Imperial Grand Premier Idlebeck Eenimeeni Mynimo
2 Olympian Cert., 1 Res. Olympian Cert., 5 Imperial Grand Premier Cert.,
3 Grand Premier Cert., 7 Premier Cert
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Known to his family & friends as Nimo - this is his story
2008
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Nimo arrived as part of a healthy full term litter but it was immediately apparent that he was nearly a week premature. His mum, Tilly (Ch Idlebeck Limited Edition), had spent just over a week on honeymoon in Berkshire and had obviously conceived again towards the end of that time. Nimo was an identical twin and sadly his attached brother had died at an earlier stage of their development so our little fellow was lucky to be alive at all. He was only half the size of his litter mates with no hair on his face, legs or tail and his little chest heaved as he struggled just to breathe for the first few days.
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We had to help with his feeding as the bigger kittens kept knocking him out of the way. He spent a lot of time wrapped in a blanket on our laps - and has loved being cuddled ever since.
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During the first few weeks of his life he seemed to go from one crisis to another but always had a very positive attitude to life and it was not long before he was scampering around playing with his brothers and sister. As he was still the smallest, he was regularly knocked flying - but always picked himself up and joined in again.
When it was time for the other kittens to go to their new homes, we decided that we would keep Nimo until he had grown a bit more. But of course the inevitable happened and we found that he had crept into our lives and our hearts to the extent that we could not bear to part with him.
Nimo with his siblings at 1 week
Using his brother as a pillow at 4 weeks
On the Boss's lap at 6 weeks
14 weeks old
Having had such a traumatic arrival into the world, little Nimo didn't feel ready to go with his sister to her first show and waited until he could go with his mummy, Tilly, to the Wiltshire & District show in July, where he had a lovely time being cuddled by judges & stewards - and purring non-stop. He was awarded 1st & BOB in his Open and went on to have a 'red card' day. Our thanks to his judges.
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He joined his sister Eliza on a trip to Southampton in August that year. We were unable to be there so 'Auntie Heidi' was in charge. He won 1st Open and BOB and was also well placed in his side classes - plus of course, more cuddles!
He joined Eliza again for the South Western show in Taunton at the end of September. As the Missus was asked to work 'on the table', Auntie Heidi and her friend, Auntie Katherine, looked after him for the day again which he enjoyed.
After being given 1st Open & BOB, he won most of his side classes (Eliza beat him in one!). We were so pleased when he was named as Best British Kitten, delighted when he was awarded Best British Exhibit and then overjoyed when he went on to be judged Overall Best in Show! What a clever boy! Many thanks to all of his kind judges, and especially to Mrs Prowse, Mrs Light, Mme Phalempin, and Mr Scruton, for giving him all those 'Bests'!
At Taunton aged 7 months (Photo by Robert Fox)
2010
I told you the pen was smaller!
After a long time away from the show scene, during which time he had problems with teenage acne, grew into a 'man', suffered the indignity of a visit to the vets (from which he arrived home slightly less of a man!) and became a real couch potato, Nimo decided to join the Missus on a trip to Taunton for the South Western show in September.
He was amazed to find that the pen seemed much smaller than the last time he was at a show - but the judges all seemed just as nice and cuddly as they were over a year ago. Being awarded 1st Open, BOB and his first Premier Certificate, he also won two 1st's and a 3rd in side classes. Many thanks to Mrs Kaye and his other judges.
Having rather enjoyed his return to the show bench (it was much more fun than lying on the couch watching celebrity chefs and relocation programmes all day!), Nimo was pleased to visit the Red, Cream & Tortie Society show in October, at Addlestone in Surrey. He was quite surprised when his litter brother arrived and spent the day in the next door pen - not having seen him since they played together as 'toddlers'. He had a complete 'red card' day, with 1st Open, BOB, another PC and 1st in all his side classes. He then went on to be awarded Best British Neuter in Show and thoroughly enjoyed sitting in the beautifully decorated pen. Our special thanks to Mrs Heavens and Mrs Bradley.
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At the National in December Nimo was given 1st Open and BOB, and was also awarded his final PC to gain his Premier title. He again did well in his side classes, winning two of them. Many thanks to Mrs Miles for his PC.
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2011
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After all the special treats during the festive season, the Missus decided that maybe both she and Nimo needed to visit a sports centre to work off some of the excess weight acquired - so we went off to the West Country Cat Club show at the Hutton Moore Leisure Centre in Weston-Super-Mare in January! Having decided that Nimo could try entering the Grand class to see how he did, we were delighted when he not only won another PC in his Open class, but was also awarded his first Grand Premier certificate. Our thanks to both Mrs Newman and Mrs le Monnier.
In February, Nimo took his sister, Eliza, with him to the Croydon show in Bracknell. Once again he won 1st Open, PC, and BOB and then his second Grand PC. Many thanks to Mrs Higgins and Mrs Ivinson. Eliza was less successful but, as she was far more interested in seeing if there were any nice looking 'men' around, she wasn't too bothered!
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With a much shorter journey to the Wessex Cat Club show at Eastleigh, Nimo was soon comfortably settled in his pen and eating his breakfast. The Boss went off in search of his bacon 'butty' (always a priority for him) while the Missus checked where the toilets were - always a priority for her! Later in the day they were both excited to find that as well as winning 1st Open and BOB, he had been awarded his third Grand PC and had now achieved his Grand Premier title. Our thanks to Mrs Light and Mr Hansson.
