Since importing RW CH Insider Constantin, a Selkirk Rex boy, the colour 'Blue-Golden' became my instant favourite !!
It has a wonderful blue and pinkie hue to it which is extremely pretty on the Selkirk Rex coat.
I bred my own Blue Golden Selkirk in 2008 albeit a variant but she was and still is one of the prettiest kittens I have ever bred. Amazolou Evanescense went to live with good friend Anne Minshall and Evie worked along side her Selkirk breeding program. However this isn't about the Selkirk lines we are trying to progress, but the British Shorthair lines and introduction in to GCCF.
I started looking in to the Blue Golden colour in the summer of 2008 with a couple of breeder friends of mine. Scouring the internet 'as you do' we located the wonderful Guther Moens of 'Sundust' cats located in Belgium, only a short drive across the channel. Gunther at the time had a lovely Blue Golden boy, Gusev van de Pronkse Schonen available and after a few conversation ensuring Gunther that we would be wonderful parents it was agreed that Gusev could come to the UK and be our foundation boy.
As well as 'Sundust', we also managed to locate another Blue Golden British Breeder in Somerset but who only registered her cats with Fife, this was Judith Macarthur of 'Old Possums Cats'. A wonderful breeder who entrusted a whole litter of girls for breeding between Tracy, myself and Anne Minshall of 'Acozni' cats.
In April 2009 the three us drove over to the wonder 'Sundust' cattery in Belgium and met Gunther Moens and his family and collected 2 year old Gusev. All 683 miles. With the arrival of Gusev in the UK this started off a shared breeding program between myself and the other catteries involved, this has the full intention of getting the Blue Golden colour, plus any other Golden and dilute Tipped to Championship status with the GCCF.
All these differing colours of British are already recognised by most International Cat registering bodies i.e. TICA, Fife and CFA. I also brought in from 'Old Possums' another boy, Rufus to widen the gene pool and add a warmer colour to my current Golden breeding girls, Rufus was a gorgeous Golden Shaded boy from continental lines with that lovely continental Golden colouring.
Stage one was to get the GCCF to recognise that there is such a colour in the British Shorthair? No mean feat!! In the latter part of 2009 the GCCF issued the colour 75a to recognise the Blue Golden in any breeding lines. I started the process with gusto but unfortunately due to a close family loss I stopped, added to that we suddenly lost Gusev after just 3 litters and stopped any further progression. A lovely breeder, Lisa Burnell of 'Burleaway British' took over the baton of gaining GCCF recognition.
In October 2013 Lisa & I attended the British Shorthair Breed Advisory Seminar to present the Blue Goldens for progression, giving Judges and exhibitors the opportunity to see these beautiful cats. It was extremely positive and the cats who were on exhibition loved the attention. 'Amazolou Oompalumpa' Blue Golden & , 'Burleaway Will-i-am' Lilac Golden and 'Burleaway Golden Lumina' Golden Colourpointed represented the breed. Blue Golden & Any other Golden tipped were given CHAMPIONSHIP STATUS in March 2015
Over a decade later and many Blue Golden kittens, plus a gap in breeding in between. I have now obtained a new Blue Golden boy from Lisa, who has my old lines on his pedigree and hope to have many more of these gorgeous cats in the very near future.
