Fall 2013

AO News
Published by the members of Alpaca Ontario
In this issue…
April 2013 Show Results
Fibre - What’s happening with
Fibre Initiative
- Barnyard to Bedroom
(It’s not what you
might think!)
How to Build a Barn
Visit a Farm…
What Judge’s are looking for
And Much, Much More!
People’s Choice Photo - Oak Hills Alpacas
Photography Contest April 2013
Photography Contest
Alpaca Ontario Show, April 2013
Cria—First Place
Ferme Pure and Simple Farm
Humour—People’s Choice
Les Alpacas de L’Audret
Mom and Cria—First Place
Alpagas de Toits Rouge
From the Editor…
AO News is published for the membership by the
membership of Alpaca Ontario. It is published twice a
year in the Spring and Fall to coincide with the April Alpaca Ontario Show and the October Education weekend.
Our main objective is to provide our members with
information and ideas, an opportunity to submit articles
and photographs as well as a forum to promote discussion and conversations on all things alpaca.
Our focus in this newsletter is on fibre - from making duvets from alpaca batts to an update on the Fibre
Initiative Committee’s exciting upcoming plans and
events.
I would like to thank all those members who have
so graciously submitted articles to our newsletter Heather Candler, Kathleen Holmes, Mary-Anne Mounce
and Henry Mengers, as well as all the members who entered the April Photography Contest - we will try and get
as many as possible in this Newsletter. I would especially like to thank Glen Finbow, newly certified as an
A.O.B.A. fleece judge, for taking the time to offer some
insight into the art of judging.
If you have comments, ideas or suggestions,
please send them in. We would love to have a “Letters to
the Editor” column in our next and subsequent newsletters. Letters and comments can be e-mailed to [email protected] with “editor” in the subject line. We will try
to print all letters in the entirety, but space constraints
may require some editing.
Deb Coles
Hickory Lane Alpacas
International Plowing Match
Mitchell, Ontario
CONTENTS
Alpaca Ontario 2013 Show Results
(highlights only). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 & 5
Alpaca Ontario at the International
Plowing Match. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 & 7
Barn Raising. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 - 12
From Barnyard to
Bedroom. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 & 14
Fibre Initiative Committee. . . . . . . . . .16 & 17
Perspectives - A Judge’s
View. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 - 20
Visit a Farm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 & 22
Advertisers In This Newsletter
Andre’s Alpacas
Highgate Alpacas
Silver Cloud Alpacas
Alpaca Acres
Thomark Alpacas
Hickory Lane Alpacas
Kickin’ Back Alpaca Ranch
Erilyn Alpacas
Alpaca Ontario
April 2013 Show Results
Due to space constraints, we are only listing Colour, Best in Show, Group and
Performance Champions from the April Show. For a complete listing of all
classes and winners, please go to the Alpaca Ontario website.
Colour Champions
Female Huacaya Black
Male Huacaya Brown
Champion
HH Conclusive’s Jewel
Champion
Zotz de Charlevoix
Reserve
Birchleaf Atreyu Shilo
Reserve
Highgate’s Calypso
Female Huacaya Brown
Male Huacaya Fawn
Champion
Avergan’s Legend’s Tempest
Champion
Norli Jordan
Reserve
Northfork Cinnamon
Reserve
Parajacks Aces Wild
Female Huacaya Fawn
Male Huacaya Light
Champion
Arriba Rachel
Champion
AC Robert Q
Reserve
ITA Dacoya
Reserve
Ariya Cozmo’s Alviero
Female Huacaya Light
Male Huacaya White
Champion
Angora’s Tahari
Champion
Geronimo de Charlevois
Reserve
Silent Valley Chloe
Reserve
Ariya Fonzi’s Caine
Female Huacaya White
Best of Show Suri
Champion
Ariya Highlander’s Kelly
Pootcorner’s Konstantly Eaton
Reserve
Ariya Adagio’s Livia
Supreme Female Huacaya
Male Huacaya Grey
Ariya Highlander’s Kelly
Champion
Sunnyhill’s Dwayne
Supreme Male Huacaya
Reserve
Pootcorner’s Lexus Nigellus
Norli Jordan
Male Huacaya Black
Best Multi Huacaya
Champion
Vintage Countash
DL’s Accolade Quadar
Reserve
High Plains Thunderstruck
Group Classes
Produce of Dam Huacaya
AO - Adult Obstacle
1st
Faith Bar
# of entries 7
2nd
Anntoinette
1st
3rd
High Plains Luella
Echo Lane Farms Alpacas
2nd
Get of Sire Huacaya
1st
High Plains Alazam
2nd
Qolmesa Nanimo
3rd
DPO Lexus 29050
3rd
YO2 - Senior Youth Obstacle - age 13 - 18
# of entries 7
Alessandra Bianco
Junior Youth Showmanship - age 6 - 12
# of entries 2
14
1st
Adriana Bianco
16
18
Alpacas From Eighth and Mud
4th
Katie Chechalk
15
Alpacas From Eighth and Mud
YO1 - Junior Youth Obstacle - age 6 - 12
# of entries 7
1st
Vivianne Desharnais 12
Domaine des Nobles Alpagas inc.
