The Long and The Short of It
by Lesley Morgan Blythe (Comyn Exotic Shorthairs and Persians) and contributors, May 2003.
Published in ACF 2003
For those who have come to know the Exotic relatively recently, I hope it might be of interest to know of the early history of the breed in this country. To that end, here are my own and others’ reminiscences of the beginnings in the 1980’s.
Back in the early 80’s, various of us in Australia had heard of the development of the Exotic ShortHair (SH) (originally and primarily in the USA) and the prospect of a SH version of the persian intrigued some of us who were involved in “fluffies”. To have the type we were used to, but in a crew-cut version, was a real challenge.
Independently of each other, various breeders scattered around Australia began experimental breeding to produce “persians without pain”. (A phrase I optimistically and prematurely coined and lived to regret as I discovered the degree of upkeep needed to keep coats looking and feeling correct!) And while obviously all programmes started with a cross of a Persian to a shorthair, there were differing routes taken.
Some began with domestic SH breeding, the idea in at least one case being that the pre-potent persian type would dominate. Others of us opted to use typey British to acquire the SH gene, feeling that the type was closer to persian and the colour and pattern heritage was a known factor. In New Zealand, one breeder (”Noorioppta”) had used Folds behind her exotics; this line was later to come to Australia in the very late 80’s in the form of Matahari Roopert, owned by Betty Stephens (Skybank cattery, see below).
My own inspiration happened while judging a show in Amsterdam in 1984, when my bay was located directly in front of a shaded silver exotic. (Pahlewi) Whenever not actively judging Somalis and Abyssinians for those two days, my gaze always turned to this fascinating cat. The flight home went quickly, as I plotted and planned an experimental programme. I had the persians, my parents had the British…..
Meanwhile, in West Australia, others had similar aims. Val Pelligrini (”Myola”) lead the charge in 1984, swiftly followed by Margaret Bush (”Malingbu”) and Nancy Kapor (”Wyamba”) was on the exotic trail in 1986. My own (”Comyn”) first crosses were born in 1985, from British x Persian matings; one litter from Kanchenjunga Bibi (black tortie shaded persian) and GC Redwyton
Wetheby James D.M. (British blue) and the other from Redwyton Betty Boop (British blue) and GC Cargeos Radar (Imp UK, blue Persian, owned by Betty Stephens).
The path was not an easy one, at least in my experience. Obviously, it was necessary to use the very best Persians available in order to improve type. However, there developed some resistance (at least in my experience) once Exotics started making an appearance. Some Persian breeders felt these crew-cut cats were an abomination and under no circumstances were they going to let their studs become entangled in this corruption of the Persian. Others developed resistance once Exotics started competing rather too successfully (in bodies where Supplementary Register can compete with full register) for Best in Show awards! But others were encouraging.
I was most grateful to Mike Woods and Allan Raymond for allowing me the use of Vista Diamond Dan (Black Persian) to produce my 2nd generation - he was sire of both Comyn Jellyroll and Comyn Hetty Hotstuff (blacks) who were to be the trailblazers. Hetty was from Malingbu Pascale (orange eyed white SH, from Malingbu Beau Brummel, white persian x Int CH Redash Eartha Kit, black British). Jellyroll was from the Kanchenjunga Bibi original line.
As far as I am aware, the first time an Exotic was ever awarded Best in Show in this country was in Launceston, in early 1987. And the judge who took that step for Exotic- kind was Leonie Birch, Feline Control Council of Victoria (FCCV). In those days, the award was “Best Long Hair Kitten”, there being no all-embracing Group 1. The sections in Tasmania were then Long Hair, Siamese & Oriental, Other Foreign Shorthair and British/Manx. Jellyroll and Hetty (each, 2nd gen) were both entered as kittens cheek by jowl with the Persians and Birmans in the Long Hair section and Leonie decided that her best would be Hetty, while her 2nd kitten would be Jellyroll. The Council rep on the day took exception to this, pointing out that they were, by definition, not longhairs and therefore not eligible. Leonie imperiously pointed to the “Other Foreign SH” section where a Somali was benched next to an Abyssinian. “So what is that cat doing amongst the shorthairs?” There was no logical answer forthcoming. Game, set and match to Mrs Birch and Exotics! (I should point out that under ACF rules, a Supplementary Register cat can compete with the “big guys”, and good luck to them if they can beat the full register cats at their own game.) Hetty became the first Exotic to score a big win at a National - in 1987. She was Best Entire Long Hair or Exotic Kitten. Credit for that should go to the breeders of her parents!
