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Candidate for TICA Maine Coon Breed Committee
Laura Cunningham - Coonyham Maine Coons
ELECTED
My
name is Laura Cunningham. I am the current chair of the Maine Coon breed
committee; bumped up from a regular committee member when both Lynne Sherer and
Beth Hicks resigned from TICA. I am still in shock from that - what a loss for
us all.
I have been showing Maine Coons with my mother, Sharon Cunningham, since 1989
under the Coonyham cattery. Our first litter was registered with TICA in 1990.
We've been very fortunate. We have had two TICA Best of Breeds for the Maine
Coon Cat (Coonyham Navarro and Coonyham Rough Rider), a number of TICA
international winners, several outstanding sires and dams and we've made a lot
of friends in the fancy. Presently, we have scaled back to a very small
breeding program with just one female which works well for us (plus several
spays and neuters of course).
I'm a TICA Allbreed judge. It's been my privilege and honor to judge for TICA
clubs throughout the USA and in Western Canada, Japan, France, Germany, Austria
and in the UK for the past 9.5 years. I've also guest-judged in Australia.
I've presented Maine Coon breed seminars in both English and French for several
TICA clubs and in Australia, with thanks to Beth Hicks for her presentation
which was the primary basis of several of my seminars. I've also presented on
show grooming in the UK.
I've written articles on the Maine Coon cat for the TICA Yearbook, TICA Trend
and other publications. My articles on cat grooming was printed in the Trend,
MCBFA Scratch Sheet and by various other publications. I also authored an
article on feline vaccinations on behalf of TICA's Feline Welfare committee.
I have been a member of the breed group, Maine Coon Breeders and Fanciers
Association (MCBFA) since 1989 (fancier then breeder member) and currently serve
as Western Regional Director.
I have been an active
working member in a number of TICA cat clubs since 1990: D'Vine Feline
Fanciers, Los Conquistadores (president), Foaming Frenzies, Jazzy Cats (founding
member/officer), Fog City Cat Club (founding member/officer), Coatimundi Cat
Club and The Maine Event. In order to have more time for the breed section and
MCBFA, I am currently with just one club - Fog City Cat Club and our annual show
is coming up later this month. I am proud that my club has hosted many
educational seminars, rescue adoption rings and special JA rings.
Being a judge also means I've been a ring clerk, entry clerk, master clerk, &
show manager many times. So I know exactly how much hard work it takes to put
on a TICA show - from doing the publicity through tear-down.
My day job is as a Marketing Manager for a medical device manufacturer. I
travel to medical meetings and tradeshows as well as oversee a team who handles
promotions, events, web design & content, video, lead-generation, meetings,
trainings, analysis/reporting, printing and sales tool creation. Whew - makes
me blink to write all that. :)
Lastly, I was a TICA Maine Coon breed committee member in 2000-2002, in addition
to this present term of 2006-2008. My mom, Sharon was a committee member with
Beth Hicks in 2003-2005 and was part of that positive change Beth lead for the
updating of our Maine Coon standard.
That is my background and general qualifications.
Thank you,
Laura Cunningham
To visit the Maine Coons at Coonyham please click HERE
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