ACBA ROYALTY. ACBA Queen Emily Roberts ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS MANAGEMENT AWARDS STATIC AWARDS. ACBA Princess Bella Kobrzynski. ACBA Duchess Piper Phillips

Transcription

1 ACBA ROYALTY ACBA Queen Emily Roberts ACBA Princess Bella Kobrzynski ACBA Duchess Piper Phillips Natalie Clason ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS 9 11 Yr. Olds Na onal Winner Trinity Serafin Yr. Olds Na onal Winner Tie Bella Kobrzynski and Natalie Clason Yr. Olds Na onal Winner Tie Emily Roberts and Alyssa Welter MANAGEMENT AWARDS 9 11 Yr. Olds Na onal Winner Trinity Serafin 2nd Place Piper Phillips Yr. Olds Na onal Winner Bella Kobrzynski 2nd Place Natalie Clason Trinity Serafin Yr. Olds Na onal Winner Alyssa Welter 2nd Place Anna Barthol STATIC AWARDS Art 1. Emily Roberts, Oregon 2. Willow Phillips, Indiana 3. Karina Greenlee, Washington Cra s 1. Natalie Clason, Ohio 2. Karina Greenlee, Washington 3. Anna Barthol, Ohio JACBA V19-I1 V19-I3 February August Page Page3232 Crea ve Wri ng 1. Anna Barthol, Ohio 2. Karina Greenlee, Washington 3. Natalie Clason, Ohio Photo 1. Natalie Clason, Ohio 2. Anna Barthol, Ohio 3. Emily Roberts, Oregon Educa onal 1. Anna Barthol, Ohio 2. Trinity Serafin, Oregon 3. Natalie Clason, Ohio Anna Barthol

2 Emily Roberts ACBA Queen Royalty 5. Explain what you do to make others aware of cavies. I make others aware of cavies by talking to my friends and family about my hobby, and anyone I sell animals to. I love to spread the word about the different ac vi es I do in local and na onal clubs. As a 4 Her, I ve talked on the radio numerous mes to promote the small animal programs. I have also been in the newspapers promo ng my trips to na onal compe ons such as the American Cavy Breeders Associa on s specialty compe on and my involvement in the royalty compe ons held there, and my recent trip to Texas for the American Rabbit and Cavy Breeders Associa on s na onal conven on. I put up fliers at feed stores and local businesses adver sing my 4 H club and the small animal program. I also talk about Royalty at clinics and 4 H shows across the state, telling about my personal experience and the fun I had compe ng. I talk to 4 Hers and youth about joining in clubs such as the American Cavy Breeders Associa on and the American Rabbit Breeders Associa on. I also started programs in my school where I teach the students about cavy management and different facts about cavies, hoping that they will get excited and want to learn more about the different opportuni es that are out there for cavy owners. I also do presenta ons at my county fair and the Oregon State Fair on cavies, rabbits, royalty, and the American Rabbit Breeders Associa on. Royalty 10. What goals have you set for yourself with regards to your cavy project? I have many goals I have set for myself and my caviary. I have some amazing Abyssinians and teddies and hope that I can breed my cavies even closer to the standard of perfec on and be even more compe ve than I already am on the best in show table. I plan to achieve this goal by keeping pedigrees and paying a en on to which crossings are good. I will then focus on the characteris cs that I need to improve and plan accordingly as of how I want to improve these characteris cs...my goal is always to learn something new, and to improve my knowledge of cavies. Management 5. How do you protect your animals from heat, cold or dra s? I protect my cavies from dra s and cold in my caviary by keeping a heater in the trailer adjusted at sixty five degrees. Living on the Oregon Coast, we have very mild climates. My Dad made an awning for the trailer that completely covers it as well. I also make sure that I open windows and use a fan when it gets too hot, and close windows when it gets too cold. I make sure that wind is never blowing directly on the animals. I also make sure that when I m traveling I prepare for the weather. I cover my carrying cages with cage covers that keep dra s out and keep my cavies feeling secure. I bring blankets for my cages to lie on so that the cold does not seep through the carriers and to my animals. When I am expec ng for warm weather, I freeze water bo les for my animals for my animals to lie on and ice cubes to cool their food and the animals. I also make sure to bring a lot of water to shows for the animals to drink. Management 7. What type(s) of feed(s) do you give your animals? Do you give your animals feed supplements? If so, what and why? For my feeding program I feed payback cavy feed. I just recently made this switch during the winter because I was unhappy with the amount of fines I found in my last feed. I am very pleased that this feed does not have hardly any fines and the cavies have adjusted to it just fine and are thriving. This is a complete feed so I do not need to feed any other added vitamin supplements except my Abyssinian Sa n cavies who, seem not to grow as large or as fast as my other cavies. They receive calf manna for growth and black oil sunflower seeds to help their sheen. These seeds help with their overall coat condi on and brilliance of their coat. I also feed mothy hay every other day for roughage, which helps their diges ve system, and twice a week I feed carrots and apples to them. I keep all my feed in large plas c totes. This ensures freshness and security from rodents. I water twice a day, always making sure they have fresh and full water bo les. When I travel with my cavies, I do add a vitamin C drop in their water for an addi onal vitamin boost. I also do this for pregnant sows. Also, on long trips I will give my cavies vegetable slices to ensure they will not get dehydrated, since they some mes will stop drinking. On extra long trips, I purchase Sleek and Sassy Garden variety to mix in with the cavy s feed. It is filled with peanuts, carrots, seeds, and other treats. This ensures they will keep ea ng. I am happy with the feeding program I have developed for my caviary. Management 15. Describe your culling procedure. What do you do with your surplus animals? When I cull I look for quality in the phenotype, or physical characteris cs of the animal. Usually I will keep the animal if it is really nice whether it is a sow or a boar. If it is nice, I will keep it to improve my lines. I look at what is needed in my lines. If the animal has some faults in some areas, but has good quali es that I need to improve my lines, I will keep the animal for those desirable characteris cs. I am in contact and do business with mul ple pet stores in the area if I have surplus cavies I need to sell. I have ads in feed stores, on craigslist, and have a sign I put up at 4 H and open shows to