DISTINGUISHED MERIT AWARD WINNER

GC GRAY-IVY WINSOME OF CARDELL, DM

GC Gray-Ivy Winsome of Cardell, DM came into being as a result of a fortuitous rendezvous d'amour between her sire QCH Gray-Ivy Aladdin and dam GC Wee Heather Holly Ann. GC Wee Heather Holly Ann was just nine months old when her sire QCH Gray-Ivy Aladdin bred her without the blessing of Grace and Ivan Over of Gray-Ivy Cattery, but the Overs were extremely happy when GC Gray-Ivy Toy Ann and GC Gray-Ivy Winsome [of Cardell], DM were born, and later repeated the breeding five times.

GC Gray-Ivy Winsome of Cardell, DM and her sister GC Gray-Ivy Whisper were originally sold to Carol DelVecchio, a Burmese breeder in Massachusetts, but GC Gray-Ivy Winsome [of Cardell], DM later went back to the Overs in Pasadena, California, while GC Gray-Ivy Whisper remained on the east coast with Linda Larson of Wis-Purr cattery.

GC Gray-Ivy Winsome [of Cardell], DM enjoyed a carefree life, unfettered with kittens, until one day when she was nearly four-years-old, ten-month-old GC Gray-Ivy Ron-D-Voo successfully wooed her and soon the Overs found she was indeed pregnant. To her dismay, some weeks later Grace found that Winsome had delivered one pre-mature kitten in the litter box while they were driving out to the desert. Winsome had no milk but the Overs managed to save the baby who became known as GC Gray-Ivy Wee Wonder and who later became CFA's highest scoring kitten of the year.

Eight months later, the Overs, repeated the breeding and Winsome gave birth to a litter of three, including GC Gray-Ivy Keepsake, in a hotel room while the Overs were attending a show in Riverside California. Keepsake also enjoyed an illustrious show career.

GC Gray-Ivy Fanfare was born in Winsome's third litter. GC Gray-Ivy Fanfare was named after CH Fanfare of Allington, a cat imported from England by Vivian Peterson (Osborn) of Beverly-Serrano cattery. CH Fanfare of Allington was the sire of QCH. Gray-Ivy Aladdin. GC Gray-Ivy Fanfare was well-known for his extreme type.

In Winsome's forth litter, GC Gray-Ivy Dresden Doll was born and in her fifth litter GC Gray-Ivy Bouffant of Fayron. In the sixth litter bred to GC Gray-Ivy Ron-D-Voo, GC Gray-Ivy Favorite Beau of Fayron was born. When Winsome was about eight-years-old, she gave birth to one last kitten GC Gray-Ivy Royal Flush, affectionately known as "Chip". GC Gray-Ivy Royal Flush was her seventh "Grand" off-spring.

Winsome had a late start in motherhood, but the legacy of her offs-pring lives on today in many of our lines.

Janice Reichle of Diadem Silver and Golden Persians petitioned CFA naming all of GC Gray-Ivy Winsome's [of Cardell], DM qualifying offsping. Retroactively, CFA awarded Winsome the title of Distinguished Merit.