The History of the Rex

 In About 1977 Phil Dolphin turned up at Northampton Show with a cavy bred from a pair of Dutch and sold it to Fred Holmes who recognised it as a Dutch Rex. Fred promptly entered it in the R.V.C.C. Stock Show which was being judged by Geoff Colley. This red Dutch Rex won the new variety class. Fred then mated this boar to as many different types of sow as he had available at the time and these produced carrier babies. the carrier sows were then mated back to the original boar and a number of Rex appeared in the next litters.

The following year Fred acquired a Himalayan Rex from the same source but was unable to breed from it. Some of the earlier Rex were sold on to Mary Belcher who carried on breeding them and put in a tremendous amount of work developing the Rex before dropping out of the Fancy.

By the late 1970’s Rex was shown as Guide Standard. In May 1984 the Full Standard was written for the Rex Cavy and the B.C.C. granted it standardisation so that the Rex could now compete in the Open classes against other Non-Selfs.
The Rare Varieties Cavy Club still kept the Rex under it’s wing but at the A.G.M. in 1991 it was agreed in principle that a Rex Cavy Club be formed .At Doncaster in 1992 the Rare Varieties Cavy Club voted for the formation of the Rex Cavy Club and under the guidelines laid down by the British Cavy Council then THE REX CAVY CLUB WAS BORN.

Written by Hugh Pashley

We have just celebrated our 25 years as a recognised club