adver se my caviary, and what I have to sell. I also have business cards with my caviary s name on it and contact informa on. I love to sell show quality animals to 4 Hers and other youth for their projects or breeding programs, but also sell my culls as pets to youth and at mes the wholesalers at shows. When I sell my show quality animals, I give out pedigrees with my caviary s name on it and contact informa on as well. Achievement 13. What would you like us to know that has not been asked? I would like you to know that I am so grateful for the opportuni es that the American Cavy Breeders Associa on has offered me. It has truly changed my life and my future. Through this experience I have go en the opportunity to go to a na onal conven on in Texas and make friendships that will last a life me. I have gained best friends who share my interests and have go en to travel with me and take part in the same journey. I would also like you to know that I have not achieved these important goals and achievements on my own. Every breeder, judge, and parent that has helped me prepare for the show table by either helping me study, showing me how to properly groom and prepare my animal for the show table, or breed for the Standard of Perfec on, makes these achievements with me. I have grown as a person and a showman because of them. I ve achieved more than ribbons and fine tuned gene cs. My greatest achievements are the friends I ve made before reaching the show table. JACBA V19-I3 August Page 33

3 JACBA V19-I3 August Page 34 Bella Kobrzynski ACBA Princess Royalty 4. What have you done to promote your breed(s) and make others aware of your project? I give coat wrapping demos at 4 H club mee ngs and bring my Silkies to informa on booths held throughout the year with my 4 H club. I made a poster on wrapping coats which was entered into my County 4 H fair and put on display thousands of people visit the fair each year so between that poster and mee ng me and my Silkies at our info table, I have promoted my breed and project to poten ally hundreds of people. I volunteer to talk a summer camps and pet programs at our local libraries, always brining my cavies with me. Now that I m old enough to be on Facebook, I will be se ng up a page for my caviary and sharing with others my silver agou Silkie and Dutch American projects. Royalty 11. What specifically do you do to help with the care and upkeep of your project? Every morning before school I check to see if water bo les need to be filled or topped off, then I feed each cavy and I check in on any pregnant sow or current li er. A er school each day I check in on their welfare. In the evening I feed and water again and take a few cavies out each night to do health checks on, rota ng through them all each week. Once a week I clean each cage but I spot clean my show Piper Phillips ACBA Duchess Hi, I'm Piper Phillips. It is my pleasure to serve as this year's ACBA Duchess. My family is from Indiana, where we have a small rabbitry and caviary. I became very interested in cavies at my state rabbit conven on. There was a cavy show at the conven on, and one of the cavy owners talked to me about cavies and let me hold some. I began my cavy hobby with two boars. Now I would like to learn as much as I can about rabbits and cavies! When I am not in my barn, I enjoy being on the swim team, kni ng, and spending me with my family. Right now I'm learning to spin sheep wool. I want to learn how to incorporate cavy hair into my needle fel ng projects, as well! I would like to thank my parents, my sister Willow, and my Grandpa and Grandma Pike for their help and support in my project, and for helping me learn to take good care of my animals. Thank you to the American Cavy Breeder's Associa on for naming me ACBA Duchess Royalty 13. What are your goals for this project? I want to raise as many breeds of cavies as I can! I would like to learn as much as I can about rabbits and cavies. I would like to be a youth show cavy cages every day in the evening and I clean out cages twice a week if there is more than one cavy in it. Right now my mom financially supports most of my project but I do pay for one half of all show entry fees and any money I earn from sales goes directly back into equipment and supplies. I bathe and groom all of my cavies myself. Royalty 14. How do you feel your project will help you in your future endeavors? Caring for my cavies has taught me and con nues to remind me that even though you may not feel like doing something (like get up early to feed them when you want to sleep in), if you have made a commitment you need to keep it. Par cipa ng in various cavy (and rabbit) contests will help me improve my wri ng skills, communica on skills and ability to work as a team. I would ul mately like to become a cavy and rabbit judge, so really anything I do with my project can only help me get closer to that goal. I would also like to work as a 4 H professional in the future and the exposure I have to different people through shows, adults and youth, will help me be more comfortable working with people and talking in front of groups. Being a part of the cavy community has helped with my confidence and having good confidence will help for any future endeavor. Secretary again. It would be fun to par cipate in future ACBA Specialty shows, and to show cavies at ARBA Na onals. I would like to have a li er of cavies, but I don t yet have a sow. I want two White Crested sows to pair with my sister s White Crested boar. Someday I think it would be really fun to become a cavy registrar, or maybe even a judge! Royalty 15. What would you like us to know that has not been asked? Currently my cavies are living upstairs, just outside my bedroom. Soon, I would like to move them into our insulated, temperature controlled animal barn so that I may begin breeding. Dad says no breeding in the house! Management 7. What type of feed do you give your animals? Do you give your animals feed supplements? If so, what and why? I use Kalmbach Guinea Pig Pellets, 22% protein. I mix it with oats, calf manna, and black oil sunflower seeds to increase their vitamins and nutrients, and to make things interes ng for them. I put vitamins in their water and vitamin c drops in their food to increase their Vitamin C intake. They like all the fruits and veggies I like! This helps with their Vitamin C intake, since cavies need a lot of Vitamin C, and of course it makes them super happy. Management 8. How do you dispose of the manure and waste your animals generate? My family emp es the cavy and rabbit li er trays into a compost bin. Once it is almost full, we put it on our berry patch and garden.

