North Sea Winner '26

On 24–25 January 2026, we packed the car and headed for the Netherlands and our very first Winner Show. And what a weekend it was going to be!

This time, Kornelia also got to come along to her very first cat show. Her birthday was on Sunday, 25 January, so this was going to be a very special weekend for her – although none of us had any idea just how special it would actually turn out to be.

Huldra makes her debut in the adult class.

For our own beautiful JCH Raumaríki's Huldra, this was also a small milestone. She had just moved up from the junior class to the adult class and was now competing in class 9 – the open class.

We therefore didn’t have the highest expectations that she would make it all the way to the top this time. She was completely new among the adult cats and naturally faced strong competition. Huldra didn’t quite make it to the nomination, but she received EX1 and her very first certificate in the open class. We were incredibly happy with that. The first step on the road to the Champion title had been taken!

Zahar had other plans …

JCH MaineGiants Zahar, on the other hand, was one of the oldest cats in the junior class, and our slightly cautious but stunningly beautiful boy had clearly decided to make this weekend extra exciting.

Because Zahar went and got himself a NOMINATION!

Sunday – nerves, birthday and the final!

Sunday arrived, and our nerves were running high. We walked around, looking at the competition and trying to assess our chances. Among them was a fantastic red-and-white Norwegian Forest Cat, who looked as though he was already several years old, and a beautiful red Siberian.

This was not going to be easy.

Then the final began. And it turned into a real thriller.

When the votes had been cast, Zahar and the Norwegian Forest Cat were tied. A deciding judge had to step in to determine the winner.

Our hearts were pounding in our throats as we waited. Those seconds felt like hours.

And then came the name:

Tears. Cheers. Complete disbelief.

Our very own Zahar had won!

What a feeling. What a cat. And what a very first Winner Show!

He can now proudly carry the name:🏆 NSW'26, JCH MaineGiants Zahar 🏆

A birthday we will never forget!

As if the day wasn’t already special enough, Sunday was also Kornelia’s birthday. Suddenly, we had two very good reasons to celebrate!

Both the birthday girl and our newly crowned North Sea Winner were celebrated at Yume in Hoogeveen, a fantastic restaurant and the perfect ending to a truly unforgettable day.

Of course, the journey home wasn’t going to be completely uneventful either. We drove into a snowstorm in Germany, and the winter weather eventually forced us to add an extra overnight stay in Sweden on our way home.

But this time, we really didn’t mind at all.

We had a North Sea Winner in the car. ❤️

Our very first Winner Show ended with EX1 and Huldra’s first certificate, a nomination and the North Sea Winner title for Zahar – and a birthday right in the middle of it all.

This is definitely a show that will have a very special place in our book of memories.

North Sea Winner 2026 – what a weekend! 🏆❤️