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Su Taylor (in the UK - THE authority on ridgebacks - regarding the standard for a Ridgeback) "The main requirement is a ridge running straight along the spine of the back, to be as upright and straight as possible. It should start between the ears, and run down to the hips, the longer the better. The rest of the coat to be short and straight, with no quiffs or coat faults. Two rosettes are allowed around the hip area at the moment on the standard, but we are trying to get those removed from the standard, as the Ridge now does not need these to stay erect. The eyes to be large and bold, and the ears to be drooping." (To clarify on the ridge...) It should be a single line of hair, as straight as possible. I too have seen the fluffy (ridged) ones, but this is considered a fault. It may be groomed down to look straight, but is not as sought after as the straight ridged cavies. 
From Anna Barth (a ridgeback breeder from Germany) "Ridgebacks could come from: peruvian x smooth short haired cavy abyssinian x smooth short haired cavy = the way I got my three ridgebacks! ridgeback x ridgeback ridgeback x smooth short haired cavy" (In response to my concerns about Jessie, who looked like a smooth haired pig with only one tuft of hair that bulged up when she was one month old...) "The ridge of young ridgebacks rarely looks big. My black ridgeback boar looks at this age like a smooth haired cavy only with some upright hairs. Only after the age of 6 months he had a good ridge." (In regards to my inquiry about Ridgeback genetics:) "You could breed ridgebacks! There is no “ridgeback gene”, but there is a combination of two genes, the gene “M” and the gene “R”. Look here: R= vertebration (“Wirbelbildung”) r= no vertebration M= inhibited rosettes m= encourages and bonded the formation of rosettes lookout.............purebred...half breed.....half breed....half breed smooth haired.... rr MM ... RR MM ..... Rr MM ...... rr mm rosetted............ RR mm ... Rr mm ridgeback......... RR Mm irish Crested..... Rr Mm Sometimes pigs with “RRMM” looks like ridgebacks and sometimes pigs with “RrMM” looks like Irish Crested (rosetted ridgebacks). Don’t give up, ridgebacks are a wonderful breed. I love them and you surely love them too!"
From Valerie Horning... Yes, Ridgebacks are showable in Ontario under the OCC rules as a Rare Variety. They are not a fully accepted breed, so they cannot compete for BIS. There is a Standard that they must meet. OCC Standards are available through the OCC website: http://www.ontariocavyclub.com/ |
