Vallon De Oro -

This male you can take everywhere.
He is our stud male, and he is a dream to handle.
ALthough he always plays hard to get in the paddock.
He plays games with you, and they are so hard to catch if they get into that mood.
But as you can see, he just loves going out for walks, and he is just so adorable, and loves people blowing kisses, cuddling and just loves the Public.
Personalities i think is an important trait that is inheritable.
All his crias, and our other stud males are the same, they are just so gentle, and almost like humans.
We always get comments on how friendly and relaxed the progeny of our males are.
On the other hand i have heard of others comment at a show that the personality of a particular animal is horrible, just like his sire.
So this is a trait sometimes forgotten, although not one high on the list of desired traits, i feel it is still important, as one of the great assets of owning alpacas, is that they are very easy and safe to handle.

A walk in the park

Have you ever taken your alpacas for a walk in the park.
Heads stop and turn, and it is amazing how alpacas attract curiosity.
We actually were taking these two for a photo shoot for a calender promotion.
Of course take the ones that are people friendly and good on the halter.
But it is a great way to educate more people about alpacas.
Living in a semi rural area, it also is a chance for those people living on small acreage to see how gentle the alpacas are.
It is a great promotional tool, and also a great afternoon on a sunny day

Hasn't she grown

Rae-ming, ...do you remember this beautiful solid white female.
She has really blosomed, and confirmed pregnant.

no show without punch

Elyse comes over for her early morning coffee, and following around her as she walks are three puppies, playing rolling as they run and catch up with her.

Rob is up, and says come on your Milo is ready for breakfast, he is giving me a break, i have been up for 2 hours, doing some work, but i thought i would have a break, and write on my blog.
Did you say breakfast, that is also Jetts favourite time of day.
No show without punch

some of my favourite alpacas

I just love this video, although i have shown it before, it is one of my favourites.
It shows how easy (or is it easy, when you stop, you do become a maypole as the alpacas all walk around you, and the leads then tie around you...you can only just love it)...there are not many animals you can walk so many at once..just do not stop to turn around.
On the mornings of a show, especially when it is a few days at a time, the alpacas wake up all wet, from the condensation of the roof, and also the humidity produced from so many in the shed breathing.
the fibre is damp, and it is show day, there is only one way to present to alpaca and that is to hope that t is going dry off in time.
Usually at that time, there is not a lot of sun, and little wind, so we walk the alpacas trying to proiduce some draft to hopefully dry the fleeces off.
Hopeful thinking most of the time.
Here my friend jenny was with us, and i asked her to hold the alpacas whilst i take the photo.
i laugh when i watch this.

Annika & Ebony Rose

I was just given an update photo of Annika and Ebony Rose, whilst still in NZ< are due to be sent to Belgium on October 19th.
Annika was mated to EP Conquistador, who is the sire of many highly awarded Black alpacas.
Although a very dark brown himself, he has produced more Blacks and grey alpacas, than Brown.
Each alpaca sired by Conquistador who has been shown has won the highest of accolades from the showring, and many males have gone on to be some of the most sought after coloured genetics in their region. One famous offspring of Conquistador is Mambo in Uk, who himself has thrown champions.
The secret of Conquistador is his heritage, Highlander / hemmingway, to my knowledge the only coloured sire that has this combination behind him.
solid black lines on dams on both side of his lines.
Annika, has magnificant crimp style, and high lustre, a gorgeous handle, and is fine for a black, with a low SD. Importantly he keeps throwing this without a failure to date.
Ebony Rose is also a beautiful solid black displaying a superb handle and high lustre, and has been mated to Gerardo, a steel grey in NZ.
Be it a black or Grey offspring, male of female, the quality will be well sought after for the owner.
Teo beautiful black females an asset or the black breeder

Alpaca socks or Beautiful fashion garmets?

Reading many forums and alpaca sites, i see many breeders are mainly focusing on alpaca socks.
Alpaca produces some of the finest (micron), fibre in the world, and the lustrous and beautiful qualities of this yarn lends itself only to the imagination of the designer.
Alpaca socks, Doonas, hats and scarfs are great, but when you see a quality garment be it a suit, skirt, jumper, cardigan, shawl, there is nothing to compare.
I sat at a meeting a few weeks ago in at AAFL (Australian Alpaca Fleece ltd), in at Sunshi9ne, Vic, and they showed me their new lines for summer.
The tops were so fine, i do not think you could get a cotton top so lightweight.
The styles, colours, be it natural or dyed, was absolutely devine.
A young fashion designer in England, daughter of TOFT alpacas, has produced some stunning garments original designs, can be viewed on their website.
Wehave also assisted young fashion designers in AUstralia through the LÓreal fashion weeks, and further promotion of their products, and the ideas, and styles these young designers arer coming up with are just magic.
While some focus on alpaca socks, and doonas, the breeders are only breeding to suit that marketplace, and not looking at what selective breeding can produce.
Returns on alpaca fleece are always a contention, but aiming to produce fleece for a sock market, when we can supply the top end fashion market producing a more desireable return for the fleece and garments.- in the commercial sense.
I take my hat off to the ladies that are also using their imagination at home, who are also looking further than socks.
I see some of the beautiful garments from the home spinner and knitter, felter and weaver, and again it is only limited to their imagination.
Alpaca fibre is so beautiful, and when i see some of the most beautiful fleece, the highest of lustre, the finest of microns, the handle and the feel, in some of the most georgeous natural colours, can only give you inspiration to produce this most magical of yarns.