4 Management 5. How do you protect your animals from heat, cold or dra s? Cavies do best in temperatures between degrees. I protect my cavies from the heat by using fans, opening the garage to cool it off in the early morning, and reopening it a er the sun goes down. This year my dad also installed a screen door with a lock so I can leave it open all night too. I use frozen water bo les and ceramic les on really hot days. The garage rarely gets over 78 degrees, but when it does, I open the door that connects the garage to the house and allow fans to blow in air condi oned air from the house. It keeps the garage very cool. I do not use a heater in the winter since it almost started a fire a few years ago. I make sure my cavies have plenty of fleece and cover them with blankets on very cold days. I haven t had a problem with dra s. My cavies are kept out of the main wind tunnel that goes through my garage when both the front and back doors are opened. Management 8. How do you dispose of the manure and waste your animals generate? I clean the cavy cages once or twice a week and dispose of all waste in trash bags. It o en goes to the dump, or some neighbors use it in their gardens. I recycle all items that I can. Management 11. Describe everything you consider and do when breeding your animals. Include ages, me of year, system for keeping track of bred animals and provisions for pups and sows. When breeding my cavies, I consider several things. I consider breed, variety, age, and if the sow has proven herself as a good mom. I try not to Achievement 5. Explain what you do to make other s aware of cavies. I am very ac ve in my FFA Chapter and visit many 4H clubs in my area. I demonstrate cavy showmanship and explain the care and rising of cavy to the youth in the local 4H clubs by being a guest speaker during their weekly mee ngs. I promote the showing and raising on cavy to not only youth but to adults in my community. When at shows I help other youth get a hands on feel and understanding of handling cavy. Through my visits and speaking engagements I have encouraged and helped youth become members of not only our State clubs but, to be an ACBA member as well. I have promoted youth showing in the State of Florida and our numbers have tri folded during shows. We have our own youth shows instead of blending with the adults in open shows. Alyssa Welter Gregory Shoemaker Achievement 6. Explain how you have helped others learn new skills and increased their knowledge of this hobby. I have helped others learn new colors and varie es by showing them the have bred sows (ready to deliver) during the summer months due to the heat. I worry about Pregnancy Toxemia. Heat is a trigger. Texels have a very short show life. I breed my Texels around the show seasons since their show life is very short (6 8 months). The boar and sow are placed together in late August. I keep track of all breedings in a notebook. When I place a boar and sow together, I weigh the sow first. Then weigh weekly. Once I no ce a weight gain, it s a good sign that she might be pregnant. The sows pregnancy usually lasts 70 days. Once I feel kicks, I know I have about 2.5 weeks un l delivery. I remove the boar. When I no ce the sows pelvic bone start to spread, I bring the sow inside so I can keep an eye on her. I have been told that I should never move a pregnant sow, but I feel the benefits outweigh the risks. My sows are also handled since birth. They are not stressed which is a trigger for Pregnancy Toxemia and other health issues. I have seen about 95% of all my cavy births. I like to keep good records. If I can catch a sow giving birth, I can save the sow and the pups if something goes wrong. I have rescued several pups from the birth sacs that the mom failed to remove. I have helped sows through difficult births. It s important to know your animals, and to keep good records. That way you can tell if they re in trouble and need urgent help. I M SO EMBARRASSED difference in the colors. I will borrow a cavy to point out the differences and the good and bad of colors etc. I have gone over the body parts with youth exhibitors to give them n advantage when doing showmanship and /or paper tests on body parts. Also, teaches them where to look when something is wrong with their guinea pig. I help fellow exhibitors understand the varie es and the flow of showing them in a correct order. I have shared my experiences with breeding and losses of guinea pigs. I think one's personal experiences can help save a bad day in another exhibitor's day to day dealings. Achievement 7. List the things you have done to encourage others to join cavy organiza ons. 1. Explain benefits of joining. 2. Emphasize the scholarships that are available within those organiza ons. 3. Tell them opportuni es you have to meet new people. 4. Talk about how much fun you can have. 5. Emphasize the lifelong friendships you can obtain. 6. Tell them the knowledge they can acquire not only in raising and feeding but, ge ng detailed in the gene cs of them. 7. Hold mini seminars at least on a weekly or bi weekly basis through 4H or FFA. 8. Help out at the State Fair in the Ask Me booth. 9. Hand out club informa on both local and ARBA, to those that purchase my cavy. 10. Visit 4H Club mee ngs to raise awareness of purebred guinea pigs and to join ACBA. 11. Provide an ARBA membership applica on with each cavy I sell. JACBA V19-I3 August Page 35

5 JACBA V19-I3 August Page 36 Anna Barthol Management 11. Describe everything you consider and do when breeding your animals. Include ages, me of year, system for keeping track of bred animals and provisions for pups and sows. When considering breeder, I think about what would best benefit my breeding lines, and as to how to achieve the goal. First, I formulate a compa ble breeding pair looking into the history and gene cs of the cavy to see if the boar and the sow I want to breed would produce a quality offspring. I set very specific breeding goals, and then try to go about achieving them. For example my last breeding goal was to produce a quality showable lilac roan Peruvian. This a er formula ng my breeding pair and breeding happened. Not only must I consider mes of years and ages, but the gene cs and the results. I create Punne squares using the gene cs of both the sow and the boar based on pedigrees and past liters to get semi accurate predic ons of what will arise from the cross, if I like what I see, then I breed the pair, if not, I revise the breeding pair. Besides simple gene cs, you must be aware of the desirable and undesirable characteris cs of your cavies, and try to breed cavies that complement each other and will produce a desirable trait in a cavy. Royalty 2. How and when did you get started in your project. Include names of those who have helped you the most. I became interested in cavies through 4 H. I got my first cavy in March of 2012, an American AOM boar. Judge John Hizey has helped me tremendously over these few years. He has taught me what to look for in body type of cavies, sheen of the American Sa n, and patching and distribu on of colors in my TSWs. Royalty 3. Name the breed(s) you raise and how many animals you have in each breed. Include breed(s) you have raised in the past and why you no longer raise them. I have raised six Americans, four American Sa ns, and produced six li ers. I currently have one American and two American Sa ns. I have stayed with these breeds focusing on the TSW variety. Royalty 4. What have you done to promote your breed(s) and