Australian National
Cavy Show

Lena Tysk (Sweden)

Lena Tysk loves cavies and has had them since she was 3 years old -more than 60years-and they are a major part of her life.   She started her stud, SMF 14 Vibys, in 1983

Today she breeds Sheltie, Coronet, Skinny Cavies but over the years, has had many breeds, including Self Chocolate, Himalayan, Roan, Rex, all longhair breeds.   She is proud to have introduced Texel, Black Tan, Magpie and Californian breeds to Sweden and also to have developed Black Tan and Californan into Longhairs from shorthairs.

In her life outside of cavies, Lena has now retired from her 41 year career as a police officer and police chief.

Lena is on the Judges' Committee of the Swedish Guinea Pig Association and is also President of the EE, The European Animal Association (the European club for all small animals) guinea pig section.  Having judged in twelve countries, mostly in Europe but also in Malaysia and Thailand, Lena is looking forward to judging the 2025 Australian National Cavy Show.

Petr Tejml (Czech Republic)

Petr has been breeding guinea pigs since his childhood.  He began with show cavies and started his stud, Westminster, in 1998.

Petr has kept many breeds and colours in his breeding career, including Peruvians and Alpacas in DE white for many years.   He discovered and cross-bred a new self colour called Violet in 2016.   At the moment, he has self and crested cavies in Black & Black devils colours.

In his life outside of cavies, Petr is employed at the university of South Bohemia.  He teaches in the faculty of agriculture, specialising in the subjects of ethology (the scientific study of animal behaviour), breeding of small animals and also animal welfare.

Petr is the president of the European Standard Committee and the Czech Standard Committee, and is also the Chief Editor of the Cavy Report magazine which is issued monthly by Czech Cavy Club.  He has been a cavy judge since 2003 and has judging experience in many countries including France, Poland, Germany, Switzerland, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway and Russia.  Petr is pleased to add Australia to this impressive list of international judging appointments.

Barbara Coles (New Zealand)

Barbara started her love of cavies at 12 years old when she acquired two pet Abysisinian-type sows.  She was lucky enough to know a local lady who had purebred cavies and soon afterwards started showing her pets with the Garden City Cavy Club (Christchurch, NZ)

It wasn't long before she was involved with stewarding purebred cavies at the shows and visiting local cavy studs whenever she could. Her first purebred cavy was a Self PE Golden sow in 2002.

Barbara registered her stud, Zanarkand, when she finished school and veterinary nurse training.

Barbara started breeding Abyssinian, Self PE & DE creams and Self PE Goldens but also bred and exhibited Silver & Golden Agouti, Self and English Crested PE Whites and Rex, and exhibted Alpaca and Peruvian.   In the last 12 months, she has started two projects breeds, Self DE Whites and Torti & White.  These breeds are very rare in NZ, with only a handful of each in the country.

Her achievements in showing have been winning Best in Show at the 2010 NZ National Cavy Show with Zanarkand Macalania (Crested PE White), Best in Show at 2013 NZ National Cavy Show with Zanarkand Damsel (Abyssinian) and 3rd Best in Show at 2022 NZ National Cavy Show with Tempest Vienna (Abyssinian).

Barbara has been a cavy judge since 2010, and has judged all around New Zealand including 2020 NZ National Cavy Show.  In 2022, she was pleased to judge in Australia for the Cavy Council of Victoria and is honoured to be invited back for the opportunity to judge our cavies at the 2025 National Show.