Alpaca Show Results: And the Winner Is.....

Calzada's Manchu's Olivier Takes 1st Place at AOBA Nationals!

It was a fun alpaca show season for Alpacas at Hum Sweet Hum.  We attended 3 AOBA shows this season.  Alpacapalooza in Washington was the first.  I took 5 alpacas; Calzada's Manchu's Olivier, HSH Calvin, HSH Jujube, HSH Speirit Light, and Peruvian Qinti's Charango (co-owned with Aragon Alpacas).  We came home with ribbons from the entire herd.  I was walking on cloud-9 after winning Reserve Color Championship with Olivier.  The judge was very impressed with my boy.  During the final championship round, the judge examined Olivier and the alpaca that won Color Championship multiple times.  She was having such a hard time deciding who would take first.  The excitement mounted each time the judge would take a step back and ponder her decision.  We were standing next to one of the bigger named farms who have consistent champions, so taking Reserve behind that farm and knowing how close we were to taking Color Championship was a real thrill.  Charango also took a 1st place and had such great comments regarding his fleece mentioned by the judge.  Jujube took a 2nd place too.  Speirit Light and Calvin were in such competitive classes for their colors.  Speirit light took 5th place and she was standing next to so many big farms so coming home with a ribbon was huge for us.  I have to say, the alpaca breeders are doing such an amazing job breeding fantastic fleeces.  The competition is so stiff.  There is so little differences between first and 6th places that the judges have a difficult time finding the qualities to decide on placements.

HSH Jujube takes 2nd place at AlpacaPalooza. 

The second show we attended was CABA in Portland, Oregon.  Again, the competition is so amazingly tough.  We had a great time and Calvin and Olivier came home with 2nd places and Charango came home with a 3rd place.  But the most exciting show for us was Nationals.  I sent Olivier to see how he would do against that level of competition.  I was unable to attend myself, but sent him with another farm, Wings and A Prayer Alpacas.  I sat on pins and needles when I received the text that Olivier was in the ring.  I had to read my text twice when I saw that he took 1st place!  My boy Olivier brought it home!  The judge just loved his strong conformation and consistent, fine and dense fleece.

The show kids are all home again and we are all happy to have them home.  Now, we are anxiously awaiting our first cria from Olivier to see how well he passes on his amazing qualities.  There are two babies due this fall and we have dates lining up for him after his exceptional wins this spring.   It is a long road to get these alpacas to shows.  Breeders spend many hours researching genetics and the Alpaca Registry to choose what male or female they want to breed to.  Then, we have to wait about 11 1/2 months for the baby to be born and at least 6 months before they are old enough to send to alpaca shows.  This spring was Alpacas at Hum Sweet Hum's best show season to date.  Now, the fun begins again with new babies and then their show time!