The Masterful Master Clerk!

November 11, 2025

Candilee Jackson

The master clerk is the glue that literally holds a cat show together. “The master clerk’s responsibility, in addition to consolidating the show awards, is to ensure the accuracy of the show records. The master clerk is the person who should catch and notify clerks of any errors overlooked.” With accuracy as this person’s byword, the master clerk is a fount of pertinent information regarding the most current show rules and is the go-to person for show management.

CFA’s current Clerking Program Chair, Bethany Colilla, was appointed by the CFA president and board of directors to oversee the training and licensing of our registry’s clerks and master clerks. A licensed master clerk herself, Bethany brings a lifetime of experience to her post. She was the youngest CFA member to train for and qualify as a ring clerk.

Historically, CFA’s clerks in training have learned at the feet of several long-time master clerks, including Monte Phillips, Dick Kallmeyer, and Ronna Colilla, each of whom has served thirty-five years or longer.

A CFA participant wishing to certify as a master clerk must first serve and certify for licensing as a ring clerk. Once certified, a ring clerk may then apply to begin training through Bethany’s committee. The length of the training period until certification varies based on the number of assignments completed by trainees, as well as evaluations of their work by master clerk trainers.

Cheryl Coleman

Cheryl began her journey to master clerk after only a year as a ring clerk, a position she held for about three years. She trained under Jackie Taylor, a CFA Allbreed judge in the early 1990s, and spoke about it as “a formative period in my journey. As a fun fact, Bethany Colilla and I were in the same training class!”

Her decision to learn the demanding art of master clerking was not taken lightly. “Back then, becoming a master clerk was the pinnacle, the role everyone aspired to. Securing assignments, whether for clerking or master clerking, was more competitive than it is today. Fortunately,” Cheryl relates, “my eye for detail made the challenge enjoyable. I genuinely found the work fun!”

She found that the most difficult part of her training was securing her final three solo assignments. “I still vividly remember the last one — Sign of the Cat, mid-1990s. It was a full 450-count show with eight specialty rings, a true marathon of a weekend.” Cheryl elaborates: “That same year, I was also showing a Persian, which added another layer of challenge. I quickly learned that juggling grooming, exhibiting, and master clerking at a full-count show is no small feat — it was intense, but unforgettable.”

Cheryl believes that the most crucial aspect of her job is maintaining a steady pace. “This is key when you’re juggling multiple tasks at once. The goal is to keep everything moving efficiently. Once you develop a system that works for you, checking out judges becomes a streamlined process and can be done quickly and confidently.” This can be a potential major problem that must be handled smoothly so that judges can leave to get to their flights on time once their ring assignments are done.

Her biggest challenge is staying on top of the paperwork, especially at larger shows. “Everything moves at lightning speed, and maintaining focus can be tough, with constant interruptions throughout the day. And, as much as I want to catch a glimpse of my own cats in at least one ring, the demands of master clerking rarely allow it. Socializing or enjoying the show itself? That is a luxury I seldom have,” sighed Cheryl.

As a dedicated master clerk, she is forward-looking regarding change. “I believe a collaborative effort among senior master clerks — sharing their proven processes for managing paperwork efficiently — could be incredibly valuable if formalized into an education session. Many individuals entering the judging program, who serve as master clerks for only a brief period, often miss out on learning the deeper, more nuanced aspects of the role.” Cheryl offers this thought: “If we partnered with someone who has an educational background to help design a structured curriculum, it could elevate the training experience not just for master clerks, but for clerking as a whole.”

She feels that “success as a master clerk hinges on three key qualities: meticulous attention to detail, strong organizational skills, and the ability to multitask effectively. Balancing these traits allows a clerk to manage the fast-paced demands of a show with confidence and precision.” Cheryl is proud to have served CFA as a master clerk for just over thirty years.

Robert Clark

Offering a unique aspect to the master clerk training and licensing process is Robert Clark. He trained as a ring clerk in 2009 but only began clerking on a regular basis four years ago. At the urging of Elizabeth Blanc, Bob applied to train as a master clerk.

In addition to working with Elizabeth, Bob also assisted Susan Blevins. He discloses his progress: “I have not yet advanced to Licensed Master Clerk at this time, but have assisted or co-master clerked quite a few times. I’ve only done one solo.”

He reported that two things prompted him to begin licensure; the first was his desire to contribute more at CFA shows. “As the number of exhibitors continues to decrease, we each need to step up and do more to keep the shows going. Master clerking is one way to ensure that we can continue to hold shows. And second is my friend Liz Blanc, who can be very persuasive as well as being fun to work with,” relates Bob with a smile.

As he works through the training process, he finds the difficulty of the position resides “in the number of moving parts. There are actually several separate tasks that one must perform simultaneously to complete the job.  Learning not to fall behind in any one task takes some effort.”

Bob continues, “The actual task of master clerking is not that difficult, once you get the hang of it. As long as you stay focused, no single step is particularly hard. The difficulty comes from the ancillary things that can distract from the work at hand. Spectators sometimes think the master clerk’s desk is the information desk for everything, from ‘How do shows work?’ to ‘Where are the bathrooms?’ Exhibitors begin asking for the preliminary count almost as soon as judging begins, long before it can be generated. Paperwork from finals, as the show is ending, requires the same care as from early in the day, yet judges are hurrying to catch early flights, and by then, the paperwork is stacked high. These distractions impact the time required to do the task and the accuracy of the outcome. I find the distractions frustrating, so sometimes I am a bit ‘snippy’ — even with people I care about.” Bob states candidly, “For that reason, I probably won’t progress to my license and will instead choose to assist other master clerks, as needed.”

To summarize the learning process for becoming a master clerk, Bob shared his perspective on the most essential aspects of the master clerk position. “Accuracy, accuracy, accuracy. The Central Office cannot properly score the show if the paperwork entries are inaccurate. Issues raised post-show frustrate all involved, especially exhibitors. The three-tiered system — judge, ring clerk, and master clerk — is in place to ensure accuracy. That’s what we’re there for.”

 

If clerking is something that interests you, learn more about it: The CFA Clerking Program