BREED STANDARDS
PERUVIAN:
The hair consisting the frontal should originate from the shoulders and be brushed so as to evenly cover the face with no gaps at the side of the head, meeting hair from the chops, so as to fall in a manner that produces a " curtain " effect at the front of the Cavy. Chops to be strong, with hair of one length and no gaps.
Frontal to be of good length in keeping of cavy's age.
Head to be short & broad, muzzle of good width and rounded at the nostrils, Eyes to be large, bright and bold and set with good width between.
Shoulders and sides should continue evenly from the frontal and chops of the cavy with good length in keeping with cavy's age.
The sweep should cover the hindquarters with good length in keeping with cavy's age.
There should be no evidence of parting in sweep hair, no breaks in coat, thin areas near the body or uneven length should be evident, so as to continue the curtain effect that is desired.
The coat texture should be soft and silky, flowing freely over all areas of the body and the density should be full and dense in all areas when assesed nearer the body, where the undercoat supports the top coat.
In presentation terms the coat should be clean, free of grease and unmatted, with no resistance to the comb, while the aim is for a straight coat, slight waviness should not be punished.
The body should be short and cobby, thick set, with good width across the shoulders and to be fit and of good substance, with plenty of firm flesh, to have good size appropriate of age.
The Cavy should be shown with a centre parting , on a board of appropriate size, these should be large enough to give a outline of coat shape, maximum size 20x20" and covered in natural hessian.
Notes for guidance:
The Peruvian is a long coated cavy with two rosettes on the rump.
The placement of these rosettes is important in producing the density of the sweep.
If the rosettes are high more hair is pushed in to the sweep and it has sufficent density to support its extra length.
With low rosettes the sweep can lack density and as it grows can hang to show a split in the middle.
Given good placement of rosettes there should be no problem with the sweep.
The overall appearance, looking down onto the top of the cavy, should be an oval shape but as near as round as possible.
With coat of even length coming from the centre parting along the spine, the hair should fall forwards to cover the head and backwards over the rear to form the sweep.
Along with the shoulders and sides, this should create a continuous "curtain" of hair around the body.
The undercoat of the peruvian stops at 6 to 7", so when the top coat reaches 3 to 4" longer than this there starts to be an impression of thinnes, as increasing amounts of show board are seen beneath the coat of the cavy, this does not consitute lack of density, which should be felt nearer to the cavy's body.
When the coat length increases towards 18" it is spread so far out that individual hairs are apparent and an impression of wispiness is given, this is unavoidable even with a very densly coated cavy.
Density should also be apparent from the appearance of the coat, with no breaks or thin areas of coat evident.
Coat length should be appropriate to the age of the cavy, a guideline being circa 1 inch per month of age, the coat grows in layers, this being more evident in the u/5s.
In yong cavies the sweep may appear slightly longer than the sides, but an even length all round is sought in intermediate and adult stock.
Peruvians may be shown in any colour or mixture of colours.
SPECIFIC DISQUALIFICATIONS
Crests.
SPECIFIC FAULTS
Additional rosettes, causing a visible impact on the coat, to be penalised according to severity of this impact.
Points Breakdown: Frontal, Chops, Head, Eyes, Ears = 20 ( which Frontal & Chops = 15, Head, Eye & Ear = 5 ), Coat Appearance = 30, Coat Feel = 30 ( of which Texture = 15 , Density = 15 ), Presentation = 10, Body = 10. Totals 100
REX
Head, Eyes & Ears
Head to be short and broad, with a gently curving profile.
Muzzle to be of good width and rounded at nostrils.
Eyes to be large, bright and bold ans set with good width between.
Ears to be large and drooping, with lower rim parallel to the ground & set with good width between.
Body Shape
To have a short cobby body, thick set, with good width across shoulders.
To be fit and of good substance, with plenty of firm flesh covering shoulders.
To have good size appropriate of age.
Coat Appearance
To have a crimped, erect coat appearing, dense and even all over the body with no areas of flatness or with coat tending to lie down.
Guard hairs to be removed. Belly to be well covered.
Coat length to be no more than 1.2cm ( 0.5 inches ) in length, preferably shorter.
Coat Feel
Density: To have thick, dense coat all over the body.
Springiness: To be springy and resilient when brushed with the palm of the hand, readily returning to the original erect appearance.
Texture: To be coarse to the touch, particulary on the top of the back, with allowance for a slightly less coarse feel to sides.
To be clean and free from grease.
Description Of Colours
The following notes define the main colour groups and give guidance on the correct classes to enter when exibiting.
Rex Solid Colour:
The Cavy must be totally of one colour. Any colored hairs visible on the surface of the coat mean that it should be shown as Any Other Colour ( AOC ). A solid Rex which darkens at its points with age should continue to be shown as a solid colour throughout its show career. White Rex that show colouring of hair on nose and feet similar to points on a Himalayan should be shown as a AOC.
