FORTHCOMING SHOWS IN AND AROUND THE AREA

2009

THE NEXT LOCAL SHOW IS AT: CROOK

DURHAM & NORTHUMBERLAND CAVY CLUB  -  DL15 8NE

14TH FEBRUARY, 2010 - to be confirmed

St. Catherines Community Centre, Market Place, Crook, Co. Durham DL15 8NE (9miles S.W. of Durham City on A690)

Admission is FREE: Refreshments available.

ENQUIRES TO:~

Mr. Duncan McRobbie, 6 The Annums, Bowes, Barnard Castle. DL12 9LP, Tel: 01833 628354

Judging starts: 10.30 a.m. PROMPT

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DURHAM & NORTHUMBERLAND CAVY CLUB

Enquires to: Mr. Duncan McRobbie, 6 The Annums, Bowes, Barnard Castle. DL12 9LP,

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                                                WOLSINGHAM RABBIT & CAVY CLUB                                                        

St. Catherines Community Centre, Market Place, Crook, Co. Durham  DL15 8NE (9miles S.W. of Durham City on A690)

Admission is FREE: Refreshments available.

This show is always held on a Sunday, for further information please contact:

Mr. Duncan McRobbie, 6 The Annums, Bowes, Barnard Castle. DL12 9LP, Tel: 01833 628354

Duncan is also secretary of the Durham & Northumberland Cavy Club.

The Bradford Excel Small Livestock Show 

The Yorkshire Event Centre, Harrogate

 30th/31st January, 2010  -   confirmed

            This show has everything you could possibly want,  as well as cavies there are rabbits, hamsters, fancy rats,

 gerbils, Chinchillas and their accessories.

Yorkshire Cavy Club,

The Victoria Hall, Keighley Leisure Centre, Hardings Road, Keighley (A650)  

                            Large show, highly recommended                           

Newark & Nottingham County Show

Due to finances there will be no further Newark and Nottinghamshire County Show for the Cavies or Rabbit Sections

Notice was posted in the Cavies Magazine January 2008

Northumberland County Show

Tynedale Park, Corbridge. (A69 Newcastle - Hexham)

           Enquiries and Entries to:~ Tom Hedley-Hall, 75 Thornhill Rd. Ponteland, Newcastle. NE 20 9QE

 Or email hedleyhall@talktalk.net

Anglo-Scottish:

Cleveland Show

Stewart Park, Marton, Middlesbrough. TS7 8AT

 Turn off A19 onto A174, turn north off A174 at Junction with A172, park on right

Sedgefield & District Agricultural & Horticultural Soc.  

Robert Brown Showfield, West Park, Sedgefield.

Junction 60 on A1,take A689.

Further information and schedules can be obtained from:~

Mr. R Wearmouth, 57, Salisbury Crescent, West Cornforth, Ferryhill, Co. Durham. DL17 9NT: Tel: 01740 652039

or

Mrs. Margaret Metcalf: 0191 373 1829

   North West Championship Show                

Blackpool 

                                                         cancelled, awaiting revival                                                             

        Egton Agricultural Show:

    Egton Showfield, off A171  Guisborough to Whitby.

Great Aycliffe show  

School Aycliffe Lane.

Very small compared to the other shows, more of a fun day out.

Wolsingham & Wear Valley Agricultural  Soc Show 

A689 Crook - Alston     

This show runs over 3 days, but the rabbits & cavies are on the first day, good family

Entertainment, with lots to see, been running for 230 years

Stanhope Agricultural Soc. Show 

A689 Crook - Alston

This show has been running now for 166 years

Saturday 12 September, 2009: Judging 10.00 am by P. Avery

Entries close 5th September, 2009

Stokesley Agricultural Show

At the junction of A172/A173 : 8 miles south of Middlesbrough.

Saturday, 19th September, 2009: Judging 10.30 by D. Oulton

Entries close 29th August, 2009 

I particularly enjoy going to this show, large with lots to see and do

Scottish Championship Show

Victoria Halls, Dunblane, (opposite train station or junction 11on M9)

Durham & Northumberland Cavy Club                

Vic Bailey Memorial Trophy  Show

St. Catherines Community Centre, Market Place, Crook, Co. Durham (9miles S.W. of Durham City on A690)

Admission is FREE: Refreshments available.

