Show Qualities of a Chinchilla
The veiling coverage of a chinchilla refers to the evenness of the tipping over and across the chinchillas grotzen (back), down to the white belly strip, and right the way from between the ears to the base of the tail. Ideally there should be no break in veiling pattern, with the same colour or colour-phase in the centre of the back showing in the same depth and intensity over the hips, shoulders, and through the chinchilla's neck. This is referred to as uniform veiling coverage, or more commonly referred to as 'good coverage' by lazy judges (like myself!). There is no preference for dark colour phases over medium colour phases, with veiling simply referring to the evenness of the colour over the entire animal down to the white belly fur (exception here is Ebony & Charcoal hybrids whose belly fur should be of the same intensity and veiling as the grotzen {back})
Veiling Coverage
Veiling Coverage is described in the NCS Appraisal Sheet as follows;
Uniform Veiling
Break in veiling over neck or hips.
Break in veiling over neck and hips.
Showing little or no veiling.
Veiling also contributes to the eye appeal of the chinchilla. Top chinchillas will gain grades 1 or 2 on UK show tables, with grades 3 and 4 limited to lower awards such as 3rds and HC's (4th place equivalent).
In the case of mutations such as Black Velvets and Ebonies, veiling coverage is a must, and accompanied by this is also an additional attribute of intensity of colour, since a Black Velvet should be BLACK, and an Ebony should be 'Every-hair-shiny-black'. The Wilson White mutation, due to it's incomplete dominance over the Standard, has the veiling coverage term neglected when being judged on UK show tables.