At The CFA Board meeting on 1 Apr 2025, the Chair of the International Division announced that bay check-in for all clubs in the International Division would become effective immediately, referencing Show Rules 2.05 and 10.22b.
Bay Check-In involves the verification by attendance at the close of check-in that all cats of a particular color class within all categories of a breed (i.e. kittens, championship, and premiership combined) are present for judging and possess no obvious characteristics that would warrant them not being showable, e.g. out of condition, color not recognized for competition, obvious illness.
This process may be implemented at shows in the International Division where a color class has more entries than the total number of judging cages to be used in the smallest judging ring at that show (12 in the case of Singapore). Cats required to participate in this check-in are not eligible for late arrival and once marked absent, will be considered absent for the duration of the entire show, including BOTH days of a two day show.
For example, if color class 2500/2501, solid color British Shorthairs has three kittens, nine championship, and one premiership cat entered with the smallest ring comprising 12 cages, that color class would qualify for bay check-in as the total number entered in that color class is 13.
At the conclusion of the advertised hour for check-in and before judging begins, all cats of each color class subject to bay check-in will be required to present themselves to the judging rings (starting with the lowest kitten number thru highest, then lowest championship number thru highest, then lowest premiership number thru highest) starting with ring 1 and going through rings required to include all cats entered in that color-class. The International Division Chairman shall be notified by the entry clerk when a show has sufficient entries in a color class to warrant bay check-in.
The Chairman will then determine if that show will be subject to the bay check-in process, and if so, which of the contracted judges will perform the procedure. The selected judge will then mark the absentee/transfer list MAb (Mandatorily Absent) for any cat/kitten not present in the numbered judging cage, or for any cat/kitten that is obviously out of condition, is ill, is of a color not showable in regular or AOV competition, or may otherwise be disqualified per show rule 11.23. That cat will be considered absent in all rings to be held at that show, regardless of which day the color class for that category is judged. If more than one color class meets the requirement for bay check-in, they will be called up to the rings in breed/color class order as listed in the catalog.
Exhibitors with entries in concern subject to Bay Check-In will be informed of the necessity in the days before the show. General announcements will also be made over our socials once any decision has been made on the Bay Check-In process at any particular show.
