The past two weeks have been filled with alpaca activities. I traveled to the Michigan Breeder's Show in Davisburg on May 5-8. I took 5 of my pacas. It is was a huge learning curve and so much fun. I met amazing people and had a wonderful time in the show ring. I went by myself and Ashton Stone Farms trailered my animals and helped me with getting my huge panels set up for the pens. I was a nervous wreck before the show. I had spent a fair amount of time worrying about halter training. Mostly because they were so naughty at home. Once in Davisburg, my guys behaved beautifully. It is interesting that alpacas can give you a hard time at home on the lead and at the show they march right along with you. Show offs! As for me, once the show started and it was time to enter the ring I felt absolutely calm and was able to enjoy every minute of it.
Here are a few photos of me in the ring. I received a couple of seconds, a third and a fourth place. Typically my animals were younger than most and some still had cria fleeces. I figured out it is better to wait to take them until they are older. Overall I feel it was a successful venture and am so glad I went.
We haven't done any showing yet. I keep saying, "Maybe next year."
ReplyDeleteI am planning to head to Denver sometime this weekend to watch some of the National Show tho.
Congratulations on your ribbons.
Glad to see you had such a great experience at your first show.
ReplyDeleteI'm still up in the air about showing. Coming from the horse show world... alpaca showing seems rather pointless without a purse.
Great pictures! Congratulations on your first show!
ReplyDeleteYour alpacas are beautiful. Now you won't have to be nervous next time since you'll know what's going to happen. That'll make your next experience even better.
ReplyDeleteSo cool! I am your newest follower. We just got two male alpacas and we love them. I have also begun to spin their fiber, so I am looking forward to following your blog. :) Stop by mine sometime.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the ribbions. Jim always took the paca in the show ring. Our's were usually quite naughty.
ReplyDeleteThey didn't like to be seperated from their pals.
Happy Fiber Arts Friday!
That is one of my favorite shows. It's an interesting learning curve going to halter shows and marketing your animals. I still feel that halter competition isn't doing any good for the fiber arts industry because they are not judging the Alpaca by the standards needed for the fiber industry. A major frustration of mine and another reason I didn't attend any shows this year. I have spun some blue ribbon winnning fleeces that created awful yarn and also spun some fleeces from animals that took the gate that are my best sellers. hmmmm, the jury is still out on this opinion.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! I'm glad it went well :)
ReplyDeleteThanks all! Alpaca shows are so different from horse shows. Alpaca people are wonderful and share their knowledge freely. I hav met fantastic people at horse shows but it is very different.
ReplyDeleteCongrats! Your alpacas look beautiful!
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