ENQUIRES TO:~

Mr. Duncan McRobbie, 6 The Annums, Bowes, Barnard Castle. DL12 9LP, Tel: 01833 628354

Judging starts: 10.30 a.m. PROMPT

Block entry fee of £1.75 per cavy - R.V's  & Pets 75p

POSTAL ENTRIES  to Duncan at above address

This is the largest cavy show in the immediate area for the year, busy and long day to look forward too.

 If there is any show on this list you would like further

Information about please contact me at

cavies@rexcetra.co.uk and I will try and help you.

Also if you have details of any other shows in our area that

You would recommend, please let me know.

HOW TO ENTER YOUR CAVY FOR SHOWING

Once you have decided that you would like to start showing your cavy, find out where the nearest show venue is, this would probably be held by your local cavy club. If like me you do not know where this is, or indeed do not know anybody that belongs to one, you can join the National Cavy Club, and they will send to you, amongst other things a booklet called The Handbook, in this you should find your nearest cavy club. You will need to contact the secretary of the club to find out when the next show is and the location. Go along for an hour or so to see how the members prepare and cage their stock, all the cavy clubs have free entry to the hall and refreshments are usually available - find the secretary of the club and ask about joining.

I started and I think most people do, by entering the pet section of the show, as this is the easiest way of participating for the first few months. In the pet section you will find these cavies are literally just pets ( cross breeds ) not pure breeds, pets have less criteria to over come, they need to be well handled, with clean coats and feet. Start preparing your cavy at least two weeks before the show, by grooming the coat everyday and getting the animal used to standing on a table/bench, and being examined, put a piece of old carpet on the table to stop the cavy sliding around and getting upset. Make sure your cavy is free of running lice as this is a disqualifying point of any cavy, pet or pure bred. The feet need attention as well, make sure the claws are clipped and clean.

FILLING IN THE SCHEDULE

 You will need to make sure you have a schedule from the secretary of the cavy club you wish to attend, obtain this a month before the show. On the sheet of paper will be a list of different breeds with number written next to them, under three age groups, see figure a below:~

Figure a

Example A:      You are an adult entering a pet boar aged 6 months, so the class to entry him in will be 679, and also in the pet challenge any age which is 684.

Example B: You are an adult entering a adult rex agouti sow, so the classes to enter would be: 559, then Coated Challenge, as a rex is judge on its coat quality, class 595, also Non Self Challenge, class 631, as the rex is a non self breed, non self means anything that is not a self, then Non Self Challenge Any Variety Any Age (AVAA), Class 634. Finally if you have a really good pig that stands a chance of getting into the final challenge, enter under joint duplicates, Best Self/non Self class 635, then finally the Grand Challenge 638. It is not compulsory to enter all classes, if say you had a young pig out for the first time you may only want to enter it into a couple of classes to see how it does.

The pet section is usually towards the bottom of the page, decide the age group your cavy comes under and this then is the number of the class to enter the cavy under, there will also be a challenge class as well, this means that the best of the three age groups come together in the challenge to decide which cavy is the best pet.

The age groups are self explanatory, the youngest group are the under 5 months, this means cavies aged from 12 weeks old, no younger, until they are under 5 months, the other groups speak for themselves.

The schedule will also tell you how much each class is to enter. Some schedules do what they call a block entry, this means for a set amount you can enter one cavy into as many classes as you like, most times this works out cheaper for you, but not if you only wanted to enter into a couple of classes.

It will also inform you of the time all cavies have to be penned ready for judging, or the time that judging starts, leave yourself plenty of time to travel to the venue and prepare your animals for the show.

When you send your entries into the club, it is a good ides to make sure that your instructions as to what you are entering are clear, otherwise this will cause confusion when you arrive on the day, if your pigs are entered in the incorrect class, and some times if it is a very busy show the secretary may refuse to adjust your entries: here is an example of how I send my entries in:~

            SWISS              U/5 months  (Not younger than 12 weeks)          101, 105

I always do mine on the computer and keep a copy to take with me to the show, but this can easily be done by hand, if you make yourself a form that you can copy on a photocopier and have plenty put by for other shows. I always make a point of making sure I have a telephone number on the form so that I can be contacted if there is a problem with my entry.