2nd
Victoria Slack
11
Echo Lane Farms Alpacas
3rd
Alexis Lowes
11
Shylexalpaca
4th
Harmony Cloyser
Kendall Storey
9
Split Rock Farms Alpacas
2nd
Alpacas From Eighth and Mud
3rd
Risa Marascio
Alpaca Central
Oak Hills Alpacas
2nd
Heather Laidlaw
Echo Lane Farms Alpacas
Performance
Ruby Candler
Noel Chiotti
Camelot Farms
4th
1st
Emily Laidlaw
10
Alpacas From Eighth and Mud
Meiggie Desharnais 10
Domaine des Nobles Alpagas inc.
Senior Youth Showmanship - age 13 - 18
# of entries 1
1st
Ruby Candler
Oak Hills Alpacas
14
Alpaca Ontario at the
International Plowing Match
The Alpaca Ontario Booth is actually a tent containing our promotional banners and displays, tables of
print material and samples of alpaca end product.
To entice visitors to stop, we have alpaca volunteers
or ambassadors present in a ten foot by eighteen
foot pen. Half of the pen is outdoors and the remainder indoors for shade and protection from the weather.
Mitchell, ON
Sept 17 – 21
Final Day Sept 21 Cancelled.
It was only the second time in one hundred years of
the International Plowing Match and Rural Expo that
the event was cancelled. Previously, it was in 1954
during Hurricane Hazel, that the site was closed.
Although our AO Map got a little water stained during
the Canadian Outdoor Farm Show in Woodstock, the
map was a visual aid to visitors to check out if there
Volunteers and alpaca ambassadors arrived on the
were AO members in their area. Our Northern MemIPM site at 7:40 on Saturday morning only to be de- bers were listed on the left mid-side of the map. This
nied entrance to the tented city, as were all exhibimade it easier for the AO volunteer to present the
tors. The only information available was “drive
visitor with a membership list of the AO members in
around and listen to AM 920”. A few minutes later
their area. Any ideas or suggestions for making this
the announcer said the IPM site would open at 10
display map a little more permanent (but updatable)
am but at the 8 am news, it was then announced that and presentable for the Royal are most welcome.
the site would remain closed for at least 24 hours.
Reason? Too much water standing in proximity to
electrical outlets. During the day, efforts were focused on assisting all those in the RV park to leave
safely.
Our own Mary and Delbert Thompson of Thomark
Alpacas were in that group. Mary and Delbert attend the IPM each year and offer their time to relieve
our AO volunteers for breaks. Delbert may offer answers to questions while Mary demonstrates her
spinning skills. They were on the phone Saturday
morning offering their assistance to remove the AO
booth materials but no one was allowed on the site.
Display boards on easels inside the tent offered information about alpacas, mills and processing. A small
carpeted platform provided a level base for our handspinners and crafters.
Traffic into the tent was initiated by our alpaca ambassadors as the people walked by. Everyone looked
in, most stopped and many began a conversation with
our attendants. We could tell those genuinely interested by the nature of their questions and their persistence in asking further questions. Many then left with
literature, AO member lists, post cards and rack
cards.
