"My Most Favorite "Buns""

An international WCF/FARUS/ICU All Breed expert, an international FCI-UCK dog conformation expert

Evgeny Mechkovskiy

Evgeny Mechkovskii (Kazakhstan, Astana), an international WCF/FARUS/ICU All Breed expert, an international FCI-UCK dog conformation expert is a guest of top-cat.org

– How long have you been engaged in felinology?

– For fifteen years already. I got engaged in felinology in 2000.

– What breed did you start with?

– The British Shorthair was my first breed.

- Why did you choose this very breed?

– At that time the British was the most popular cat breed in our city. But at the same time the animals were of a very poor quality. I really wanted to make my own contribution in the development of this breed – this was my ambitious goal. British cats are now my most favorite "buns":))).

– What was your first cat's name?

– It had a purely British name – Patrick :).

- Your first show as an expert – how did it go?

– Perhaps, like many beginning experts, I was worrying because I felt great responsibility to breeders. But it went very well; all breeders were sympathetic to a not very experienced expert, and it helped me to accomplish it in a burst of inspiration.

- Have you ever worked with other breeds?

The club, or more exactly, the Center of Felinology and Cynology "Arko & K" where I am the president, deals with a sufficiently large number of cat breeds: the Persian, the Exotic Shorthair, the Scottish Fold Shorthair and Longhair, the Don Sphynx, the Maine Coon and the Abyssinian. I personally supervise many of the catteries, and therefore one can say I am engaged in breeding of all these breeds.

- What kind of shows do you like more: with traditional European judging or rings?

– I have never distinguished between the traditional and the ring judging. I just love cats and therefore any kind of judging brings me pleasure:).

- What is your sign of the zodiac? (Date of birth)

- I am Lion. I was born on August 1, 1987.

- You visit a lot of shows as an expert. In what country, in your opinion, do people like the Highland Fold and the Highland Straight most of all? Where are, in your opinion, the cats of the highest quality?

– Indeed, I visit quite a large number of shows. Around thirty shows in a year, or in other words, almost every two weeks. Of course, I visit shows in Russia most often. Evaluating Highlands in Russia and in other countries, I can say for sure that Russia takes the first place in breeding of these cats.

- How do you like to relax?

– I like to rest by the sea, I can relax there. And the best rest is in the bosom of the family and in the company of close friends.

- What is your favorite dish?

– The Ukrainian borsch, especially that cooked by my wife – she prepares it very well.

– As we know, you have one more hobby besides cats...

– Yes, I do! My second hobby and another passion is dogs.

- What is an “ideal present” for you?

– To say honestly, I like to gift presents rather than to receive them:). Therefore I have never thought about an ideal present: most importantly, it should be presented with all one's heart.

- What is your life credo or motto?

- Perhaps these are the words of Abraham Lincoln: "I am a slow walker, but I never walk back".