Bobbie Tullo

an interview with TICA Judge Bobbie Tullo

By Jay Lehman

Jay: What made you decide to get your first cat and what kind was it?
Bobbie: I have always been a "critter" person....my earlist recollection of a kitten is of finding one and carrying it to the front step of the house and then telling my mother that it followed me home. My parents never knew what I would show up with!

Jay: When did you get your first pedigreed (show quality) cat and what breed was it?
Bobbie: I bought my first pedigreed cat in 1974 or 1975 and it was a Black Smoke Persian. I went to my first cat show at about that time in Pullayup, WA and thought that would be something I would like to do.

Jay: When did you become involved in breeding and why?
Bobbie: I have always loved animals of any kind and the cat fancy seemed like it would be great fun. As I started showing the next step seemed to be to breed a litter. I remember those first years, it was an uphill climb all the way, but the challange of breeding a cat that was competitive was exciting.

Jay: What breeds have you/do you breed, and why?
Bobbie: I started with the Persians, fell in love with the British Shorthair and imported a tortie & white, a tortie and a cream male to start my program with. It was fun to work with "new" colors and I eventually phased the Persian out and bred and showed British for the next 14 years. I bred a couple of litters of Scottish Folds in the early '80's. I currently breed and show Pixiebobs. I think they are very much like the British in personality and temperament....and I like big hurky cats!

Jay: When did you become involved in TICA and why?
Bobbie: I became involved with TICA from the very beginning. When the phone call came that a new Assn. was being formed and would we like to join, the answer was YES! The first club "Commencement" was chartered by a group of us at my house. It still holds Charter #1 and was re-activated this year for the NW Regional Show. The concept of this new assn. was inovative and the enthusiasium was high. Our ACFA club "Olympicats" was scheduled to have a show within a month...we changed to TICA it became the first TICA show!

Jay: What other associations were you ever involved with?
Bobbie: I showed in both ACFA and CFA prior to TICA, after TICA was formed I have been exclusively TICA.

Jay: When and why did you decide to become a judge?
Bobbie: In the first year of TICA, if my memory serves me....Dan Gorman, our Northwest Regional Director, approached me and told me that I should become a judge. I was not so sure at the time that I was a "good candidate" or "ready" ( I was still relatively new to the cat fancy). It is a decision that I have never regretted. I applied to the Judging Program in 1980 and was first licensed at the Semi-Annual in 1982.

Jay: What is your fondest memory of TICA?
Bobbie: There are many fond memories.......I think the comraderie in the beginning, the first TICA show...we had a "get together" with Georgia and Larry in Olympia to tell us all about this new Assn. we had just joined. The friendships over the years.....the beautiful cats...

Jay: What advise would you give to Russian Blue exhibitors about showing this breed?
Bobbie: I think that with any breed socialization is very important, more so if you are working with a breed that tends to be a bit shy. I think the breed is much better behaved in the show ring than it was 20 years ago.....keep up the good work!

Jay: Do you have anything else to add?
Bobbie: Thank you for the opportunity to share!