make others aware of your project? To promote American and American Sa n cavies I take my cavies to 4 H mee ngs and events. At the annual Clark County 4 H Kick Off, I teach others about my breeds and how to care for cavies. I sell offspring to 4 H members for their projects. I also teach cavy care, selec on, handling, and showmanship at the Clark County 4 H Cavy Clinic. I show my cavies at ARBA/ ACBA shows. Royalty 10. Describe the housing & equipment for your animals be very specific. I have three cages and each cage has six square feet of space for them to exercise. The cages are wire with coroplast pans. My cavies are kept Amy Caughenbaugh In breeding, I also always put the health of the cavy first. The cavy is always checked before breeding. I evaluate past liters, cavy age, and if the cavy is fit to be bred. A er clearing and checking both of the histories in my notes, then I can determine whether or not to breed. The second most important considera on when breeding is the me the pups will be born, and then weaned. It is important that you mark on your calendar all the important dates for the breeding such as the date bred and then a predic on as to when the pups will arrive and you must be sure that it corresponds well with your show season. For me, this aspect is the most important, because I only show long haired cavies. You must count 6 8 months out for the cavy to reach its peak in its coat, for when you have a good amount of shows that you will be a ending. For example, I always want a cavy for spring shows, and then one for fall shows. A er the pups are born, I keep records documen ng everything in my binder on cavy history, the breeding binder, and I keep the records on my caviary calendar as well. If any of the pups or sold, I note to who and when, and then will do a check up with the new owner to be sure they have no ques ons or concerns regarding the cavy. Management 4. Describe where your animals are located: barn, outbuilding, garage, basement, house, etc? My animals are kept in the upstairs of my house, in one of the bedrooms. This room has plenty of space for all of the cages, and all of the supplies that need to be stored. The room also has an air cleaner, and is climate controlled, with hea ng and cooling. Also, in this room in the winter I will run a humidifier to keep moisture in the air. The room is well light in natural ligh ng giving the cavies a very natural se ng to stay. inside my home. The cages are placed away from dra s and direct sun. I use ball p water bo les and a crock dish for pellet food. They have hideaways to feel safe, toys to chew. I have a play pin for them to run and exercise in, also. Royalty 11. What specifically do you do to help with the care and up keep of your project? To keep and produce healthy cavies I house them in separate cages. I spot clean their cages daily and completely clean their cages once a week. I keep their claws trimmed and monitor them for any signs of illness. I provide my cavies with a nutri ous diet with plenty of vitamin C, mothy hay, and romaine le uce. Royalty 13. What are your goals for this project? My goal is to produce healthy, quality TSW American and American Sa n cavies while increasing interest in cavies in general. Royalty 14. How do you feel your project will help you in your future endeavors? My cavy project has inspired me to pursue a career in animal science either as a veterinarian or animal gene cist. I plan to a end The Ohio State University or Texas A&M in the fall of 2016 for a degree in Animal Science. Raising and breeding cavies has taught me about health and diseases of these animals and importance of gene c make up in producing animals.

6 Achievement 5. Explain what you do to make other aware of cavies. To make others aware of cavies I have done school projects on the topic of 4 H, frequently wear my cavy a re to school, talk about cavies to my friends and schoolmates, and have brought my cavies to Vaca on Bible School to teach younger kids about all the different breeds of guinea pigs. I also par cipate in community service projects through my 4 H club, bringing my cavies to different events in the community, such as Easter brunch ac vi es at a local re rement community, local food drives and walk a thons to raise money for local food banks. Achievement 7. List the things you have done to encourage others to join cavy organiza ons. I ve encouraged my friends and others to join 4 H by le ng them know all of the fun things we do and how much we learn. I ve explained how fun it is to bring your cavies to shows, par cipate in Fair Week, and meet other people that have the same interests that I do. I ve also explained how much I ve learned by being part of these organiza ons; 4 H, ACBA, and the Ohio Cavy Club. I ve not only learned about animals, but also about good ci zenship and the importance of helping out your community. Management 12. Describe everything you do to care for the mother and young from birth un l weaning. When I first put a sow in with a boar for breeding I keep an eye on her to make sure she is ea ng and drinking as she should. When the sow is visibly pregnant I remove the boar from the cage to prevent back breeding immediately a er the sow gives birth. Within the week of the sow giving Royalty 2. How and when did you get started in your project? Include names of those who have helped you the most. When I was 4 (2004) my mom got me an Abyssinian boar. I carried him around all over the place with me. When my great grandma went in the nursing home and I would take Ross in with me and all the residents loved him like I did. Jacky Wert was the social worker at the me and her son Brady showed Florida white rabbits. She saw how much I loved Ross and talked to my mom about joining 4 H when I was old enough to join. Her son was aging out and he was more in to Rabbits but they helped me get started showing at the County Fair. As soon as I was five as of January 1 my mom enrolled me in the Wayne County Rabbit and Cavy Club with leader Derek Poole. I remember my first mee ng President George W. Bush had visited Canandaigua NY and my mom had taken me out of school to go see if we could see him (we did see his car). A er we le the Canandaigua area we went to the mee ng, I was scared but Derek made me feel very welcome. So today I am s ll a member of this club and now I help the new kid like people helped me. In 2011 I was lucky and was able to a end my first ARBA conven on with the gracious offer by Barb Harden who I was able to travel with and have now been able to a end 4 conven ons traveling with her and her son Chaz who I met through the 4H club. Now 10 years and four ARBA conven ons later I am s ll a member of the Wayne County Rabbit and cavy club today s ll under the leadership of Derek Poole who became an ARBA judge 2 years ago, Derek tells us he is not a cavy person but that doesn t stop him from con nually suppor ng us in learning all we can. Suze e Glave and Joanne McGowen also need to be men oned in this area without the con nued support of both of these ladies I would not have the quality of stock I have as they have both helped Natalie Clason Elizabeth Frey birth I pay extra a en on to her to make sure she con nues to eat and drink as she should. I also ensure that the mother is taking care of her pups properly. When the pups are born I make sure the mother is not weak. If she is, electrolytes and calcium can be given to her. If she is not ea ng a vitamin supplement can be given as well. The pups are also watched