Liz Watson Receives Judges’ Association Spotlight Award

July 14, 2025

Jacqui Bennett
CFA Judges’ Association President

 

Certainly no member of the CFA judging panel is a stranger behind the bench. But our 2025 Judges’ Association Spotlight Award winner is undoubtably more well-known than many. And that is partially because they have been behind the judging bench for a rather long time.

The Judges’ Association Spotlight Award focuses not just on the individual judge; it is intended to shed a spotlight on the contributions to CFA and its judging program which the recipient has made. And this judge has made so many over their decades-long career in CFA.

Before she was a CFA judge, this year’s recipient bred and exhibited Russian Blues under the cattery name Casein. They won many regional and national awards for both their Russian Blues, and for several Sphynx.

Our recipient entered the CFA judging program in 1985 (yes, 40 years ago!) and retired just last month. During their tenure, they trained MANY of our current judges either in the ring, or as part of the Breed Orientation and Awareness School (BAOS). During the COVID shutdown, they were a valued member of the new Associate Judges program, and continues to help train these new judges.

Our recipient also served on the CFA Board from 1998-2009 and currently serves on the CFA Historical Foundation board. In additional to judging around the world for CFA and other associations, they have also judged the CFA International Show many times.

Just because they have retired from the CFA Judging Program does not mean that they are gone. They continue to work with judging education, and will continue to write about CFA’s breeds for Cat Talk.

Liz Watson, for all that you have contributed to CFA over your 40 years of service, the CFA Judges’ Association is proud to award you our Judges’ Spotlight Award for 2025!