Lyndongraey

Field Spaniels, Maine Coons & Siberians

 

 

 

In Loving Memory of our Siberian Boy, Vassiliy
- from Russia with Love

 

VASSILIY
TICA Supreme Grand Champion & Fife European Champion Taurus Goloubchik, DSM
FB (Fife) Overall Cat of the Year 2007
13 July 2003 - 30 January 2009

 

Vassiliy, what can I say about our wonderful boy from Russia, he needs no real introduction as everyone who ever met him or knew him will always remember him as a real soppy Siberian and a real showman and character at shows. I have had so much fun with him and I would trade all of his wins to have him back again, even for a short while.

How it all started : Well it all started back in 2000 with a book called "Cool Cats, The 100 Cat Breeds of the World" by Desmond Morris - and a photo of a good-looking cat called the Siberian. After reading the article and trying to find out a bit more about the breed - and then discovering that there were no Siberians in the UK - my dream of owning one slowly ebbed away, as I had no idea of how to go about getting one of these lovely-looking cats into the UK.

Then in 2002, in an article in Cat World the breed appeared again as three breeders were importing some cats, so the spark had ignited again and I contacted the breeder that was nearest to me. Her name was Sue Bellew and she also had Ragdolls and Maine Coons. After a long conversation with Sue I booked my very first Siberian. Neva, or should I say "Tiggytykes Annaneva" was born on 17 March 2003 and we finally got to collect her in June 2003.

Neva was a lovely seal colourpoint with the most beautiful pair of stunning blue eyes and a fantastic quality coat along with all her other attributes. I planned to breed from her and have my own Lyndongraey Siberian kitten the following year, unfortunately it was not to be. She developed acute liver failure and we had to have her put to sleep on 24 July 2004 at just 16 months old (you can see a picture of Neva on our Rainbow Bridge page). However, I have to thank Sue - and Neva - for introducing me to this wonderful breed.

In the meantime I had spoken to other people about how to go about importing my very own cat. That is how it all started with my truly wonderful boy Taurus Goloubchik. I had seen lots of web sites with some wonderful-looking cats and contacted some breeders. I wanted to import my first cat from their homeland, so I contacted Tamara Sorokina from the Taurus Cattery. She had two blue silver boys available and sent me some photos, of them and their parents, Lapushka and Ruslan.

Vassiliy with Dad
Lapushka his Mum
Ruslan his Dad

It was all a bit rushed as Tamara was sending his sister to a breeder in Holland the following week, so I desperately got in contact with this breeder, Brenda Pellekooren of the Vesna Sibirskaya cattery, to ask if she would be willing to look after my boy for the six months pet passport scheme - and thankfully Brenda agreed! With everything sorted the two kittens left Russia and arrived in Holland in the October of 2003 - and then began the long wait for him to arrive in the UK. I can’t thank Tamara enough for this lovely boy, or Brenda and her family for looking after him so wonderfully.

I wanted a true Russian name for my Russian boy and after watching a film about the Russian sniper, Vassili Zaitsev; we decided to call him Vassiliy. We had updates and photos of him regularly, which was lovely (that is the only part I truly missed, not seeing him grow up from a 13 weeks old kitten). The six months couldn’t go quickly enough, but finally in April 2004 Ray and I traveled to Holland to collect him.

Vassiliy still in Holland
Making himself at Home
Vassiliy with Chester & Darcey

When we got him home he came out of the carrier and immediately made himself quite at home, with our other cats and of course the dogs. He was lovely, with such a sweet temperament ... but not the colour I thought we had bought! In our opinion he looked a golden colour, but being a novice I had no idea about that and continued to call him a blue silver. After a period of time to get him used to our family, including our five dogs, and of course to learn English, we decided to show him, and this is where his show career started.

We had him colour assessed three times and he turned out to be a 'blue golden' which is one of the rarer colour's. To the best of my knowledge, Vassiliy was the first Siberian to be shown regularly within FB in the UK, although there are a few more now on the show scene - including two of his own offspring, International Premier Lyndongraey Borya, and now Lyndongraey Erazm owned by Heather Clayson.