to make sure they are healthy, ea ng, and drinking. At three weeks of age the boars are separated from the sows so there is not an accidental breeding. Management 13. What would you like us to know that has not been asked? I would like you to know that my project will help me in my future endeavors by preparing me to achieve my goal of becoming a veterinarian. I ve had two cavies that had difficult pregnancies, which resulted in death for them and their pups. These events helped me learn how to nurse and care for sick animals in difficult mes. Raising my cavies, and working with people and animals is helping to prepare me to achieve my goal. I want to help make a difference in the care of many different types of animals in the future. I also believe it s important that you know that my cavies are not just show animals to me. They are all my pets that I love and value. I take each one of them out for play me every day, this allow them to get as much out of cage me as possible, as well as building a strong bond with me. Five of my eleven cavies are no longer showable, but this has no affect on how I feel about them, they are all loved equally. I plan to con nue to raise cavies and to con nue with 4 H as long as possible and eventually becoming an advisor so that I can help educate another genera on on how to raise and care for cavies. me in choosing animals and have worked on my con nued to be er my breeding stock. Achievement 11. What goals have you achieved to this point in your project? At this point in my project I have purchased the registrars study guide and have been reading through it to become more knowledgeable. I have assisted at 4 different county fairs working with judges to learn more about the breeds and their standards firsthand. I also take every opportunity to be a writer for different judges at shows as I think this is a great way to learn from a variety of judges and to hear what they are looking for in different breeds. Achievement 12. Explain how achievement of these goals will help you in the future? I think by achieving my goal of becoming a registrar it will help me to grow as a person both in the cavy wold and in my everyday life. My parents have always told me I can do anything I set my mind to as long as I truly want it and if I am willing to work for it. It might not happen overnight, but if I work hard, I will see that I can be what I want to be. Some me I don t know if I believe that but if I don t try I will never know. I hope they are right and I would eventually become a judge. JACBA V19-I3 August Page 37

7 Management 10. Describe any diseases that have affected your produc on and explain what you did to control them. Though I have been fortunate enough to have avoided any major diseases in my caviery, I did have a couple cases of fur mites. I isolated the contaminated animals and I treated them with an edible powder called Red Lake Earth Diatomaceous with Calcium Bentonite. This quickly cured all my animals and I was able to get rid of the mites for good. Management 11. Describe everything you consider and do when breeding your animals. Include ages, me of year, system for keeping track of bred animals and provisions for pups and sows. For the safety of my cavies I do not put my sows into breeding un l they reach their senior weight. My boars can be put into breeding once they reach their intermediate weight. I record when I put each animal into breeding and the dates of which pups are born. When pups are born I monitor their weight to make sure they are all gaining weight. Management 12. Describe everything you do to care for the mother and young from birth un l weaning. When pups are born I monitor their weight to make sure they are all gaining weight. I feed pups and mothers Tums in order to add calcium to their diet. Both mother and young are given unlimited feed and they are fed either fruit or vegetables twice a day. When pups are ready for weaning I separate the pups from mother one or two at a me. This way I can slowly ease mom off her pups. Royalty 4. What have you done to promote your breed(s) and make others aware of your project? I go to school and talk about guinea pigs and when I go to 4 H shows people ask lots of ques ons about them. My mom took them to school for me when I was in kindergarten and first grade and I talked about them to my class and my teacher. Royalty 10. Describe the housing and equipment for your animals, be very specific. The guinea pigs live in the office in our house. We have a cube and coroplast cage that is 84 inches long and 28 inches wide that is divided into four cages. Seven guinea pigs live in it. We have two wire cages with plas c bo oms. One guinea pig lives in each of these cages. They are bedded with wood pellets. Six guinea pigs have hay containers made of wire. Three guinea pigs have hay bags made of cloth. They all have heavy food dishes. They all have a water bo le to drink from. Everyone has a hiding house but one boar, Checkers. The houses are plas c igloos, plas c wood stumps, ceramic mushrooms, and an empty round oatmeal container. I have a show board, a step stool, a comb, and wraps made of dog pee pads. I have shampoo and condi oner and a small blue tub to use for baths. I have a nail trimmer and use scissors for haircuts. We have two carrying cages. Royalty 11. What specifically do you do to help with the care and upkeep of your project? In the morning before breakfast or watching TV I feed and water my guinea pigs. At night I feed and water and give vegetables to the guinea pigs. Every three days I clean their cages and put in fresh wood pellets. Before shows I shampoo and condi on their coats with my mom s help. I JACBA V19-I3 August Page 38 Elizabeth Ladkani Evangeline Lilly Niemczyk Management 14. Do you track the quality of your offspring to the breeding animals? Explain. Yes, I track the quality of your offspring to the breeding animals. I have started with pigs that have champion lines and I only breed to develop and improve my own line based off of the ARBA Standard of Perfec on. Management 15. Describe your culling procedure. What do you do with your surplus animals? If I have an animal of lesser quality than I would prefer, I will either sell to a pet home or donate to auc ons and raffles. Achievement 5. Explain what you do to make other aware of cavies. I bring my animals to mul ple different public events where I am able to spread my knowledge of cavies to others. Many people do not know what a cavy is, let alone the experiences you can gain by breeding and showing them. I not only bring my animals for the public to gawk at, but I also give presenta ons on cavies and the American Cavy Breeders Associa on. brush and blow dry them with my mom s help. I wrap up their coats if it is long enough. When the pups can be shown, I wrap their coats twice a week with my mom s help. She holds them s ll for me. Royalty 13. What are your goals for this project? I would like to be Duchess of the ACBA Royalty. I want to learn about other breeds and how to breed good animals. I am interested in crested breeds. I LOVE MY GOOB Royalty 14. How do you feel your project will help you in your future endeavors? I want to be a veterinarian and a farmer so they help me learn how to raise and care for animals. SNUGGLE KISSES ARE THE BEST KIND OF KISSES Royalty 15. What would you like us to know that has not been asked? I have a li le brother and I am teaching him how to be nice to the guinea pigs. I want my kids and grandkids to have guinea pigs.

