By TANIA PHILLIPS
Some of the most beautiful and best guinea pigs in Australia are coming to the Southern Downs in July.
The Clifton-based Cavy Club, which celebrates its first birthday this month, is set to host an Australian Cavie event in Clifton during July.
Cavia Porcellus is the scientific name for guinea pig.
“We will have a big pet show on the Saturday, and Sunday will be the pedigree show,” Clifton Cavy Club secretary Nancy Oliver said.
“They will be coming from all over Brisbane and New South Wales and we believe we also have people coming from South Australia.”
But before that the group, which hold events on the fourth Sunday of every month, and held one at the weekend, are already planning a big birthday bash for to celebrate its first birthday on 24 May at the FE Logan Hall.
Nancy, who started raising guinea pigs at the age of 13 and came back to breeding them four years ago after a break of 12 years, said the club was formed last year by locals who didn’t want to keep making the trips to Brisbane for competitions.
She said they now have 20 members from Warwick, Toowoomba and down into NSW.
So why guinea pigs – Nancy says “why not!”
It is a big deal with four clubs in Brisbane alone.
“You can’t go past a guinea pig whatever your age,” she said.
“I literally can’t go past a guinea pig – I have 58 of them!” Nancy laughed.
“Originally when I was a kid, between us Mum (Cavy Club president Judith McNamara) and I had more than 300.”
