The highest achievement in the CFA show ring is accomplished when a cat successfully earns the title of National Winner (NW). CFA established the title of Grand Champion in 1930 and the title of National Winner first appeared in 1971. In CFA, each year the top 25 cats in Championship, 25 Kittens and 25 cats in Premiership are awarded the NW title.
The American Wirehair breed is a natural mutation that occurred in the United States. It began as a spontaneous mutation in a litter of upstate New York farm cats in 1966. Wirehairs were first accepted for CFA registration in 1967, and then advanced for championship competition in 1978.
That year also saw their first National Winner - a red mackerel tabby male named GC, NW Fesenbrad's Hollywood Hot .
To date, no wirehairs have earned a "Best" in any of the 3 categories, although in the 2006-07 show season, a silver ticked tabby & white female named GC, BW, NW Cameroncats Christina of Kaw came the closest, achieving the ranking of 2nd Best cat.
Below is a table with the national winning American Wirehairs including their name, color, sex, year of their win, and the award they earned.
If the cat's name is in blue text, you can click on it to see a photo of the cat. Championship cats names are on an orange background, kittens are on pink and alters are on a blue background.
American Wirehair National Winners in CFA
| Year | Position | Cat's Name | Color | Sex |
| 1978-79 | 19th Best Cat | GC, NW Fesenbrad's Hollywood Hot | Red McTabby | M |
| 1979-80 | No American Wirehair National Winners | |||
| 1980-81 | No American Wirehair National Winners | |||
| 1981-82 | No American Wirehair National Winners | |||
| 1982-83 | No American Wirehair National Winners | |||
| 1983-84 | 5th Best Kitten | GC, NW Heathklif's Southern Comfort | Red Tabby | M |
| 1984-85 | No American Wirehair National Winners | |||
| 1985-86 | No American Wirehair National Winners | |||
| 1986-87 | No American Wirehair National Winners | |||
| 1987-88 | No American Wirehair National Winners | |||
| 1988-89 | No American Wirehair National Winners | |||
| 1989-90 | No American Wirehair National Winners | |||
| 1990-91 | No American Wirehair National Winners | |||
| 1991-92 | 11th Best Cat | GC, NW Fesenbrad's Frizz Taylor, DM | Black Smoke & White | F |
| 1992-93 | No American Wirehair National Winners | |||
| 1993-94 | No American Wirehair National Winners | |||
| 1994-95 | No American Wirehair National Winners | |||
| 1995-96 | No American Wirehair National Winners | |||
| 1996-97 | 7th Best Cat | GC, NW Fesebrad Duke Ellington of Bangor | Cameo Tabby & White | M |
| 1997-98 | 15th Best Kitten | GC, NW Vibrant Flash-Of-Fire | Brown Patched Tabby & White | F |
| 1998-99 | 16th Best Kitten | GC, NW Brillocatz Rip Van Winkle | Black & White | M |
| 1999-00 | 14th Best Kitten | GC, NW Fesenbrad's Josephine Balor | Gold-Eyed White | F |
| 2000-01 | 15th Best Alter | CH, GP, NW Fesenbrad Bellafonte of Maggie | Blue-Eyed White | N |
| 2001-02 | 5th Best Kitten | GC, BW, NW 5800 Dreams Macy Gray | Calico | F |
| 2002-03 | 3rd Best Kitten | GC, NW Brillocatz Curley Sue | Odd-Eyed White | F |
| 2003-04 | 8th Best Kitten | GC, NW Beauchador Legacy | Brown Patched Tabby & White | F |
| 16th Best Alter | GP, NW 5800 Dreams Marley of Kemage | Brown McTabby & White | N | |
| 2004-05 | No American Wirehair National Winners | |||
| 2005-06 | 23rd Best Kitten | GC, BW, NW Mericat Wirey Coyote of Kyetrak | Brown McTabby & White | M |
| 2006-07 | 2nd Best Cat | GC, BW, NW Cameroncats Christina of Kaw | Silver Ticked Tabby & White | F |
| 24th Best Cat | GC, NW Mericat Macon Whoopee of Kyetrak | Blue McTabby & White | M | |
| 2007-08 | 18th Best Kitten | GC, BW, NW Kmwk Noah Em-R | Black Smoke & White Van | M |
| 2008-09 | 22nd Best Kitten | GC, NW Kaw's Alyissa of Kmwk | Silver Ticked Tabby & White | F |
| 2009-10 | 25th Best Cat | GC, BW, NW Kaw's Alyissa of Kmwk | Silver Ticked Tabby & White | F |
| 6th Best Kitten | GC, NW Birjanji Sue Ellen of Kmwk | Brown Tabby & White | F | |
| 23rd Best Kitten | GC, NW Kmwk's Zackary | Brown Tabby & White | M | |
| 2010-11 | No American Wirehair National Winners | |||
| 2011-12 | 20th Best Kitten | GC, NW Kmwk Alex | Brown Ticked Tabby & White | M |
| 2012-13 | 22nd Best Kitten | GC, NW Jazzblues Jack Brown of Stedam | Brown Tabby & White | M |
| 2013-14 | No American Wirehair National Winners | |||
| 2014-15 | No American Wirehair National Winners | |||
| 2015-16 | 23rd Best Kitten, China | CH, NW Lixiang's Cui Hua | Brown Spotted Tabby & White | F |
| 2016-17 | No American Wirehair National Winners | |||
| 2017-18 | No American Wirehair National Winners | |||
| 2018-19 | No American Wirehair National Winners | |||
| 2019-20 | No American Wirehair National Winners | |||
| 2020-21 | No National Winners Awarded by CFA this season | |||
| 2021-22 | No American Wirehair National Winners | |||
| 2022-23 | No American Wirehair National Winners | |||