Jellyroll went on to become Kitten of the Year 1987, despite petitions to have Exotics moved from the LH group and much mumbling in corners, which controversy he compounded when he was also Cat of the Year in 1988. That year, his firstborn daughter, Comyn Razzle Dazzle (black) was winner of Tas. Group 1 Kitten of the Year and her litter sister, Goody Twoshoes (also black; owner Audrey Simpson - “Wywory”, Queensland) made history by taking Best All Breeds Kitten at the 1988 ACF National show. “Goody” was mated to Audrey’s top winning cameo Persians and with her NZ import, Askari Spiced Nutmeg (red shaded Exotic) founded the Wywory red and cream tipped and shaded Exotic lines. The 3rd female in this litter, a blue - “Comyn Dear Daisy”, went to Cheryle and Rod U’Ren in Melbourne.
1988 also marked the year that ACF decided the longhaired offspring could be called persians, so long as “var” (variant) was included in the registration. After all, they looked like Persians, bred like Persians and to all intents and purposes were Persians. (And they can be very competitive - Janis Christison’s Blue Persian ACF Award of Excellence and Grand Champion Santique Sudden Impact from Exotic x Persian breeding was QFA’s Group 1 Cat of the Year in 1998, while Comyn Zizi Jeanmaire, a black persian from a white Exotic dam, was CAT’s Grp 1 Kitten of the Year in 2000)
Other stud owners with broad minds who allowed me to use their Persians were Kathie Scallan, Therese Imboden and Cheryle U’Ren. Their “big picture” attitude was much appreciated and certainly had an influence on whatever progress “Comyn” cats made, and thereafter other lines descended from them. (Daycara, Arrakish and Martes, significantly.) I always made it a point to keep a percentage of the old UK/NZ/Australian Persian lines in my pedigrees for bone, tiny ears and tail-length. It must be understood that at this time, emphasis was on high nose for high nose sake in the eyes of some, and the persian body, ears, bone and tail was considered to have deteriorated by some of we dinosaurs. Possible to fool some of the people some of the time in a Persian, but not in an ‘undressed’ Exotic!
Many Tasmanian (and interstate) Cat of the Year, Neuter of the Year and Kitten of the Year awards later, with Jellyroll (20 lbs in winter) being the 3rd cat in Australia to achieve ACF DM status (Distinguished Merit) and Comyn Lola Montez, (dam of Razzle Dazzle and Goody Twoshoes) being the fourth, by the early 1990’s the breed had become an indisputable fixture on the Australian show scene. They had not gone away! Razzle Dazzle was to narrowly beat Comyn Makin’ Whoopee (Best Group 1 Cat, 1993 ACF National - black tortie granddaughter of a “Wywory” cameo persian) to become the first Exotic to win the ACF National Premier (or Champion) award. (Later, in1997, Martes High Roller, a black, from Martes High Flyer and Comyn Dash-N-Dazzle, became the first Exotic to receive the ACF National Champion title.)
Elsie Madden (”Elsward”) in South Australia paved the way in her state, Kathie Stowe and Leona Gott promoted them in the NT as did Val Stewart and Audrey Simpson in Queensland. Robert Marsh was another Queenslander who was popularising the breed in the late 80’s, as was Carol Batey (see below, from Val Stewart), and Denis Turner (”Ithaca”, NSW) had, for several years, been occupied with Exotic SR breeding working mainly with domestic-based lines. Betty Heatherington (”Tataura”) in NSW was also working with success towards refining the Exotic in her state. Rossy Roberts-Thomson (”Kanchenjunga”) and Betty Stephens now kept me company in Tasmania, while in the ACT, Janis Christison developed an interest in Exotics. Just qualifying as a 1990 or prior breeder, Glennis Brymer in Mildura imported Owletts Snow Queen (”Chinchilla” Exotic), Owletts Trinket (Black shaded Exotic) and Hilal Disraeli (ditto) from the UK. These lines were later to be incorporated into the Simmons’ successful present-day “Caloola” silver Exotics in NSW.
Others tell their stories:
Margaret Bush - Malingbu cattery
Val Pelligrini started off in 1984 by mating a blue cream British female Kangavar Gaity Girl (from Jindivik Leander (Imp UK) cream British male and Malingbu Wisteria (blue British Female) to Jemari Michael Angelo (Imp UK) Chinchilla Persian.
A litter of four kittens were born on 7th October, 1984 and two were kept for breeding, Myola Silva Symon and Myola Silva Sacha. These in turn were mated the following year to Myola Miss Prim N Proper and Calair Sparticus respectively and kittens were born on the 12th October 1985 and the 17th October 1985.
Our first was from Malingbu Beau Brummell (Orange Eyed White Persian male) and Int CH Redash Eartha Kit (black British female) which produced a litter born on 3rd November, 1984. The white female was Malingbu Pascale who was eventually mated to Vista Diamond Dan and produced Comyn Hetty Hotstuff. We produced a number of solid colours over the next few years.
The two black females from this litter, Malingbu Ramona and Malingbu Liza, were given to Nancy Kapor, as adolescents, to establish her Exotic programme.
