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When you think of the rodeo, you probably think of longhorns, calf scrambles, mutton busting and massive concerts. But amid the sprawling, impossible-to-see-everything scale of Houston’s rodeo, one event often gets overlooked: the Youth Cavy Show.

Cavy is the name breeders use for the rodent belonging to the genus Cavia in the family Caviidae, more commonly known as the humble guinea pig. And for the children who participate in the event, those guinea pigs are their pride and joy.

“I like how they snuggle and they’re soft, and they're fun to play with,” says Addison, a competitor hugging her piggie Max close to her heart. 

She began raising lambs in third grade before discovering a love for raising and showing cavies in 2020. Along with Max, she’s brought two other piggies along: Charlotte and Alice. All three of her well-behaved pets are Americans, the most common guinea pig breed for both showing and hand-rearing as companion animals.

On March 2, Addison, along with 215 other children, ages 5 to 18, entered the Youth Cavy Show this year at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Cavies are rodents more colloquially known as guinea pigs, despite being neither porcine in taxonomy nor from the West African country of Guinea (they’re originally from the Andes region in South America).

And the children who register their cavies for the event take their responsibilities and animal welfare seriously. Many of them belong to 4H or Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapters, whose T-shirts and sweatshirts they proudly sport during the show. Involvement in these programs, not to mention winning awards, can lead to scholarships that help offset the rising costs involved with higher education. Even if they decide college isn’t for them, they’re still learning valuable lessons for future careers.

Assyria, a high school senior, has been showing cavies for two years. While she has three little piggies, today truly belongs to Black Stallion, an American with glossy, onyx fur and a royal demeanor.

He stands still with his head held high, a well-trained prince of a cavy; Assyria’s been getting him prepped for this day for a while. Even with a personality she describes as “more chill,” it’s still a lot of work ensuring that Black Stallion is ready to strut his rodent stuff in front of hundreds of humans.

“A few weeks before the show, we give them baths and make sure they're very nice and clean. If their ears are dry, we coconut-oil them to make sure they're safe and clean,” Assyria says. “Grooming-wise, we make sure their fur is shiny-ish. To make sure that comes out, I usually rinse him with a little bit of water and brush him down.”

Other tools of the trade include baby shampoo and vitamin c, because despite most of their species opting for careers outside of piracy, guinea pigs are still susceptible to scurvy. Breeds such as Peruvians and Silkies, both bearing more than a passing resemblance to Beatles wigs, have to run through additional rounds of combing throughout the day. Texels (yet another breed) sport glorious cascades of curls requiring special care to prevent unsightly knots and tangles.

All cavies require claw trimmings, as “mismatched, white or missing toenails” can count against their final score (more on that later).

The persistence pays off … but more on the results later.

Judging a Guinea Pig

One of this year’s Youth Cavy Show judges was Kathi Groves of Auberry, California.

Groves eyes and pats down the guinea pigs with an intensity and precision that makes Werner Herzog look like The Dude, even during awkward moments, such as when she holds the cavies up vertically to inspect their undercarriage.

Although Gene Gillespie of Vienna, Missouri has offered his expertise on cavies and rabbits at rodeo events in San Antonio and Fort Worth, as well as every state other than Hawaii, this was his first year joining Groves to judge at the Houston Rodeo.

He began raising cavies in the 1960s and judging cavy shows in 1985. His easy-going manner (he good-naturedly chuckles that an Abynissian guinea pig looks like a “teenager with a bad hair day,” which is an asset for the breed) and gentle Missouri drawl offer a pleasing contrast with Groves’ impressive efficiency and get-it-done girlboss energy.

It doesn’t take them long to assess each guinea pig, running their hands over the sides and under the bellies. Maybe a minute at most. They keep the show flowing by dictating their observations and assessments to assistants, who do the actual writing. This helps get the cavies back to where they belong: in the loving arms of their owners.

Many cavies understandably grow a little nervous and impatient while waiting for judges. Some of them nibble on the carpets and cage bars inside their cubbies while they wait.

NRG Arena come rodeo time is the antithesis of Walden Pond. It’s a joyous space, to be certain, but also a rowdy, loud one. One winner started playing music on her phone and dancing with her friends and their guinea pigs to celebrate. There’s cheering, hugging, clapping, and happy crying. And that’s all on top of the general ambient noises and eau de livestock (especially with rascally rabbits getting shown right next door) associated with the event.

Best in Show

The competition is officially sanctioned by both the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) and the American Cavy Breeders Association (ACBA) — the governing bodies that oversee cavy and rabbit shows across the world.

Participants are subjected to a 100-point assessment analyzing their showmanship.

In the “Best of Breed” round, piggies are judged against one another based on breed (there are 13 breeds approved for showing), variety (coat type, such as roan, broken, and satin), and class types (age, sex, and weight).

All cavies must also wear a numbered ear tag for identification, to help prevent confusion if some share the same name.

For every male “Best of Breed” winner (males are called boars), an equivalent cavy is chosen to represent the best female “Best of Breed” (females are called sows), making life as a show guinea pig a more equitable experience than one may encounter in many human institutions.

“Best of Breeds” move up to compete for “Best in Show.”

And it’s not just the cavies being judged, either. The children themselves are held to high standards of professionalism that factor into their 100 points, including: smiling, appropriate attire and appearance (show coat, apron, or long sleeves; no dangling jewelry or rings; neat hair), eye contact, humane animal handling, thanking the judges, following directions, and general cavy knowledge.

The children have such disciplined training, that more than a few adults could learn from their grace under pressure. Especially when the winners are announced.

Assyria and Addision faced some steep competition, yet clinched victories with their piggies.

Assyria’s Black Stallion took home “Best Senior” for the Americans, while Addison’s Charlotte won second in the “Best of Breed.”

Taco Tuesday, an American Satin, earned this year’s “Best in Show” designation. “Satin” here refers to an extra glossy quality to the coat, and Taco Tuesday shone like a star that Saturday, with an almost metallic, reddish sheen.

When asked about what set Taco Tuesday apart from all of the other piggies, Gillespie praised the cavy’s “high type confirmation, placement of markings, and finish of coat.”

The children win cash prizes ranging from $2 to $10 based on the number of entries within their breed, along with ribbons and trophies depending on the honors. “Best of Breed” and “Best in Show” also net special belt buckles to commemorate the day.

But regardless of results, the Youth Cavy Show is really all about one thing in the end: the community. For the young participants, that means getting hugs from parents and mentors, waking up siblings curled up in camp chairs so they can hear the results, and kicking up sawdust as you dance with friends.

And, above all, attending lovingly to a small rodent and encouraging others to appreciate their singular beauty and varied personalities just as much as you do.

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