the applicant’s first owner-bred registered litter must be provided (a copy of the actual registration bearing the applicant’s own cattery name must be submitted).
  An application cannot be filed sooner than seven (7) years from the date of birth of the applicant’s first registered litter within the appropriate specialty.
EXHIBITING: An applicant must have exhibited at least ten (10) cats of their own breeding to CFA Grand Champion/Grand Premier status in the propriate specialty. A detailed and specific resume of exhibition experience including agenting, must be submitted as part of the application. An applicant must have experience including exhibiting one or more breeds in the specialty for which they are applying in addition to their major breed. An applicant will be expected to furnish detailed specific information regarding these activities.
An applicant is required to have bred and/or shown cats of his/her own breeding in the appropriate specialty to the extent that fifteen (15) points are accumulated from the table set below. Only one set of points is allowable per cat (example: NW and RW on the same cat would only be counted for the higher of two wins, that is eight (8) points)
- National Winner (NW) 8 points
- National Best of Breed (BW) 7 points
- Regional Winner (RW) 5 points
- Distinguished Merit (DM) 5 points
- Second Best of Breed (National) 4 points
- Third Best of Breed (National) 2 points
- Grand Champion/Grand Premier* 1 point
  *(Limit of five (5) points; these are over and above the required ten (10) Grand Champions/Grand Premiers as referred to above.)
A scorecard, comprised of Section A (indicating 10 Grand Champions/Grand Premiers) and Section B (indicating 15 point accumulation) will be completed and submitted with the initial application to the Judging Program Committee.
ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE: Cattery visits/ agenting. Longhair applicants must submit a minimum of five (5) cattery visitation reports. Shorthair applicants must submit a minimum of seven (7) cattery visitation reports. In all cases, a variety of breeds is recommended. The owner of the visited cattery must belong to the Breed Council of the breed to be examined. Agenting forms (signed by the owner of the agented exhibit) will be part of the Exhibitor’s Resume. Complete care and custody of the cat is required by taking the cat to the show, grooming the cat at the show, having the cat in your care the nights at the show, taking it to and from the rings. If possible, the agent should also be responsible for before-the-show bathing and grooming of the cat.
It is required that an applicant attend a CFA Judging School for the appropriate specialty for which the application is made.
An applicant from the Continental USA and Canada must have exhibited in at least two regions outside his/her region.
An applicant must be of good reputation, both in the cat fancy and in his/her community.
An applicant must have a complete understanding of the CFA Standards, CFA Show Rules, and the CFA Judging Program Rules.