CFA Junior Fanciers Program
Revised Program For Young People Shows Great Success
Albert Sweitzer and Sheri Shaffer
Co-chairs of the CFA Junior Fanciers Program
The 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 CFA show seasons brought a unique way of doing things for the CFA Junior Fanciers Program. When thinking of plans to bring young people to CFA and our hobby, one of the ideas was to approach youth groups such as 4H. Because Albert Sweitzer had previous contact and background with 4H, we began our pilot program with the 4H Program in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, where Albert resides.
A presentation was given to the Luzerne County 4H in March 2023, and introduced GH NHW Daniel Striped Tiger, a household pet owned by Albert Sweitzer. Even though CFA is a registry of pedigreed cats, the rationale behind using Tiger for the pilot was that many of our 4Hers are from farm families, giving them access to domestic cats more easily than to pedigreed cats. CFA pamphlets and coloring books were provided for further education regarding pedigreed cats.
At the end of the presentation, fifteen youths signed up with their personal cats for their 4H Cat Project. The Luzerne County 4H group has an annual “Cat Roundup” where each child learns about cats, presents their cat, and talks about cat topics, such as animal husbandry, health and genetics, and other assorted topics. The youths earn points and are awarded titles for presenting their cats at this popular event.
It was agreed that Luzerne County 4H and CFA would join forces for a “Cat Roundup/CFA Cat Show.” Plans were made to organize a show to be held in July 2023, using a CFA show format for this event. A three-ring cat show was planned, along with educational cat projects presented to meet 4H requirements for their program. This would be the first 4H cat show in the state of Pennsylvania of its kind, co-sponsored by CFA Junior Fanciers and the Luzerne County 4H.
Over the next few months in preparation for this joint event, Albert met with the families and their cats to ensure the cats were amenable to handling and grooming. Grooming classes and other tips were given to interested families. It was decided that two CFA exhibitors and a local representative from a rescue group would be the judges in a three-ring Household Pet format. For the educational cat project requirement, each exhibitor created a project board which was judged both on presentation and explanation. Twelve children and thirteen cats took part, making the show an enormous success, and as a result, families were interested in joining our CFA Junior Fanciers Program. The families asked many questions and hoped to participate in upcoming local CFA shows.
In December 2023, the 4H youth and their families had a break from 4H schedules and were able to concentrate on the CFA show schedule. The CFA Junior Fanciers Program reached out to The Finicky Felines Society, which was holding its annual show in Leesport, Pennsylvania, at the end of December. We asked if the club would be interested in having thirteen Junior Fanciers attend their show. We then asked if the club would consider a discounted Junior Fanciers fee.
The answer was a resounding “YES!” Many of these families have five or six children involved in the Junior Fanciers Program, and the lower fee made it possible for them to exhibit their cats as a family. To qualify for the Junior fee, each child was required to fill out a Junior Fanciers application. The program also recommended that if showing a household pet, the family register their cat with Companion Cat World. Fifteen Juniors entered Finicky Felines with twelve in attendance, while two of them exhibited pedigreed cats: an Egyptian Mau Kitten, and a Maine Coon Cat in Championship.
Finicky Felines typically has a household pet entry of ten to fifteen cats, but at this show the entry was 33! The Juniors presence also increased household pet numbers for other shows on the east coast. Another benefit of our Juniors exhibiting was their parents’ participation in show management, from show setup to vending and stewarding, along with their children joining them in stewarding and helping with setup.
As of this report, ten cats shown by the fifteen North Atlantic Region Juniors are in the regional standings (nine household pets and one pedigreed cat). In addition, five cats have earned their grand title, and four are getting close.
These particular Junior Fanciers are just one group of children … Can you imagine if we all mentored just one child, what the CFA Junior Fanciers Program could do? We believe this program has exciting potential to help further the future of CFA by reaching new potential exhibitors and their families.
The CFA Junior Fanciers Program would like to thank Jenn Hineline and Gail Verbyla of Luzerne County 4H, Finicky Felines Society, Black Diamond and Ramapo Cat Clubs, Norwegian Forest Cat Club, Empire State Cat Club, and Crab and Mallet Cat Club for their support of our juniors and of the CFA Junior Fanciers Program. All of these clubs have extended the lower fee to junior exhibitors, and we are extremely grateful for their support and encouragement. We also wish to express our gratitude to the judges who have encouraged our Juniors, and to our fellow exhibitors who have been of great assistance in helping and encouraging our Juniors.