Lyndongraey Borya
Lyndongraey Erazm

His Show Career : Vassiliy achieved his first title in three 'straight' shows and his first BIS at Swanley in November 2005. It was in 2006 that I found out about the points system within Felis Britannica - and when I discovered that Vassiliy was top male in Category II! In fact he finished second overall in the category, behind Ron & Jean Brown’s lovely Maine Coon girl Peg, Lunaris Peg o' my Heart (so still top male!), whom Vassiliy vied with for Best in Category II at shows throughout that year.

However, 2007 was his year! He achieved the top spot and was declared Best Adult in Category II, Best Overall Adult and then Cat of the Year 2007, the first ever Siberian to do this in the UK, and I believe a great achievement from a cat which has only been in the UK for just under 4 years!

TICA Supreme Grand Champion & Fife European Champion Taurus Goloubchik, DSM
FB (Fife) Overall Cat of the Year 2007

Photo by Bob Fox

Vassiliy achieved 1 Best in Variety, 24 Nominations &
14 Best in Shows in his show career.

He is the only Siberian to be awarded Fife Cat of the Year, European Champion title with DSM (Distinguished Show Merit) in the UK and we are so proud of this purrfect gentleman


In 2008 Vassiliy achieved two more titles, in TICA he achieved his Supreme Grand Champion title and in Fife the title of DSM (Distinguished Show Merit, for 10 BIS wins over a minimum of two years and a day - he got his wins too fast!). Vassiliy achieved 1 Best in Variety, 24 Nominations and 14 Best In Show wins. He is the only Siberian to have the following titles: TICA Supreme Grand Champion & FIFe European Champion Taurus Goloubchik, DSM, all attained in the UK.

Vassiliy also achieved BEST BLUE SPOTTED TABBY Siberian in the TICA show seasons for 2004 / 2005 / 2006 / 2007 / 2008 / 2009.

I would like to thank all the judges who have thought so highly of him, all my friends who have supported us throughout and of course, Vassiliy my dream boy!!

FB Show Highlights - Hope you enjoy the photos, official shots are by Bob Fox,

Swanley BIS
@ 2005
Well done my boy
Lightwater BIS
@ 2006
Typical show pose
Bognor BIS
@ 2006
Worcester BIS
@ 2006
Tonbridge BIS
@ 2006
Maidstone BIS
@ 2006
Maidstone BIS
@ 2006
Lincoln BIS
@ 2006
World Show 2006
Bognor BIS
@ 2007
Thornbury BIS
@ 2007
Thornbury BIS
@ 2007
Worthing BIS
@ 2007
CAT OF THE YEAR 2007
Worthing BIS
@ 2008 - Achieved his DSM
Worthing BIS
@ 2008

TICA Highlight, achieving his Supreme Grand Champion Title - Photos by Beryl McMilan

Usual pose
Being Judged
Being awarded Best Cat
TWICE !!

 

His Legacy : Vassiliy died in my arms on Friday 30 January 2009, that day he took a piece of my heart which is going to take such a long time to heal. He was a truely wonderful boy who just made us and people laugh and I really thank him for that. Both Ray and I have been totally blown away by the amount of messages and cards of sympathy we have received from our friends, from people that we don't even know and from people as far away as Australia, Russia, Europe and the USA, (we have kept everyone of them). Most of these people never even met our boy but we are really honored and proud that they knew of him and I thank each and everyone of you who contacted us at this really difficult time. We also want to thank Belinda & Laura and my sister Plum, for the special plants that are on our patio, Vassiliy's heart is still here.

I would also like to say a big thank you to all the people who have given homes to Vassiliy's, Anya's and Annie's babies, please look after them, they are even more precious now. My boy, Vassiliy has given us just one more gift which I am truly thankful for as Annie is expecting his last kittens on 30 March 2009 (2 months to the day after losing him).

Some photos of our special boy. God bless you Vassiliy and thank you for being my best friend.


Photo by Valentina Koulagina & Anatoli Krassavine
This is my favorite photo of Vassiliy and it appears on the front cover of 'Just Cats' 2009 Calendar from Willow Creek Press
Vassiliy in the snow, although I don't think he really enjoyed it !!
This is me getting a head butt
And a cuddle
Vassiliy enjoying the sofa
And yet another cuddle
Vassiliy's Trophies
From Belinda & Laura
From Plum
These are the last photos of my lovely boy before he had to go - always in my heart