Complaint Review: CFA Cat Breeder's "Bad Attitudes"

CFA Cat Breeder's "Bad Attitudes" Are "Bad Publicity" For CFA

Wed Oct 3, 2012 8:43 am (PDT)
"You said exactly what most people feel, I believe, but are too afraid to say it, within CFA. Why? 

I've only been showing for 12 years, mostly CFA, and I have been treated just as you say, and worse. I've stuck with it, but most don't. I show TICA occasionally, and don't feel daggers piercing my back at the TICA shows.

CFA was my "first love", but TICA truly does "have my heart". I won't offer that up to CFA ever again. I did, but I've become hardened now because of it.

I still support my breed to exhibitors when they come through the door at CFA shows, but I don't do as much "enticing" to get them to want to show. On TICA's side, I don't agree with the wild blood thing, but it's just like "religion".. .you may disagree with someone's religion, but as long as they don't push it on you, you are fine and can be great friends!!!

Wed Oct 3, 2012 9:20 am (PDT)
"This is so true on so many levels. The discussion that still continues on Bengals this morning continues with messages containing personal attacks and unnecessary mean spirited words that are simply not necessary to make a point. It truly seems like so many people HATE each other. How sad.

This type of behavior and you are right, it is carried throughout the organization into its shows.

I am lucky that I have a lot of like minded friends in the cat fancy and we surround each other in the benching area and support each other and manage to make attending CFA shows a really fun time. But I feel so bad for any "newcomers" who do not have a network of supportive friends in CFA and are exposed to exactly what you describe below.

CFA would very much benefit from more open minded-ness and less negativity.

Wed Oct 3, 2012 10:49 am (PDT)
"Why can't you people take these back and forth e-mails private?? I for one am totally disgusted by all of these negative ------. What is the next argument going to be about, or is it still going to be about bengals for the rest of the week?? Don't you people see that this is just ridiculous, not to mention childish and rude?? And then CFA wonders why new breeders do not want to get involved in showing and why people are leaving to show with other organizations."

Wed Oct 3, 2012 11:20 am (PDT)
"The intention of my writing wasn't to start some heated debate over anger towards TIBCS, and I don't appreciate me bringing up ------ and TIBCS as a means to digress on the issue with acceptance of the bengal into CFA.

But to digress slightly, one of the wonderful and cursed things about organizations is that they are often only as good as the members involved. Considering it is time for elections in TIBCS, it may be time to help put action behind heated words and change the organization from the inside? We as bengal breeders all share that right, so why not do something about it beyond just complaining?

But to get things back on track, certainly we as individuals can approach local CFA groups, but I don't think this would have as dramatic of an impact as organization on a larger scale.

Wednesday, October 3, 2012 11:47 AM
"It's people like ----- that make me look forward to a coming change in the future in CFA and the cat fancy as a whole. :) And it's yet another reason I'm kicking myself for not going to the TICA Annual!

Going with the CFA discussion so far, I honestly have to bring up something that has been bothering me. So far it has been discussed that we bengal breeders must venture into "enemy territory" so to speak, bringing with us our friendly outgoing attitudes along with our precious rosetted fluffs. All this in hopes of gaining acceptance into one of the most established cat associations. And as a proud exhibitor, I would do this willingly.

Quite honestly, I feel there are many exhibitors among us who feel the same way I do, but the issue we are facing on our side of things seems more an absence of leadership and organization to encourage us. Where is ---- ------? Where is TIBCS? I personally think that more people would be willing to help if the leaders of our community got together and helped organize specific events with CFA we could easily have more breeders willing to participate instead of pleading with everyone individually to do the same. Give us direction. Give us organization.

If CFA is willing, or even if it's just a growing percentage of CFA then we need to start discussing things on a larger scale. We the Bengal Community as a whole need to work together here. Organize a special CFA show with bengals exhibited, SPECIFIC ADVERTISED SHOWS. Get booths setup showing off our rosetted fluffies. Organize. Organize. Organize.

Wednesday, October 3, 2012 12:12 PM
..."Quite honestly, I feel there are many exhibitors among us who feel the same way I do, but the issue we are facing on our side of things seems more an absence of leadership and organization to encourage us. Where is ---- -----? Where is TIBCS?

First, we can't sit by and count on any one person or organization for leadership, we all must do our part.

