Tweet

The International Cat Association's Junior Exhibitors are tomorrow's leaders. As future fanciers, breeders and potentially judges, they will shape the future of TICA and the cat fancy.

TICA's Junior Exhibitors Program is open to anyone under the age of eighteen. As members of TICA, each Junior Exhibitor's continued success is gauged by their accomplishments and personal growth.

The program consists of six levels through which the youth may progress, with each level having different activities and testing questions. At the three junior levels, the emphasis is on learning about TICA, the etiquette and procedures of showing, and basic cat health and welfare. At the three senior levels, the emphasis is on advanced knowledge of cat showing, cat breeds, working at a show, and TICA.

Juniors involved in the program learn to be responsible and ethical cat fanciers and caretakers, and productive members of TICA. Along the way, they can earn a TICA Junior Exhibitor's award of excellence, become a TICA and regional club member, and learn a great deal about cat breeds and cat exhibition. At the higher levels, they may become licensed TICA clerks who actually work at a show and run a judging ring. At the senior advanced level, they will work with an experienced Show Manager participating in the planning and execution of a show, first as a Junior Show Manager and then as a Co-Show Manager.

Each youth in the program has a mentor. This is someone other than a parent or guardian, to be their counselor and oversee their progress in and enjoyment of the program. They will work on individual projects, participate in Junior Exhibitors rings, and perhaps group projects or activities like stewarding (another job at a show) to support their local cat clubs. In the Junior Exhibitors rings, they will present their cats and describe them, and answer basic questions about cats, show etiquette, and TICA.

This is a positive program, focused on involving young community members in TICA and showing cats in a responsible and fun way. The emphasis is on learning and having fun with their cats, not presentation skills which will be improved and enhanced with practice in the Junior Exhibitor rings. It is a program designed to improve self-esteem, confidence, and interaction abilities of our youth along with knowledge of their cats, cat health and care, cat husbandry and TICA.

Junior Exhibitor Committee

The Junior Exhibitor Committee was formed to develop, test and refine a TICA Junior Exhibitor Program that will attract, engage and educate youthful exhibitors under the age of 18 by exposing TICA junior exhibitors to both competition and a continuing educational process as they work their way through six levels of achievement.