LONDON CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW 1969 (The First)

  The 31st of October 1969 was a momentous day for the Small Livestock and Cavy Fancy with the holding of the first London Championship Show.  This proved a great success and soon became a prestigious event second only to Bradford Championship Show.

  This inaugural event was held at the fabulous Alexandra Palace with Alan Sole the Cavy Section organiser.  He was delighted by the shows success and the support which attracted a very good entry of 323 cavies with stock/exhibitors travelling from all over the Country including the following stock by rail – the Buse family from Cornwall, Lynbrook Stud from Wales, W. Roper from Cumberland and Vic Bailey from Co. Durham.  The entry was particularly good as there were no Specialist Club Stock Shows at this first event. Both rail and hand brought stock were in the good hands of Joan Radeglia and team who supplied all cavies with hay, crushed oats, green food and beetroot; also water was supplied on request.

 Best in Show was a close run thing with Mr. P. Parkinson and Mr. N Stennett unable to agree on the top award so Miss Joan Radeglia was called upon as referee.  Joan awarded BIS to Mr & Mrs Graham Phillip’s Black u/5 sow (which Judge Peter Parkinson described as a real gem, excellent in every point!) with Best Non Self going to young Pete Holdaway’s Silver Agouti adult boar.

This was still a fabulous result for Pete and his Silver adult boar “Rodent” who beat off very strong competition from Jim Johnson’s Self White sow for Best Adult (which Judge Miss E. Wilson described as whiter than white, lovely expression with exceptional head, eyes and ears and stood out for Best Self Adult, though just a small slightly thin patch on belly costing  Best Adult); and beat Miss Castleman Brown’s Peruvian u/5 for Best Non Self (Judge G. Tremeer describing this a very lovely pig, excelled all-round and wins on density, well up to age).

AGOUTI ADULT CLASSES – Judge: Mr. Norman Stennett

SILVER AGOUTI (6): 1 and many specials – Holdaway, good well ticked boar, feet and chest to match body, well put down. 2 - Bailey, well known boar, badly soiled under let him down today. 3 – Mrs Redl, light on shoulder and front feet. Reserve – Chamberlain.

AOC AGOUTI (11): 1 – Daines, leader good chest and feet, just a bit long in coat held back in duplicates. 2 – Sole, good chest and feet, beaten belly colour. 3 – Daines, dark on one front foot. Reserve – Sole.

AGOUTI u/5 CLASSES – Judge: Mr. G.C. Tremeer

AGOUTI AC (11): 1 – Emmett, Silver sow, lovely colour and excels chest and belly, groomed out lovely and put down fit. 2 - Heard, Golden sow, excelled shape and colour, little light back feet and red hairs in coat. 3 – Mrs. Chamberlain, Silver boar, a large pig of nice colour but failed chest and belly demarcation line. 4 – Sole, Golden sow, young cavy, nicely coloured feet but handled soft. 5 – Astell. 6 – Miss Ashworth. 7 - Miss Prickett.

Pete Holdaway's Best Non Self and Best Adult winning Silver boar "Rodent"

Fur & Feather Magazine - 13th November 1969; the Cavies London Championship Show report, page 1086.

Fur & Feather Magazine - 13th November 1969; the Cavies London Championship Show report continued, page 1087.  Also photo of Mr. Alan Sole with an advert for his latest edition of his "Cavies" Book.