BRITISH CAVY COUNCIL

Merino Breed Standard

Updated 1st January 2024

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Standard of points

Points
Head, Eyes, Ears & Coronet 20
Head to be of good size, bold and broad. Muzzle to be of good width and rounded at the nostrils. 10
Eyes to be large, bright and bold and set with good width between.
Ears to be large and drooping, and set with good width between.
Coronetto be a rosette on front of head, radiating from a pinpoint centre, & to be well -formed and symmetrical with lower edge well down the nose. 10
Coat Appearance 30
Chops to be strong, even, dense and well-furnished, with no gaps.
Shoulders to have hair of appropriate length continuing evenly around sides.
Sweep to cover the hindquarters of the cavy and be full and of even length.
Generally the sweep will be a little longer than the sides.
Coat to be springy in appearance and show rexoid characteristics.
No breaks in coat, thin areas near the body or uneven length should be evident.
Coat Feel 30
of which Coat Texture to be soft and springy, and free flowing over all areas of the body. 15
Coat Density to be full and dense in all areas when assessed nearer the body where the undercoat supports the top coat. 15
Belly to be curly, woolly and dense.
Presentation To be clean, free of grease and unmatted, with no resistance to a comb. 10
Body To have short, cobby body; thick-set, with good width across shoulders. 10
To be fit and of good substance, with plenty of firm flesh.
To have good size appropriate to age.
100

Specific requirements

The cavy must be shown with a central parting, on a board of appropriate size, and covered in natural-coloured hessian.

The hair on the face should lie pointing towards the rear of the cavy.

Guidance notes

The Merino rexoid, long-coated cavy with a crest, being the rexoid equivalent of the Coronet. As in all Longhairs coat qualities are paramount.

Coat length should be appropriate to the age of the cavy, a guideline being circa 2.5 cm (1 inch) per month of age.

Allowance should be made that the coat will appear thinner in older, longer coated exhibits because the undercoat does not attain the same length as the top coat, which is spread over a larger area.

Merinos may be shown in any colour or mixture of colours.

Specific disqualifications

Specific faults

Wash 2: Designed by Simon Neesam for the British Cavy Council © 2020