Second, you can't count on TIBCS for anything. They are an empty organization that has been self destructing for quite some time. Mr. -----, did great things for the Bengal and TIBCS until they just wore him out. He fought battle after battle with the 'OLD GUARD' (they hate being called that) at TIBCS and did some great things, but he also has the battle scars to show for his efforts.

The only glue that holds TIBCS together is the awesome publication put out by the editor of the Bengal Bulletin. It is the sole reason I am a member, so I can get that publication. There are approximatley 400 members of TIBCS.... TICA has how many????

----- cannot be expected to carry all of the Bengals burdens....( besides, he's busy now working to become a TICA judge) we must step up as well. All of us can be Bengal Ambassadors! !!! I am turning my support to TICA, an organization where members work TOGETHER (not against one another) for the common good of cats, all cats.

Maybe the Bengal Breed Committee could appoint a sub committee to delve into this matter. TICA's members are much greater, and have a much wider vision than TIBCS. Let's rally behind TICA to promote the Bengal!!!!! After all, more Bengals are registered than any other breed!!!

Wed Oct 3, 2012 4:52 pm (PDT)
"That is a good question. I want them in CFA, and it seems others do also. So I only hope the supporters can make up for all the harsh treatment they have received from the people in CFA in the past and a few in the present."

Date: Wed, 03 Oct 2012 16:59:48
"I think you have made some valid points in your post. I have seen some of what you describe take place in the showhalls. I was at the regional show when a very well know region 4 clerk was extremely nasty to a new exhibitor and her family.

They have a child in the youth program, are starting a new breeding program in a breed that really needs new people (nope not either of my breeds) and now they are fearful when they encounter this clerk.

This is not the first time this clerk has done this and I am aware of people that actually avoid shows where this person will be because they always clerk for the same judge. This means that now we have people avoiding a specific Judge because of what his clerk did to them and I can't say as I blame them.

How do we fix this? People said "file a protest" can you imagine a newbee wanting to file a protest? Seriously, we have long time CFA exhibitors unwilling to speak up because "I do not want to make the judges angry, then they will not use my cats" fear of retaliation seems to silence a great many people, how unfortunate.

In the private email exchange I have had with this exhibitor I also believe she was likely given some bad advice, on what was allowed in the CFA HHP class. however, this still does not relieve her from the responsibility of reading and knowing the show rules as she stated when she signed the entry form.

One of your points was we need to educate new people, part of the eduction if they are coming to a club as a 'newbee' is to make sure they are given correct information regarding show rules, etc especially if they are from another association. Consider, as one of the master clerks for QCCC, you were charged with the job of recording the finals for that show according to CFA rules. If a final had come to you that day from your Dad's (not saying John makes errors, just the easiest example to come up with ), ring and it had errors you would not just have looked the other way, would you? knowing you as I do, I expect you would have gone to the clerk explained why it was not acceptable in a professional manner and it would have been corrected. Because that is part of your job as master clerk. It would be a disservice to the club, judge and exhibitor if you did not do this,no?

So if we look at what happened with this exhibitor in another way, she was done a disservice by not being educated properly about CFA show rules by the very people charged with enforcing those rules. Did this exhibitor get good customer service from the get go? We should all take responsibility for what happened and make a determined effort to not repeat the mistakes and move forward.

The Bengals I have been in close contact with have always been lovely animals. My friends that breed them love their animals the same as any breeder I know of any other breed.

When I have exhibited in TICA and ACFA Bengals are just about always the majority breed. I remember being at one TICA show and was amazed to see just 1 Persian entered in the show, it was an alter and it had come from a CFA breeder we all know and love in Ohio:-). Can you imagine, a show with only 1 Persian!

To put into perspective your experience with seeing all the Bengals at their annual and thinking how those numbers entered in CFA shows could help our clubs. Imagine a TICA person that had never been to a CFA show coming to the World Show this year and seeing the number of Persians we have entered, might they not come away with the same impression? Only difference is that Persians are an accepted Breed in TICA and are in the same breed group as Exotics. I often see people I know from CFA at shows of the 'other' associations.

TICA and ACFA are facing the same challenges as CFA with declining entries etc.  I can also tell you that they have some of the same issues  , and it is not all 'nice and friendly' exchanges either. No, that does not make it right but I am sick and tired of hearing how only CFA people can be unfriendly and bickering on the --- and in the show halls.