New Zealand guinea pig show crowns Claremont Girl

Claremont Girl Clash of Hearts won Best in Show at New Zealand's National Guinea Pig Show, where nearly 300 guinea pigs were presented to crowds in Taupo.

The black short-haired guinea pig from Timaru on New Zealand's South Island is owned by teenager Josh Wilson-Jones, who prepared the animal carefully before judging.

Competitors travelled from around New Zealand to the Great Lakes Centre, while the two judges flew in from England and the Czech Republic. Judges examined each guinea pig's coat colour, coat condition and general health.

New Zealand Cavy Council president Andy Lawrie said preparing his 11-month-old long-haired alpaca, Supreme Grand Champion Romulus Propaganda, could take two hours after a bath. The guinea pig came second.

Other exhibitors competed in multiple classes, including rough coat Rex categories, where some owners avoided bathing the animals because it could soften the coat.