8 Royalty 4. What have you done to promote your breed(s) and make others aware of your project? We had a fund raiser at TSC and stood at the door and told them about the Rabbit Project. My sister had a rabbit for them to pen while we answered their ques ons. Royalty 7. How have been a leader in your project? I am able to use what I know about cavies to answer people's ques ons. I let many people pet my cavy while I answered their ques ons. Royalty 8. List outstanding awards and achievements your animals have earned. My cavy and I competed in the American Hopping Associa on for Rabbits and Cavies event at the American Rabbit Breeders Associa on Na onal Conven on in Ft. Worth, Texas. My cavy, Barley, won the Cavy Bowling! Royalty 9. List outstanding awards and achievements you have earned in this project. At the Hendricks County Fair, I won the Novice Rabbit Ambassador Contest. I was then advanced to the Indiana State Fair to compete, and placed 3rd at the state fair. Royalty 10. Describe the housing & equipment for your animals, be very specific. I have a 3 hole cavy hutch made of wire mesh panels. It has a li er tray for a piggy po y. I have a ceramic crock for the food bowl. I use a water Royalty 3. Name the breed(s) you raise and how many animals you have in each breed. Include breed(s) you have raised in the past and why you no longer raise them. I raise silkies and teddies. I currently have six silkies (two of which are in show coat). I also have twelve teddies. I used to show coronets and silkies. However, when I found out I was allergic to cavies I wanted to cut back on the long haired breeds. Whenever I wrapped the long haired I would break out in hives, so I cut back to one long haired breed and switched to teddies. Royalty 4. What have you done to promote your breed(s) and make others award of your project? I have helped my dad create a website for our caviary. I have also shared our breeds with my 4 H club and at our county fair. I also educate my friends about my cavies and try to explain to them about my cavies. Royalty 9. List outstanding awards and achievements your animals have earned. I received Reserve in Show at the American Rabbit Breeders Associa on na onal show in I won the best of breed teddy in the Pennsylvania State Rabbit Breeders Associa on specialty show in 2105, and Reserve in Show at the Pennsylvania State Rabbit Breeders Associa on youth show in I have also won many other best in shows and reserve in shows in Ohio, Michigan, New York and Pennsylvania. Willow Phillips Kelly Rudder Royalty 11. What specifically do you do to help with the care and upkeep of your project? I groom my teddies and wrap my silkies. I also keep track of the weights of my cavies. Addi onally, my sister and I split responsibility of dumping bo le to put vitamin water. The vitamin water is 1 tablespoon per gallon of powdered vitamins and I mix it up a gallon at a me. I have a box for a cavy hiding place, and I use a so brush for grooming. Royalty 11. What specifically do you do to help with the care and upkeep of your project? I check the animals cages. I help feed them. I help clip his nails. I sweep up the messes, empty li er trays, change the bedding, and do the baths. Royalty 12. Describe the records you keep and how you keep them. My mom and sister enter the informa on into a computer so ware program that tracks the pedigrees and all of our records, and I am learning, too! Royalty 13. What are your goals for this project? To teach others and to be more organized. I want to help people learn the body parts, the different breeds, and be more prepared at shows. Royalty 14. How do you feel your project will help you in your future endeavors? I might like to be a veterinarian, and so if a cavy or rabbit comes in I will know more about these animals to help them. Royalty 15. What would you like us to know that has not been asked? I have a cavy course at home. I like to set it up and let my cavy and my sister's cavy play in it. I think it's good exercise, and it's very fun! cages and making sure all of the animals have fresh food, water, and hay. We also keep our room clean by sweeping the floors and occasionally washing the walls. I, personally, am responsible for keeping my silkies and teddies in good condi on. I help with keeping animals healthy such as feeding animals when they cannot feed themselves (like babies when their moms do not care for them). I also help treat them with Ivermec n and Advantage. I trim their names, teeth, and hair. Royalty 14. How do you feel your project will help you in your future endeavors? I have learned great amounts of responsibility. I know how to take care of animals and can easily deal with loss in the future. I now understand that some mes you cannot control everything, some mes you lose some and some mes you win some, but it is out of my control at mes. While showing cavies, you cannot tell the judge what to do or what to pick so it really helped me let of and not be so controlling. JACBA V19-I3 August Page 39

