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Showing longhairs?

post #1 of 7
10/13/10 at 2:05pm
Thread Starter 
How difficult is it to show a longhair? I've been thinking about looking into getting another Maine Coon to show as an alter. I did show Roxy a little when she was younger, but that was mostly as a HHP kitten in CFA since she is polydactyl and once in TICA New Traits but in NT she had no competition so it was basically get in the ring, get a ribbon, go back. So I've done show baths before but since she never competed with other Maine Coons I'm not sure if what I was doing was "proper" grooming or not. I would assume that since Maine Coons are a popular breed, the showing is more competitive?
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post #2 of 7
10/13/10 at 4:14pm
The showing of Maine Coons in New Zealand is very competitive but I cannot speak for the US. As a Longhair judge I will go for the pretty Maine Coon (better groomed) over the poorly groomed Maine Coon if the type is the same. I do know a lot of breeders that feel the Maine Coon should have a shaggy belly and be a little unkept looking but I'm a Persian exhibitor for goodness sakes and this is a cat show!

For advice on how to groom your MCO your best best is to talk to the breeder. I assist all my newbie exhibitors with the correct grooming of their baby. Nial might pop up with a photo of his MCO Runner for you - he's in that "pretty" cattery and I think Nial & Teri are pretty good at bathing their MCO.
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post #3 of 7
10/13/10 at 4:46pm
Thread Starter 
This is Roxy the Maine Coon, who I showed a few times, until she stopped enjoying it... Her breeders did not show and we did not get her planning to show(obviously, I wouldn't have gotten a polydactyl if I had been- as much as I love them), but the judges who critiqued Roxy when I showed her said good things about her type.
I can't remember if I bathed her just before I had these photos taken or not.
She was about 13 months old when these were taken so she was still growing and her coat was not as full as a more mature cat's.




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post #4 of 7
10/13/10 at 4:48pm
I think her coat looks perfect. I have to admit I have never seen a Black MCO in person so am unsure about what their coat textures are like - is her coat texture quite silky?
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post #5 of 7
10/13/10 at 4:58pm
Thread Starter 
Yes it is silky to an extent, but the Maine Coon shagginess gives texture too.

A long time ago I had found a breeder online who showed and she had photos of gorgeous and very well groomed black Maine Coons on her website. So I emailed her to ask her if she could give any advice on show baths for black Maine Coons. She was very helpful and gave me a step-by-step description.
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post #6 of 7
10/13/10 at 5:24pm
MC's take more time to groom for show then Persians do. We talked to a MC breeder about grooming before the show.

It would depend on the coat texture and color as to how much is involved. MC's are very competitive in ACFA right now. And you have to almost have a perfect one to get any finals.

They usually start 2-3 days before a show - goop to get the oil/grease out of the coat, wash that and put on a conditioner. If it still feels greasy the entire process is done over again! And because their coat is thicker then a Persian's it takes longer to dry too.

I would go to a few shows, make friends with MC breeders and ask them for tips on show prep.
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post #7 of 7
10/13/10 at 7:14pm
Both SH and LH cats have their challenges. With SH cats, you cannot afford to show any condition issues. For many breeds, their fur is too short to hide anything. I spend a lot of time between shows focusing on diet and exercise with my SH breed. With LH cats, you must groom to perfection and continue to do touch-up work before each ring. While I've not personally worked with a Maine Coon coat, you generally want to remove all excess oils from the fur, use shampoo(s) appropriate to the texture/color of the coat, rinse and rinse again to remove all residue, and finally replace the lost moisture that was stripped out during the de-greasing and shampoos. Pay close attention to the ruff, under the forelegs, and between the hind legs as you rinse. Blow-drying is also par for the course with most H cats, since many LH coats can crimp and clump in places if left to air-dry.

I like to use the Chris Christensen products, however, some of their products are rather harsh and cannot be used if you show weekly. Other products will build up a residue in the coat. So you need to know when to do a full bath and when you need to only do touch-up work.

Much of the initial time you spend showing a cat is focused on fine-tuning your presentation. Good luck!
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