The Korat history in France

The story of the Korat started in France in 1988. The friendship between Daphna Negus and Anne Kriese made this possible. Daphne never losts a chance to promote this breed, unknown in France at that time.
I was also soon fascinated by this mysterious cat preserved for centuries. Anne Kriese suggested me to breed them as I was just new in the cat fancy. We went both to find out about them in a UK show in London during summer 1988.

There we met Mr & Mrs Hard and their fabulous green eyed Korats.
I got in touch with Helen Hawkins (Koorahk) and Doris Langford (Jing) in order to import cats from different lines. I was only fifteen at that time. So I had to work all summer long to save money for this project. But I was so determinated.

Unexpectedly, Anne Kriese received a pair of Korats as the thai tradition, thanks to Daphne. They were Muaythai Diwan Damrong and his full sister Muaythai Dussehra Dulcie. They were soon followed by Jing’s Phai Lin of Passaya, my very first Korat.
Muaythai Dussehra Dulcie and Muaythai Diwan Damrong have been shown for the first time at a FIFe show in Paris and it was the beginning of a succes story.

In july 1989, I had the joy of homing the first litter of Korats born in France: Passaya El Gu Chayon, Ejalma and Esrasena were born in our little village. Soon the Korats met the success all around.
Another stud arrived at my cattery from UK : Koorahk Phra Kwahm of Passaya. He was born the same day as Phai Lin and myself: on the 18th of may.
Anne Kriese also continued her work by importing Jing’s Jessica and Jenanca Jeudi.
The same year Claudine Dotte (Yunagor) joined the venture and start breeding with Passaya Ejalma in the Paris area. Our Korats became more and more famous in the cat shows.
Some other imports followed from the US (Gentlegift’s Thai A Blue, Jing’s Sinn Chai Two of Passaya and Soigne Ta-Le Louang of Passaya) and also Scandinavia (Jonas).

GRC Passaya Fudon Thani, Best CFA Korat in 1995

Our efforts brought us the success with Passaya Ginee-Bon achieving the Best Cat of the year in the International Division of the CFA. She was followed by Passaya Fudon Thani Best Korat worldwide during the 1995 CFA season, thanks to Judy Buckle-Ganoe.

In 1993, Alain Garrigues (Grisegura) starts breeding and welcomed my proven breeders as I had to stop breeding. Part of them also went to Anne Kriese’s and Judy Buckle-Ganoe’s.

Unfortunetly the following years caused many troubles in the French cat fancy. The venue of a central registry for all pedigree cats together with new laws forcing breeders to be licensed with higher costs changed the face of the cat fancy. Some breeders stopped. Some others turned to clandestinity, reducing dramaticly the number of litters.

Meanwhile some new breeders started breeding again. Sylvie Robert (Cœurs de Muangthaï), Mme Gouny and M. Deljary (Jacatou) tried their best to go on.

Passaya Rajsima Paramour

With the help of Sylvie Robert I started again breeding a litter sired by her german stud Calypso of San-Chai. One of the girl from this breeding Passaya Rajsima Paramour became the source of a new era for our dearly Korats.

This time Stephan Franke (Baan Thai) gave us Khy-Mook v. Baan Thai to start with. He was followed by a thai import Korathai Ton Narm and a lovely girl from Hewitt & Madeline Lovelace: Lovesumalee Lady Blueberry. Another enthousiast breeder is ready to join with a cat imported from Belgium with the assistance of Jean-Marie Vanden Bosch (Napha Naramit).

There is now an international program with the help of all other Korat fanciers. Let’s hope it gives the Korat the place it desserves in the heart of the french cat fanciers.

Frédéric Goedert
Passaya Korats - France

To read more about Korats in France
check the "Jardin des Korats" website