Richard H. Gebhardt

RICHARD H. GEBHARDT
(1931-2018)

Richard Gebhardt had a long and distinguished career with The Cat Fanciers' Association, Inc. (CFA).  He acquired his first cat at the age of 14, and by the age of 22 was elected President of the Garden State Cat Club of New Jersey, serving in that capacity from 1953 to 1967.

Learning from his mentors, his achievements in the show ring were many, including CFA's 1959 Best Cat (GC Vel-Vene VooDoo of Silva-Wyte, a black Persian male); an achievement he repeated in 1969 (GC Silva-Wyte Trafari of J.B, another black Persian male).

A prolific writer, Dick's articles and books shared his view of the cat fancy and the various breeds with breeders and exhibitors worldwide. His wonderful drawings of the Persian and the Siamese set the "ideal" standard for years to come.

As a CFA Judge (1953-2008), Dick firmly believed that the judging ring should be entertainment, not some clinical procedure. Following along with that line of thought, he became known for his stylish and colorful sports jackets when judging, and was the epitome of a "handler" in the judging ring.

As President of CFA (1968-1980), Dick contributed immensely to the cat fancy; his vision for the association was light years ahead of other people. 

You can read more about Dick's life and achievements here ... http://www.cat-o-pedia.org/people-RichardGebhardt.html