Candidate for TICA Maine Coon Breed Committee

Jan Dell - Woodpile Maine Coons

My home is in the beautiful Yakima Valley of Central Washington, where I own and run two businesses, Nob Hill Knobs and the Closet Connection.  Prior to those two businesses my husband and I ran a remodeling company for many years.  I have professional designations as a Certified Graduate Remodelor (CGR) and as a Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS).

I am married (23 years)  and have three children (29, 16, & 14), two of whom are still at home.  I am active in my local community and have participated as a volunteer at the schools, various political and civic activities, and in professional organizations.

Credentials

Before acquiring my first Maine Coon I had a successful background in showing and breeding dogs.  While not all of this experience is relevant  to breeding cats, I feel the genetics education I garnered during that time has been of great value.   I have made a conscious effort to continue my education by attending  seminars  at  shows, reading, and networking with other Maine Coon breeders I know and  respect.  I screen all of my cats for HCM via DNA and echoes, screen for HD via radiographs, and DNA test for SMA where indicated.  My priorities in breeding are health, temperament, and type, in that order.

Since 1998 I have bred and shown many International and Regional winners in two breeds, Maine Coons and Singapuras, including the NW Region’s Best Cat in 2004/2005, Best Kitten in 2006/2007, and Best Alter  in 2007/2008.   In the past three years I have had three of my Maine Coon queens earn the title of Outstanding Dam, one of them having 10 grands to date, and one of my two studs is an Outstanding Sire as well as a Lifetime Achievement Winner.  I have helped a couple of new breeders get started, and am currently mentoring a new breeder as well. 

I was a charter member of The Maine Event (a Maine Coon cat club), and am currently an active member of The Evergreen Cat Fanciers, Alaskats, and the Great Lakes Cat Consortium, Inc. clubs.  I am one of three individuals who maintain the HCM database on the UnmodMCHealth Yahoo Group, and am a participant in the newly formed TICA Mentors group chaired by Bobbie Tullo.   I am the treasurer for the NW Region’s Junior Achiever program (in which my two daughters participate) and the Show Reporter for the NW Region for the past several years.   I have done fundraising for our Regional Awards Shows, and have been the banquet chair for our Regional Awards Banquet two of the last three years (the years it was in the US vs Canada).   In 2005 I had the honor of being voted the NW Region’s Member of the Year. 

My professional credentials include the designations previously mentioned, as well as having been President of the Central Washington Home Builders Assn., a builders group with over 700 members.  I was Chairman of the Remodelors Council for the Building Industry Assoc. of Washington, and served as Chairman of the Remodelors Public Affairs Committee for the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), and was a member of the NAHB Education Committee.  My most demanding endeavor was as Chairman of the Washington Affordable Housing Council, a group whose primary function is to fund raise for political candidates supportive of the industry.  While I was chair my group raised over 1.75 million dollars for political campaigns in Washington state.   (Please don’t tell – I hate fundraising!) 

I believe all this experience and involvement working with others in various capacities speaks in favor of my qualifications for the breed committee.   I have acted as a facilitator, an educator, a mentor, and as a fundraiser.  As for Maine Coons, I am passionate about this breed, and dedicated to the health and preservation of these beautiful animals.  

Committee’s Role & Accountability

I believe the committee’s role is to represent the interests of the breed section and keep them abreast of issues relevant to the breed.   I feel they should be experienced breeders with at least a basic knowledge of genetics, ethical, able and willing to communicate with the breed section, and active in their regions, showing and promoting TICA and our wonderful Maine Coons.  I would like to see the committee encourage and/or sponsor more breed seminars, clinics, and breed booths, particularly at Regional Award Shows, the Annual, and the larger shows.  Where better to promote the Maine Coon?  I would like to see the committee encourage the Junior Achievers, as they can be a valuable resource.  Our Juniors presented a beautiful Maine Coon Breed Booth at our Regional as one of their JA Projects.  It was very well received by both the exhibitors and the public, and it has been saved to exhibit at other shows.

 In conjunction with the new TICA Mentors group I mentioned,  I would like to see the committee involved in assisting new exhibitors and/or breeders in finding a suitable mentor (or mentoring themselves).  This could include such things as making available new exhibitor guides, directing them to articles (such as Cat Moody’s) on where to buy a kitten, grooming articles, etc.

The committee should encourage and assist with fundraising activities for Maine Coon specific research and rescue efforts.   A breeder assistance network for those in need of help might be another thought.   Anything the committee can do to encourage and support  our breed should be considered 

As for the accountability – the committee is accountable to the breed section by virtue of it being  an elected position.   Look at those who are running and consider how active they are and ask yourself if they will be an active committee member.   Do you know who they are?  Are they active on the lists?  Are they afraid or reluctant to speak up?  How active are they in their respective regions and TICA?  Do they do anything beyond showing their own cats?   If they are on the current breed committee how active have they been over the past three years?  First and foremost they should be active and involved!

 The Petition

I was not aware of any discussion about a petition prior to it being brought up on this list.  Would I have signed one if there had been one?  No, regardless of what the petition was about.  I believe the role of the committee members is to represent the breed section as a whole, regardless of whether or not the individual member agrees with the majority vote.   That does not mean that the individual members of the committee should not voice their opinions.  You, as the breed section, will elect those you feel most qualified to protect our Maine Coons and serve you.  It only makes sense that you would encourage those you elected to share their knowledge and opinions with the breed section.

Jan Dell

To vist the Maine Coons and Singapuras at Woodpile please click HERE

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