Abyssinian Cavy Club

ABYSSINIAN BREEDING AND SHOWING:
As with all breeds of animals, breeding and more importantly selection for showing are all important. The Abyssinian in common with other varieties of guinea pigs or cavies as they are known, have a standard by which they are judged. Full details of this standard can be found on the breed standard page; click here Breed Standard

COMMITTEE & JUDGING PANEL:
The club holds a biennial ballot to select its committee and judging panel; to find out who was elected for 2008/9 click here for Who's Who

COMPETITION AND ANNUAL SHOWING PROGRAMME:
The club is very active in offering its members the chance to compete for a number of different prizes aimed at both the top level of exhibitor, the local fancier, newcomers, and juvenile exhibitors aged between 6 and 17 years old. Schedules can be downloaded from the Downloads page

Each year we operate a points competition, with 4 large shows at popular venues for our main stock shows, Show Dates, one of which will include the club’s AGM. Then in addition there are up to 25 other points allocated shows at local level spread through out the country over the year; Point Show Dates. The aim is to determine the champion exhibitor each year in each of the five colour groups, plus a champion Novice, this is a member who has joined the club during the last 5 years and not been champion during that time. Juveniles also have the same opportunity to compete and win awards and points; a juvenile is an exhibitor aged 6 - 17. Points are awarded to the first 7 pigs in each age colour breed class, Novice and Juvenile classes, with 7 points for first place, down to 1 point for seventh. Points are added through the year with the top six in each group publicised in Cavies Magazine. Each champion Exhibitor receives the club shield to hold for the next 12 months.

In addition, and counting towards the points competition, the club also holds Adult, Intermediate and Young stock shows each year (these being at the earlier mentioned large show venues) where exhibits within those age ranges compete for other trophies, again for each of the five colour groups, best Novice and best Juvenile. There is also a trophy for the best exhibit in the opposite age group. The age groups catered for by the club are exhibits under 5 months old, exhibits between 5 & 8 months, and those over 8 months termed adult. Young stock is therefore under 5 months, most open shows will not accept youngsters until they are 12 weeks old, we do not have this rule but it is generally accepted that the coat on a young Aby is not fully grown through until 10/12 weeks.

For local exhibitors or those who do not wish to challenge at the highest level, we also run a merit competition where Abyssinians at any show can compete, the rule here is that the best of each age group Aby, that is Best Adult, 5/8 month and under 5 month are awarded a pen card provided there are at least 5 exhibits in the challenge, these pen cards can then be sent to the Secretary of the Aby club in return for a certificate of merit. Through the year the wins are totalled and the three top exhibitors receive a further award of a nice rosette, and the winner a small plaque to keep. To encourage juvenile exhibitors we also offer a similar award scheme but based on winning juvenile section at the local show, as it is accepted that there are unlikely to be 5 Abyssinian exhibits in the juvenile section of that show. If you would like to join the Aby Cavy Club click here to download an application form Membership Application Form

Thank you to Lyndon Nowell, Simon Neesam, Julie Ridgley & Jennie Wright for kindly allowing use of their photos on this site.