In mid 1992 I called about 10 families in the Townsville area together and we formed what was initially known as the North Queensland Cavy Owners & Breeders Society. With the growth of the Clubs' membership and various activities came the need to incorporate (resulting in the North Queensland Cavy Club Inc.). Much of the focus of the Club is on improving and exhibiting the fancy (pedigree) breed varieties of cavies (guinea pigs) and our exhibitors at Club Shows have come to Townsville from as far as Cairns and the Atherton Tablelands, Charters Towers and even Rockhampton, so quite a few kilometers have been clocked up in traveling to the Shows we have held over the years. We hold our shows during the cooler months of the year and we usually have between 100 to 200 animals at most Club Shows, so there is always a lot of competition. Some of our exhibitors are of such high calibre that they have won at the National Show level as well, so we have seen some top quality cavies on the Judging table here in North Queensland.
Most years start off with a few half day fun shows for pets to reduce the likelihood of heat stress in the tropical heat, but both pet and pedigree varieties of cavies all have a place in the full day Show schedule during the main Show season later in the year. Details of Club Show dates, etc can be obtained from the Show Secretary/ assistants, and if you are a novice exhibitor we can arrange for you to get some basic information on grooming and presenting your animals so they will look their best for the Judge - just ask one of the Show staff beforehand so you can come already prepared for the Show. As at the end of 1999 there are four qualified Judges living in the North Queensland area, after successfully completing their two-year Judging traineeships. However, Brisbane Judges and those from further afield have been brought up to Townsville and will still be brought in for as many Shows as possible.
People who exhibit their animals represent a range of ages and backgrounds and the pedigree varieties cover a range of breed groups like various coloured self/crested shorthairs, a variety of "marked" animals (e.g. Dalmatian, Dutch, Himalayan, roan, sable), various coloured "ticked" agoutis and Argente`s, coarsecoated Abysinnians and rex, shiny satins and the visually stunning range of longhairs. The garden variety guinea pig has certainly come a long way when you see the growing number of different pedigreed strains that have been bred over the years, and considering they make such ideal budget-priced pets, the cavy clubs are the place to get the information and opportunities needed to maximize your interest in the fancy.
Fundraising efforts have been pretty intense over the years, to help subsidise the cost of the Shows, which add up due to the cost of the prize cards, ribbons and trophies (and airfares for Judges from time to time) so the Club's carwashes, sausage sizzles, raffles and other fundraising activities are essential. Trophy sponsorship by various individuals/ studs/ businesses has been invaluable over the years. We have had a range of PR opportunities - shopping centres, schools and community agencies have invited our Club to hold displays from time to time and these have been valuable educational opportunities for most people. Monthly newsletters are produced by the Club with articles of interest, local stud ad's, Show results, etc. and a library of resources has been put together over the years with other Clubs' newsletters, texts, videos, etc. providing a wealth of information for members to access. As time passes, it is obvious to most fanciers that there is always more to be learned about these fascinating animals individually and the cavy fancy in general.
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