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU GET TO THE SHOW

When you arrive at your show, you will need to find out from the secretary where the slips are that will tell you which pens have been allocated to you, you may be asked for payment at this point, if payment for the entries has not been done by post and cheque. Find an area in the hall where you can sit down with your pigs, and get out any combs/equipment you will need, an old towel for your lap is a good idea, prepare your cavies and put them in the correct pen, checking that you have given them food and water. I usually chop up apple, celery and cucumber for them and take some hay, do not give them carrot or beetroot as it will stain their faces and all your efforts will have been in vane.

If you want to take an active part in the show, you could ask the secretary if you could steward. This means that you will be working at the show bench with the judge and the book clerk, your job is to fetch the cavies from their pens when the judge asks you to, and return them after judging, working at the show bench is a good way of learning what the judge is looking for in any particular breed, if you have any queries it is best to speak to the judge after showing, as many people do not approve of talking taking place at the bench.

Don't forget to enjoy yourself and good luck with your showing.

PREPARING THE REX & TEDDY FOR THE SHOW

If you have to bath your Rex do it  about three weeks before the show, so the coat gets chance to get its harshness back, for a Teddy two or three days before.

Make sure that the feet are clean and the nails are clipped, Check to see if the ears are clean, if not wipe gently with a baby wipe, this can also be done as last minute preparation before you put your cavy in the pen. The feet can also be wiped as well.

The coat needs combing everyday for about two weeks before showing, and if you get a contrasting background for the pig to stand up against, you will see, what they call guard hairs, these stand above the main coat line, and they have to be removed, either by plucking, or good grooming, with a damp thumb and index finger, do this by getting hold of a section of the guard hairs and gently pulling backwards, be careful not to make a hole in the coat, otherwise it will be a waste of time entering the pig,  the animal will protest somewhat, some more then others, I tend to use the grooming method, but it takes a lot of practice, best to make yourself comfortably, sit outside with a old towel on your lap, and start practicing. Good Luck

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CLUB MEMBERSHIPS

The National Cavy club Memberships:~ Adults £6.00: Partnerships £10.00

Juveniles £3.50: Senior Citizens £3.50: Families £14.00: Overseas £10.00

Metal & Cloth Badges £3.00 each plus .30p postage & packing: please contact:~

Mrs. Pauline Avery,

79 Thornhill Gardens, Hartlepool, TS26 OJF

Tel:~ 01429 264294

email:~paveryskydog@yahoo.co.uk

The Rex Cavy Club Memberships:~  Adults:£3.50 Partnerships £5.00: Senior Citizens £2.00

Family: 7.00: Juveniles FREE if under 17 years of age.

Mr. Hugh Pashley,

14 Folds Crescent, Sheffield, S8 0EQ

Tel:~ 0114 2351508

The Rare Varieties Cavy Club Memberships:~ Adult £4.00: Partnerships £6.50: Juveniles & Senior Citizens £2.50

Ms Jayne Crick,

51 Branston Road, Uppingham, Rutland, LE15 9RR

Tel:~ 01572 823479

www.geocities.com/rarecavies

Cavies Magazine: Subscription Rates (UK) 12months £36.00: 6 months £20.00: individual copies £ 3.50 each

Mr Tony O'Neil,  cavies.magazine@blueyonder.co.uk

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LOCAL FEED MERCHANTS PRICES

 Farmway Ltd.,

 Branches at: Wooler, Morpeth, Hexham, Leyburn, Piecebridge: Nr Darlington, Stokesley, Thirsk, Harrogate, Driffield

website: www.farmway.co.uk.

Allen & Page Guinea Pig Food: 20kg bag: £12.70 incl vat

Spillars Readigras: 15kg bag: £. NOT KNOWN no vat

Dodson and Horrell: Just Grass: 15 kg bag: £8.05: no vat

Wheat Bran: 20kg bag: £6.10: no vat

As at 24th March, 2009

THESE PRICES ARE NOT GUARANTEED, PLEASE CHECK WITH YOUR MERCHANT

PETS @ HOME: Guniea Pig Muesli: 15kg bag: £12.99 (22.09.08)

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