Rex Agouti:
The cavy must be totally agouti, although normal agouti belly colour is allowed. Cavies showing faults that occur in smooth Agouti's, such as eye circles, lightness on chest, solid feet or belly colouring extending on to legs or body are still Agouti's. Any Patches of colour, no matter how small mean they cannot be shown in this class.
Rex Agouti-Bi:
A bi-coloured cavy where one of the colours is Agouti. Bi-Colour Golden Agouti & Gold and Silver Agouti & White are common examples of Rex Agouti Bicolours.
Rex AOC:
Any other Rex Cavy that does not conform to the above categories,
e.g Argente Rex, Himalayan Rex, Dalmation Rex.
Notes for guidance
The rex is a short coated cavy with a rexoid coat that should appear crimped and erect from the body, The feel of the coat is particularly important, being dense and even all over the body but springy and resilient to the touch.
Colour and Coat markings are used only to divide Rex classes at shows, No points are awarded for colour or coat markings.
Whilst the preference is for a curly or wavy belly, a straight one should not be unduly penalised.
Allowance should be made for the fact that younger exibits will generally have a softer coat.
Specific Disqualifications: Rosettes, Partial Rosettes, Areas of coat lying in a different direction from the desirable lie of coat.
Specific Faults: Extreme tendancy for parting in centre of back.
Coat length over 1.2cm (half an inch ).
Soft coat on top of body.
Flatness anywhere on body.
Presence of guard hairs.
Points Breakdown: Head, Eyes & Ears = 20, Body Shape = 15, Coat appearance = 20, Coat feel = 45 ( which is equally divided between Density, Springiness & Texture = 15 each ), Totals 100
Head, Eyes & Ears
Head to be short and broad, with a gently curving profile.
Muzzle to be of good width and rounded at nostrils.
Eyes to be large, bright and bold ans set with good width between.
Ears to be large and drooping, with lower rim parallel to the ground & set with good width between.
Body Shape
To have a short cobby body, thick set, with good width across shoulders.
To be fit and of good substance, with plenty of firm flesh covering shoulders.
To have good size appropriate of age.
Coat Appearance
To have a crimped, erect coat appearing, dense and even all over the body with no areas of flatness or with coat tending to lie down.
Guard hairs to be removed. Belly to be well covered.
Coat length to be no more than 1.2cm ( 0.5 inches ) in length, preferably shorter.
Coat Feel
Density: To have thick, dense coat all over the body.
Springiness: To be springy and resilient when brushed with the palm of the hand, readily returning to the original erect appearance.
Texture: To be coarse to the touch, particulary on the top of the back, with allowance for a slightly less coarse feel to sides.
To be clean and free from grease.
Description Of Colours
The following notes define the main colour groups and give guidance on the correct classes to enter when exibiting.
Rex Solid Colour:
The Cavy must be totally of one colour. Any colored hairs visible on the surface of the coat mean that it should be shown as Any Other Colour ( AOC ). A solid Rex which darkens at its points with age should continue to be shown as a solid colour throughout its show career. White Rex that show colouring of hair on nose and feet similar to points on a Himalayan should be shown as a AOC.
Rex Agouti:
The cavy must be totally agouti, although normal agouti belly colour is allowed. Cavies showing faults that occur in smooth Agouti's, such as eye circles, lightness on chest, solid feet or belly colouring extending on to legs or body are still Agouti's. Any Patches of colour, no matter how small mean they cannot be shown in this class.
Rex Agouti-Bi:
A bi-coloured cavy where one of the colours is Agouti. Bi-Colour Golden Agouti & Gold and Silver Agouti & White are common examples of Rex Agouti Bicolours.
Rex AOC:
Any other Rex Cavy that does not conform to the above categories,
e.g Argente Rex, Himalayan Rex, Dalmation Rex.
Notes for guidance
The rex is a short coated cavy with a rexoid coat that should appear crimped and erect from the body, The feel of the coat is particularly important, being dense and even all over the body but springy and resilient to the touch.
Colour and Coat markings are used only to divide Rex classes at shows, No points are awarded for colour or coat markings.
Whilst the preference is for a curly or wavy belly, a straight one should not be unduly penalised.
Allowance should be made for the fact that younger exibits will generally have a softer coat.
Specific Disqualifications: Rosettes, Partial Rosettes, Areas of coat lying in a different direction from the desirable lie of coat.
Specific Faults: Extreme tendancy for parting in centre of back.
Coat length over 1.2cm (half an inch ).
Soft coat on top of body.
Flatness anywhere on body.
Presence of guard hairs.
Points Breakdown: Head, Eyes & Ears = 20, Body Shape = 15, Coat appearance = 20, Coat feel = 45 ( which is equally divided between Density, Springiness & Texture = 15 each ), Totals 100