Daydreaming in his pen at Croydon
The Missus then told Nimo that, as he was now a Grand Premier, she thought that he might as well retire after the Kernow, for which he was already entered. As one judge had told her that he was lovely but, as a 'male' neuter he was too 'pretty' to be considered for an award at Imperial level, she did not think there was much point. Nimo was sad as he so enjoys his days out. He did wonder if he could 'butch up' a bit maybe if he took up weight lifting or joined a gym? As he didn't quite know how to manage either of those things he decided all he could do was try eating a lot and maybe run up and down the stairs a few more times each day! However, as his entry had already been accepted, he was moved to the Imperial Class for the Kernow Show.
He's in there somewhere!
So in April we had a family weekend away in Devon for the joint Kernow Club and South West British Shorthair Club show at Paignton. Nimo thought that eating and sleeping in the motorhome was fun - apart from Eliza deciding to yell to the local lads all night! On the Saturday morning it was only a short drive from the campsite to get to the show and soon Nimo, Eliza and Justin were all settled in their pens, each very proud of the beautiful SWBSCC banners on the front. Nimo found being entered in two shows on the same day such fun as he had lots more cuddles than usual and was able to tell so many judges how much he liked them. Much to our delight after winning 1st & BOB in both his Open classes, he went on to be awarded another PC and the Imperial Grand PC in his Kernow classes. He also won all but one of his side classes. Thank you to Mrs le Monnier, Mrs Walkden and Mrs Beard-Smith.
The Missus then began to think that maybe some judges would think that our lad was 'handsome' enough to be given an Imperial award. However, as he was having problems changing his coat, Nimo agreed with her that he should stay at home for the next couple of shows. Just when it was coming out nicely, the weather would get cooler again and he would decide maybe he didn't want to lose it just yet, so it had begun to look quite patchy. As he loves all the judges so much he really wanted to look his best for them.
They decided that they would try entering him for the Wiltshire Show in July and hope that his coat was good enough by then. When the time came, it was not at its best - but he wanted to go anyway as he felt that his young friend, Justin, needed some support as it was to be his first grown up show. It turned out to be a good day for both of them and everyone was delighted when Nimo was awarded his second Imperial Grand award, as well as BOB and winning both his side classes. Many thanks to all his judges and especially to Miss White for his certificate.
At the Wiltshire Show with his 2nd Imperial Grand
At the end of July, Nimo went to the Kensington Kitten & Neuter Show at Bracknell and took his little friend Kizzy with him for her very first show. Gaining his third Imperial Grand certificate and BOB, he then went on to be named Best British Neuter in show. Our thanks to Mrs Higgins and Mrs Brooks.
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A shorter journey to Eastleigh (at that point we still lived in Dorset) in August for the Three Counties show meant a much more relaxed start to our day. We were really pleased when Nimo was awarded another Imperial Grand certificate and BOB. He was his usual laid back self and enjoyed having all of our attention as we had not entered any of the other cats that day. Many thanks to Mrs Marriott-Power for his awards.
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The Boss had been very ill and was still recovering so the Missus went off to the South Western Counties on her own - or as 'on your own' as you can be with two cats, a kitten and all the paraphenalia for both the show and a club stall in the car! As the show was in Taunton, Auntie Heidi met us when we arrived and helped with getting through vetting in, penning the cats and setting up the stall - she deserves a medal! Being kept busy with the stall and helping with BOB awards, it was lunchtime before we realised that Nimo had been given BOB and his final Imperial Grand Premier award to gain his title. We were so thrilled, especially when he was also chosen as Best British Neuter. When he then went on to be awarded Overall Best British in show, we were very excited and Auntie Heidi proudly carried him up to the Best in Show pen with its lovely drapes. What a very special day - especially as Justin had gained his Champion title and Kizzy had also done well. Our thanks to all the judges who made it such a wonderful day for us, particularly to Mrs Kaye and Mrs Machin.
Kizzy was booked to go to the Red, Cream & Tortie show on her own at the end of October but the Missus was persuaded to take Nimo as well to help make up the numbers. So, as he now had to be entered in the Olympian class, we all thought that his long unbroken run of success would be over but knew that he would, as usual, enjoy his day anyway. However, much to our surprise, he was awarded the Olympian Certificate as well as BOB and 1st in all his side classes. Our thanks to Mrs Heavens for his award - especially as she thought that he was "more pretty than butch"! We tried encouraging him to 'work out' more but he much prefered playing with the latest litter of babies or just relaxing while his mum, Tilly, washed behind his ears!
At the Red, Cream & Tortie Show after winning his Olympian Certificate
Relaxing & enjoying life in Taunton at 10 years old
2016 to today
In May 2016 Nimo moved to his retirement home in Taunton with our daughter, Heidi, who had just lost her 16 year old cat, Beckham to cancer. He enjoyed the next three years with her, enjoying being a spoilt only cat.
Sadly, following Heidi's untimely death in December 2019, we brought him back to live with the other Idlebeck cats. Unfortunately a couple of the younger girls who had been born in the intervening time would not accept him in the house.
So, reluctantly, the search started for a new retirement home for him.
Happily we eventually found the ideal home for him near Beaconsfield, with Jessica and Pierre.
Then after several months, due to lockdown, Pierre's job finished and they decided to move back to his home in Switzerland.
We thought that Nimo would be coming back home yet again. But amazingly by this time they had become so fond of him they decided to take him with them. So they went through all the business of getting his rabies shots and his passport and off he flew with them to take up his new life in a new country. We have had lots of photos of him in his new home and now at 13 years old, he has obviously taken to his new 'expat' life very happily.
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