Solitaire

Autumn is slowly but surely rolling over into winter. The last of our cria for 2017-2018 season has been born ( a little girl, now named Solitaire), and most of our last matings for the season have reached their final spit-off status.

We added 4 black girls to our herd last month, acquiring 2 mothers and their female cria, to help build up our herd again following a number of successful sales over the summer period. We are also in negotiation to buy a grey female and her cria, and a weanling female, so we have had quite a few changes to our herd over the last year.

We expect to have females for sale again in the very near future as some of our girls have their pregnancies confirmed, so if you are looking to buy, don’t hestitate to get in touch.

Buzz

Buzz was wethered (castrated) today, and now officially joins our pet boys as a farm ambassador. He has already been taking our visitors for walks for several months, and has proven a star at this task, so he will remain with us for the next few years with the other wethers (geldings) who fulfill this task. At the moment he is in a small paddock together with our oldest and calmest wether, Bracken, while he heals.

If you have read our page, Grey and Roan Alpacas, you will know we asked a question about Tessa – is she brown or rose grey? Genetically, she could be either, as she has a rose grey mother, however to look at, she is simply a brown alpaca with white markings. The correct answer is: we will never know, unless she gives birth to a grey cria, who has a solid coloured sire.

Tessa

The question has now been answered: last Thursday, Tessa gave birth to Zorro, a lovely little grey male, sired by our black stud, Yaringa Masterclass. As a result, Tessas breeding value has increased immensly: no longer just a brown alpaca, but a rose grey, who may have more grey cria in the future – here’s hoping!

The National Show was held in Feilding this year. As Feilding is only a couple of hours travel away, The Alpaca Place was well represented with a show team of 7 alpacas. 

Liz obviously looks like an expert: she was approached by a reporter from a small local newspaper to answer questions about alpacas ….. and then to our surprise, not only did the article feature locally, but also found its way to the USA where it was reproduced on an Alpaca News website! You can read the article here: national-show-brings-out-338-of-the-best-alpacas-at-feilding-s-manfeild-stadium

Last week, Liz and Cheryl attended New Zealand’s National Alpaca Show together with a small show team of Alpacas. The AANZ National Show is New Zealands Premier Alpaca Show, with the top alpacas in the country on show. Held annually, the National Show alternates between the North and South Islands, and while the National Show is normally held at the northern end of the North Island, this year it was held in Feilding, a town only a couple of hours from Masterton, so was a chance to exhibit some of our better alpacas.

As New Zealands premier event, it has long been considered that to win any kind of a ribbon at a National Show is an achievement, so we were delighted to return home with 2 ribbons, Huari Strike!! taking a 4th place ribbon in the medium/dark fawn junior male, competing against 13 of NZ’s top junior males, and Huari Resonate was awarded a third placing in a class of 9 Junior Black Males (yes, he is black,en though he looks brown in the photo). We are delighted with their success!