At this time Sue Branch was also producing Exotics from a line she build up from Tzarkesh Arfachance, red Exotic male imported from the UK in 1986. He had been bred from an American black smoke male imported into the UK, Purrfun My Main Man, and a black tortoiseshell female Kavida Bitzenpieces from the Idlebeck line to produce Chocolates. (Ed note: My Main Man was later to be declared ‘non-kosher’ by GCCF UK, as he came from a burmese x persian background and the burmese pattern component eventually reared its head)
Our silver lines came from Myola Silva Shimmer (Exotic Chinchilla) and Lanchee Silver Spangle (Persian Chinchilla). This mating produced two female kittens and one male kitten. Malingbu Silver Valonia was given to Mrs. Pelligrini and Malingbu Silver Valkyrie was kept to breed on with and when mated to Pussiluv Bellamy (UK) produced Malingbu Eloise (Exotic chinchilla female) and Malingbu Elfin Doll (Longhair chinchilla). From this litter Malingbu Eloise was kept to breed on with and produced two shaded silver Exotics when mated to a black Persian male. The female from this litter, Malingbu High Hopes went on to produce a classic silver tabby Exotic, Malingbu Silver Surprise who, in turn, produced Malingbu Coming Up Roses, a black smoke Exotic. So, in five generations we went from tipped to shaded to tabby to smoke.
Some of the other West Australia breeders who became involved in Exotic breeding were Lynda Schewchuk, Elaine Rumens, Bernie Clutterbuck, Anna Smith and Annette Joesbury.
Val Stewart (Shezarda Cattery, Queesland) tells her story:
During the mid 1980s Australian cat breeders were introduced to the Exotic Shorthair already popular overseas. Some people including myself were absolutely fascinated by these “Teddy Bear” cats. They not only looked great, they also had a delightful personality.
I began my Exotic breeding programme in 1988 with the help of Carol Batey of Chatain Cattery at Rockhampton. Carol was kind enough to send me two British Shorthair girls in kitten to two of her Persian males. These were Ke-Li Kahlua (Blue British), who produced my very first Exotic, a Tortie, Shezarda Toffee (8/11/88), fathered by Katzavee Trafalgar. The second girl Ke-Li Contessa, a BlueCream, was mated to Chatain Double Trouble and Shezarda Heather, a Blue Bi-Colour, was born 27/1/89.
By today’s standards, these girls were very ordinary in type but as I remember, I was very proud of them at the time. Each generation to follow was an improvement. All I asked of my programme was that the off-spring were better than the parent Exotic used. At around 4th and 5th generation, along came PKD and unfortunately like a lot of other people, some of my cats were positive. This meant that some of my valued Exotics had to be desexed.
During this time, I was given Chatain Summertime Blues (Askari x Chinkalou / Ashmorn) by Trevor Cox. (Ashmorn cattery) She was mated up to Taroon Regal Darkness (Ashmorn x Ashmorn) and even though she was a plain girl, she produced beautiful kittens, including Shezarda Hit The Deck, a very type Red Tabby Exotic.This boy is 4 and 5 generations behind my Exotics of today. My pride and joy, Shezarda Aces High, is also from Summertime Blues but fathered by Taroon Blue Casey (Stratcats Harrison x Tuam After Midnite).
To me, Exotics are very much accepted and the demand for them for showing and as pets has surpassed all expectations. They are a truly wonderful cat. The Exotic has come a long way since those relatively recent developmental days and are frequent BIS winners all over the country.
Betty Stephens (Skybank Cattery, Tasmania) recalls:
I believe Matahari Roopert (cream, Imp NZ) was 5th Generation exotic & possibly Scottish Fold was where he got his SH gene but that is not on his pedigree. He was from Ch Noorioppta Krullonga & CH Matahari Lou Loubelle, a bluecream persian. The Noorioppta is in each generation of his pedigree. Roopert sired about 6 litters for me whilst he was on lease for 12 months. Possibly the best kitten from him was a bluecream Exotic named Skybank Misty’s Joy whom while Gloria Grice owned her won Supreme Exhibit at Launceston Royal Show at the age of 7 months.
In the same era, Sue Branch of WA was kind enough to let me have Tzarkesh Arfachance (3rd gen) whom she had imported from UK. He was a red self exotic whose sire was CFA Gd Ch Purrfun My Main Man (Imp USA) Arfachance’s dam was Kavida Bitzenpieces, a tortie exotic. I returned him to Sue after about 12 months’ stay in Tas. He sired a number of very nice white exotics, some of which went to the mainland for breeding & often now I see their name at the end of pedigrees. There was Arfa Sixpence, Arfa Loaf ABread, Arfa Threepence and Arfa Head Start. One of these white exotics was awarded Reserve to Best Group 1 Kitten at the ACF National in Launceston 1993.
Possibly the most valuable exotic for me at that time was Yaslind Silk Chloe, a dilute tortie and white who was born in NSW & was only 1st generation. She was mother of Skybank Toby Jug who was the first entire cat to win the “Gold ” award in Tasmania.
Extracted with permission from Comyn Exotic Shorthairs and Persians
