Richard Bailey lives with a Maine Coon named Buckaroo (Buck for short), but he loves and admires all breeds of cats. As an all-breed judge with The International Cat Association for nearly 14 years, Bailey interacts with all types of cats. Now, his love and admiration for cats has earned him the title of TICA International Judge of the Year, the Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger reports.
Members of TICA were invited to vote for the judge they believed best deserved the award. Describing Bailey, one member said he is “masterful, informative, down to earth, and most of all it was so obvious that he absolutely loved what he was doing.”
A resident of Jackson, Miss., Bailey has been a cat owner since age 12. He became involved in the cat fancy in 1984 with his first show cat, a brown mackerel Oriental Shorthair. He credits his success as an all-breed judge to his mentor, Frances Young.
The best thing about being a show judge, according to Bailey, is being around cats all weekend. “I get to handle gorgeous cats, play with them on the table, appreciate them,” he said. “I don’t have to have a house full of cats, and I get to experience every breed.”
For more information about The International Cat Association, visit the group’s website.