That inaugural ANCF show was staged in Adelaide, on 5 August 1973. Margaret Horne was the show manager with Shirley White as her assistant. The committee comprised June Vogel (Richardson) and Trixie Pettman (South). Among the judges were FIFe Secretary, Brita Kastengren–Remborg, Sonia Dowty (New South Wales), Gwen Jenkins (Victoria), Mrs E Chan (New Zealand), Jack Caird (Victoria), Chris Selby (Western Australia), Mrs N Shead (Queensland), Mrs M Oliver, Mrs N Russack and Mrs D Meyers (South Australia) and Mrs G Litchfield (Queensland). Also officiating were two very new faces to the judging scene – Julian Schuller (NT) and Rossy Faulkner (now Roberts–Thomson) of Tasmania, who was on her first interstate assignment.The very first "Whiskas International" show had nearly 700 exhibits from all States and New Zealand and a public of 3,500 attended. It is interesting to note that the first catalogue cost 50cents! The Best Cat in Show was GC Glenmaulyn Darlene (blue Persian); Best Kitten was Shimtaro Tatianna (Chinchilla); and Best Neuter was PR Robseane Silver Lynx (lynx–point Siamese).






At the 1973 Annual General Meeting, Harold Klopper (Wester Australia) was re–elected President and it was resolved that ANCF "makes application for reciprocal affiliation with the Federation Internationale Feline (FIFe) providing restrictive clauses are not placed on such affiliation". (Note: FIFe was the European–based parent body of the affiliated controls of then approximately 22 countries). It was also decided at this meeting to produce a bimonthly "National Cat" Magazine. This publication was produced until 1977, in one form or another.