9 Management 17. Explain your system for keeping records and what informa on is kept on each animal. I use the Evans herd management program. I feel this is a very complete record keeping system. It tracks herd health, pedigrees, chore lists, li er data, when to pull the boar, when to wean, animals bought and sold, and all my financial transac ons. I like keeping pedigrees. It helps me make good decisions when it comes to breeding data. I weigh every cavy every month to make sure they are healthy and are on track growing. I also record informa on about every li er born here. I need to know if breedings are working, sows are working, and quality babies are being born. I have laminated business card sized signs. The cards have the cavy s name, ear tag, sire and dam, date of birth, boar or sow and color. The cards help me to know who I am dealing with immediately while out in the barn. I also hang laminated cards on the cages with babies in them. The card reads wean me and the date that they need to be weaned is handwri en on the card. The cards are reusable and I just have to erase the date. I write down on my calendar in the barn when I give Revolu on treatments. I also write down when I need to do it 30 days from that date. Royalty 7. How have you been a leader in your project? The Linn Count 4H Communica ons Contest, I did my demonstra on speech on how to wrap a show coated cavy. I answered ques ons from the audience and actually let people try it a er the contest. I teach kids how to do showmanship every month at my 4H mee ngs which is open to the county. I do demonstra on speeches every month at my 4H mee ngs on care, parasites, illness, nail trimming, ear tagging and breeds of cavies. Royalty 3. Name the breed(s) you raise and how many animals you have in each breed. Include breeds(s) you have raised in the past and why you no longer raise them. I currently raise Coronets, Peruvians, Silkies, and Texels. I have fi een Coronets, twenty five Peruvians, twenty eight Silkies, and two Texels. I use to raise Teddies. I found that each breed of guinea pig has a certain type of temperament and Teddies had very peppy a tudes and were hard for me to manage. The cavy breeds I have le are a li le more laid back and fit my personality more. Royalty 10. Describe the housing & equipment for your animals, be very specific. I keep my animals in wire stacked cages with plas c bins that are 26 inches wide, 40 inches long, and 56 inches tall. We bought one stacked cage and my mom has made the rest with wire, wire clips, plas c dividers, and cement plas c bins. I have seven eighthole cages with four levels on rollers. I have two four hole cages on rollers. I use a combina on of newspaper on the bo om, wood pellets for absorp on in the middle, and Airlyte, recycled cardboard, on top for bedding. I use a weight scale to weigh them. I have a variety of size bo les for the cages and I use hay holders for JACBA V19-I3 August Page 40 Trinity Serafin Samantha G.T. Thacker I have lead 2 county clinics on cavy care, health checks, feeds and feeding, parasite control, show prepara on and showmanship demonstra ons. I have helped make cavy knowledge tests and made posters at my county fair. I have taken animals and given demonstra ons at my schools Ag field day which is open to the en re district. I also do presenta ons at the Oregon Ag Fest on cavy ownership, handling, grooming and basic care. The Ag Fest brings in over 15,000 people a two day weekend. I have personally brought in 10 new cavy members to the Oregon 4H Cavy project from the Ag Fest. I am the Junior Cavy Superintendent for the Linn County Fair. Safe Haven Humane Society seized over 75 cavies from a really bad area. I iden fied breed, color and sex of the animals. I helped them with housing, bedding and feeding as no one had cavy knowledge at the shelter. I volunteered every day for a week answering ques ons and helping people with their adop on decisions. I always volunteer to do health checks for the 4H shows and I always volunteer to stay and clean up at the end of the day. I always take me to help the cloverbuds and new people. the mothy hay I give them. I have six show carriers and use smaller water bo les for them as well as a cart to carry them into the show. I have four show boards that I use for showing my long haired cavies. I also have a combs and brushes for grooming and a show table that I use for grooming at the shows. Royalty 11. What specifically do you do to help with the care and upkeep of your project? I originally inves gate the best feed and hay to feed my cavies. I also found the best way to keep them clean and the cages clean. I clean the cages weekly and use a combina on of newspaper on the bo om, wood pellets for absorp on in the middle, and Airlyte, recycled cardboard, on top. I water and feed in the morning and night. I weigh them each week to track any changes. I keep my areas clean and wash bo les frequently. I also give baths and clip nails monthly for those that I don t show and for the ones I show I give baths and clip nails before a show. Royalty 12. Describe the records you keep and how you keep them. I keep track of shows and animal management such as weight, breeding, and any change in ea ng habits or illnesses on Excel spreadsheets. I keep a history of pictures to track the changes in hair growth. Royalty 14. How do you feel your project will help you in your future endeavors? My project helps me learn to be responsible and understand how to grow something from the ground up. Raising cavies has helped me be more vocal and realize that I want to be a linguist in the future.

