Advensh Zelda is better known to us as Saffie. She was a Lilac Tortie Tonkinese with a Tonkinese coat pattern until the Essex Show on the 12th April 2002. We had been told by some good friends who are experienced Breeders, that she was a Chocolate Tortie however we needed a Judge to wrong colour her. A experienced Judge wrong coloured her in a side class and then helped us to get the required amount of judges to sign to agree her wrong colour. Saffie is now a Chocolate Tortie with a Tonkinese coat pattern.
This has happened because the coats can take a long time to mature into the true colour, this does happen with some of the colours to new breeders. I'm sure I will get the colours mixed up with some of our litters. However I do have very good and experienced Breeders/Friends to guide us. This should help her going forward in shows. Mind you she has already had a fantastic start. See her results below. What ever colour she is, we are very proud of her.
She is a very loving out going cat who can be bossy sometimes. Saffie is our first Tonkinese and was the reason that we decided it was this breed we wanted to breed.
When Saffie came to live with us we had our oldest cat Sam as well as Coco & Mikki. He was very big compared to the others and had a very imposing character. Sam took to Saffie coming to live with us a lot better than when Coco & Mikki moved in. Saffie just walked up to him on the first day and head butted him. He in return just flicked her across the room. Sam had not intended to hurt her and she just got up and walked back over to him. She was the only cat that could share his bowl of tuna.
She decided that the best place to sleep would be in the bed with Warren and myself. We spent months trying to get her out of this but we gave up as this was a loosing battle. She still sleeps in the bed with us every night.
Saffie has started her show career late. She was at her first ever show on the 26th January 2002. She did exceptionally well, winning her open class, her first Intermediate Certificate. 3 side classes she came first in and 1 side class she came fourth in. Below we will be keeping a running total of how she does. Again Saffie did very well. She is a natural to showing and I wish we had got her out on the show bench earlier.
Saffie is a true natural at showing. She loves the attention and never gives the Judges & Stewards any trouble. Well apart from when they pop her back in her pen. She thinks they have not spent enough time on her, so when they turn there back she starts to paw them. As if to say "I'm still here you know".
Saffie is a dream when it comes to bringing new arrivals into the family. At the end of October 2002 we bought into our home Simba. He was to of been our new Stud cat. He was only young when Saffie first meets him. Within 36hrs she is cleaning, mothering and just being Saffie to him. The same old question " why did I have her neutered?" This is what happens when you are not to sure. I am so grateful to some very good friends, I think I would be lost without them.
Saffie did us proud as usual at the Supreme Cat Club Show in 2002. She got a first in her open and also her IC. This is the last year that Tonks can get IC as next year we will be at Championship status. Then she will be working towards becoming a Premier. The Supreme is not a show that I think I will take her to again as she did get board, she likes to be out of her pen being judged. The ring system I don't feel she liked all that much.
| Open Class First Place | 3 |
| Best of Breed | 1 |
| Intermediate Certificate | 3 |
| Side Class First | 5 |
| Side Class Second | 2 |
| Side Class Third | 2 |
| Side Class Fourth | 1 |
| Open Class First Place | 12 |
| Intermediate Certificate | 10 |
| Best Of Breed | 7 |
| Side Class First | 20 |
| Side Class Second | 13 |
| Side Class Third | 9 |
| Side Class Fourth | 6 |
| Side Class Fifth | 2 |
| Side Class Sixth | 2 |
These are Saffie's Final results at Intermediate level. Saffie is now not going out on the bench again till June when the Tonkinese will be fully recognised by the GCCF and she will be working towards becoming a Premier and then a Grand Premier.
| Premier Certificate | 1 |
| Open Class First Place | 1 |
| Open Class Third Place | 1 |
| Side Class First | 2 |
| Side Class Second | 1 |
| Side Class Third | 1 |
| Side Class Fourth | 3 |
| Side Class Fifth | 1 |
Due to having our eyes opened to the risks of bringing an infection back into our household. We are no longer going to show Saffie or anyone. The risk is not that high but it is there and so we don't want to put any of our cat's at risk. Saffie like all the others are just to precious to risk them catching something. I'm sure she wont mind as we have another new girl coming to join us and Kylie will hopefully be out at stud by the end of the year and Saffie will have kittens to entertain her.
In 2007 Warren and I decided to take both Saffie and Simba out on exhibition to the Maine Coon Breed Society's first ever show. Saffie was a natural and loved her day. So when I decided to book Rebellion and Amelia in to a TICA show, I decided to take Saffie along to keep young Amelia company But oh my goodness what a show cat she really is. We stayed in a hotel and all three where so well behaved. In one, two day show Saffie became the first TICA GRAND CHAMPION ALTER Tonkinese in the UK. This she achieved at 9 years old. Will she be back out at TICA, I am sure. All of the judges loved her and she did ever so well. They where all so pleased to see a Tonkinese, and to see the older style too. Warren and I have always been proud of her, but we never thought we could ever be even more proud. You go girl as long as you enjoy showing, I will take you out, and I promise a hotel stay too ;o))