10 Royalty 10. Describe the housing and equipment for your animals, be very specific. My cage is a stacker cage with five cages inside. It has a plas c bo om were the guinea pigs stay. It has metal bars that go all around the cage to keep them in. There is a metal door so you can take them in and out and a roof so they can t jump out. Royalty 13. What are your goals for this project? My goals are to get a guinea pig with a full white crest on his or her head. I want a nice even brindling fully through and nice squashed face, no other white in it, and good type. Olivia Trimaldi Achievement 4. Describe any cavy ac vi es that you par cipated in and/or developed. I have par cipated in the Guinea Pig Extravaganza at my coopera ve extension. I also par cipated in the Wayne County Fair. Achievement 5. Explain what you do to make others aware of cavies. I show my friends and neighbors about showing and what to do. As a li le girl I always had Guinea pigs, my first one was Squeakers, she was an American breed. She even had pups for us. A er she died I was very sad, but then I got another one named Paint Plash. My siblings, Olivia and Robert had one too. My sister Olivia had an American that was white with a orange mask. My brother Robert had an American too, but this one was our first male, we named him Dot. Sr. For our whole life we had Americans. I saw the white crested every so rarely. But when Paint Splash passed on too, my mom enlisted me in 4 H. Soon a er I met James Goodrich and he sold me my new Guinea pig. He was a red white crested boar. I named me Spinjitzu. I took my new guinea pig into many shows and won a best opposite in the county fair. I was very happy. My sister Olivia got some new showable Guinea pigs, too. Her guinea pig Carmel was s ll alive. Soon she had three babies, and I was stuck here with one boar. But I was happy, Spinjitzu was a good friend in the shows and everyone loved him. But s ll Spinjitzu wanted to have a family, and I went to search for a sow for him. I had no luck finding one, and already my sister had six guinea pigs. But we had a friend name Jola Visser and her mom helped us very much, even though they didn t have White Cresteds. Marissa Trimaldi Achievement 6. Explain how you have helped others learn new skills and increased their knowledge of this hobby. I let new people prac ce on my pets. Achievement 11. What goals have you achieved to this point in your project? I have achieved buying a good sow and boar, breeding them and showing them. Achievement 12. Explain how the achievement of these goals will help you in the future. It will help because it will help you to be diligent and help me to know what to look for. Management 3. Describe your cages/coops, list the number, size, materials they are made of and how they are constructed. I have a stacker cage with five cages inside. IT has plas c on the bo om where the guinea pigs stay. It has metal bars that go all around the cage to keep them in. There is a metal door to so you can put them in and out. There is a metal roof too so they don t jump out. Management 8. How do you dispose of the manure and waste your animals generate? I throw it out in the garbage. My mom is planning to compost soon so I guess we won t have to do it anymore. Their help helped us very much to get us ready for the Ohio show we are going to go now. I hope to find Spinjitzu a sow, and I hope to win something there. But I always remember it doesn t ma er if you win, it ma ers if you have fun. Achievement 5. Explain what you do to make others aware of cavies. At the fair I will show people my guinea pig and let them pet him, and while they do I will tell them about him. Management 5. How do you protect your animals from heat, cold or dra s? We keep them in the house when it s cold. In the summer we keep them in the garage. We have a screen on the garage door so no bugs come in but only fresh air can come in. Management 10. Describe any diseases that have affected your produc on and explain what you did to control them. We haven t had any yet and that is a good thing. Management 15. Describe your culling procedure. What do you do with your surplus animals? My procedure will be to keep my show quality animals. I would cull my pups with side whiskers, angel wings and any addi onal white. I may keep ones with a half a white crest. Management 18. Did your ACBA animal project show a profit or loss last year? I had profit because I had fun. JACBA V19-I3 August Page 41

11 Management 16. How many replacement animals have you added since January 1, 2014? What quali es do you look for in selec ng replacements? I needed some good teddy boars that have be er resiliency and density. I bought 2 new boars this year. My sows have nice type but I needed to improve my Teddy coats. I also needed a boar to go with my Sa n Aby sows. I needed a regular Aby to help keep my sa n herd healthy. I borrowed a boar from my friend Suze e. He has good rose es. Royalty 4. What have you done to promote your breed and make others aware of your project? I am a 4H member. I like to teach the public about cavies. I take my guinea pigs to the county fair and introduce people to my Guinea Pigs. I make educa onal displays telling the public about Cavies. I have done Public presenta ons about the Cavy Breeds. I taught my friends about Cavy ownership. Some of them now show their own. Some of my friends are now my pet si ers when I go away. I promoted Cavy Obstacle Courses with my Teddy Sunflower. People liked that. When friends or the public want to pet my Teddies I teach them to pet them backwards so the coats don t get mashed. People really seem to like Teddies a lot. They like their friendly personali es and their chubby faces. Royalty 7. How have you been a leader in your project? I teach other kids about cavy care. I try to be a good example to my peers at shows by properly handling them gently and by paying a en on and taking responsibility for my own cavies during the show. Jola Visser Royalty 11. What specifically do you do to help with the care and upkeep of your project? I do almost all of the work to care for my animals. If I want to have them and show them mom says I have to do the work. I clean out the cages twice a week. I feed them and water them every day. I put them in an exercise pen when their cages are being cleaned. Royalty 12. Describe the records you keep and how you keep them: We have a folder with pedigrees and li er records. Show records are also in the folder. My mom helps me with this part. We keep records of expenses and buying and selling for 4H. I will be learning to take over this responsibility myself. My mom helps me a lot with records. Royalty 14. How do you feel your project will help you in your future endeavors? I am learning how to be responsible and how to work towards excellence. I am learning that its not about winning prizes but about having fun and making friends with other cavy people ARBA Convention Update CONTINUED from page 23 Lan Su Chinese Garden Portland Saturday Market Pi ock Mansion Oregon Zoo Portland Farmers Market Voodoo Doughnut OMSI Oregon Museum of Science and Industry ** Interna onal Rose Test Garden Portland Art Museum Portland Japanese Garden Beer Quest PDX Washington Park Beer tas ng tours Walking tours Nature and Wildlife tours Ride the Max Wine tours and tas ng Pearl District Oh and by the way did I say make new cavy friends and visit with old cavy friends! ** A must do and recommended by Dana Linda Loucks and Dana Kolstad PHOTOCOPY AND MAIL Name 2015 ACBA Banquet November 1, 2015, 6:30 pm, McMenamins Kennedy School, 5736 NE 33rd Ave, Portland Santa Fe Buffet with Marinated Chicken and Steak with sweet peppers and onions and more. No host bar. PHOTOCOPY AND MAIL Address City State Zip Phone Banquet ckets: Banquet reserva ons and payment must be received by October 24, 2015 or addi onal charge may apply. Make checks payable to Dana Kolstad or pay with PayPal using the friends and family method so a fee won t be charged danakol@live.com JACBA V19-I3 August Page 42 Adult $28.00 Youth 6 to 11 $14.00 Child 5 and under $0.00 Total submi ed $ Post marked by October 21, 2015 to: Dana Kolstad, 3540 N Curt Dr, Meridian, ID 83646