Our thanks go out to those giving of their time to travel to both the outdoor shows and share their passion
for raising alpacas:
Carolyn and Doug Lilleyman of Kickin’ Back Alpaca
Ranch
Suelaine Poot of Pootcorners Farm
Carol Harrison of Harrison’s Alpacas
Debbie and Carlo Ziraldo of Ziraldo Alpacas
Karen and Henry Mengers of Andre’s Alpacas
Louise Laidlaw of Echo Lane Farm Alpacas
Margie MacDonald of Blood Moon Alpacas
Victor Brown of Alpaca Park
Rick Anderson of Gold Star Alpacas
Dee Graham of D L Farms
Mary and Delbert Thompson of Thomark Alpacas
John Hengeveld of Cranbrook Acres Alpacas
Faye and Fred Glauser of TLC Alpaca
Next year the Canadian Outdoor Farm Show is still in Woodstock but the IPM will be in Simcoe County near
Barrie, ON. In 2015, the IPM is near Cornwall. Those members in the affected areas are encouraged to be
a part of the corresponding AO TEAM!
Written and submitted by Henry Mengers
If a person knows how to read, but chooses not to, they are no further ahead than the
person who doesn’t know how to.
Samuel Clemens
Barn Raising
(with a little help from our friends)
“I want to move in myself!”
The words rang in our ears like a sweet tune.
Our veterinarian’s glowing review as he entered our
new barn for the first time and gazed out over the pastures was the greatest compliment we could receive.
Once you have dedicated your family and land to
raising alpacas, and have truly fallen for these beautiful animals, you want to provide them with the very
best home and shelter. We settled on land that was a
blank canvas. No house, no barn, and no fencing –
just beautiful pasture.
Designing our barn from scratch was daunting
but an opportunity to tailor it to the unique needs of
alpacas. Being new to both farming and raising alpacas meant it required a great deal of research. The real research began on our vacation. Previous to buying our herd, we toured Western Ontario visiting a
number of alpaca farms ranging from large to small,
with everything from adapted livestock barns to newlyconstructed alpaca barns. At each stop we learned
something new that eventually made its way into the
ideal design for our new shelter and pasture layout.
Once we returned home the internet research
began. We found many wonderful farms with established websites that shared wisdom learned in constructing their shelters. After many months, and several of my husband’s sketches, we had a design that
seemed ideal. We then took this design to several
friends who raise alpacas and who were happy to review the plans and make suggestions.
Now design and implementation are two different
things … and finding an affordable way to make it a
reality is yet another. The best way to find solutions is
to work with your neighbours. After shopping our design around and getting quotes that exceeded our
budget by a mile, we decided to take it to our neighbours … neighbours who know how to build a barn.
In recent years, our community has been fortunate enough to welcome newcomers who have made
the area even more authentic to it rural roots. Many
Amish families have settled in and around Stirling, ON
from Western Ontario. Experts in barn construction,
they were delighted to quote on the job, but were mystified by the concept of alpacas. They were about to
meet these foreign, new creatures, and we were
about to have a very unique cultural experience.
The Amish community has established a construction industry of their own in this region, operating
a lumber mill just concessions away, meeting my underlying goal to use sustainable building materials and
techniques. From the outset it was clear that quality
would be the first distinction on this job. A 2x4 was
actually a 2x4. All the wood was rough, unplaned
wood. Every joint was strong, every angle perfect.
And the stall construction, all in white oak, was to a
standard that would contain a draft horse, not to mention an alpaca. The end product speaks for itself.
This barn will endure for generations.
In addition to the quality of their work, our team
of Amish builders brought a unique cultural experience to our farm for the several weeks they were on
site. We had built a home on the property just two
years before. The stress of that experience was still
fresh in our minds. So we were more than pleased to
experience something completely different on this
build. There is something indescribably peaceful and
satisfying about construction meetings held in the
dead of winter, by the light of an oil lamp and the heat
of a wood stove, with your contractor’s warm and welcoming family all around (several generations). The
deal is sealed with a handshake, and the insistence
that a deposit just won’t be accepted – that he’ll be
there when the warm weather arrives.
Construction began in May 2009. As we sat at
The most significant things we learned along the way
the breakfast table eating our cheerios a horse and
and applied to our own barn design included:
buggy trotted by the window, filled with the work crew,
trailing a wagon behind filled with tools. Their depend- 
A “Run-Out Barn” design allows alpacas to come
ability was unmatched, with the team showing up each
and go as they please, eliminating the pressure
morning until their work was complete. And as we setto move animals in and out, day and night, in
tled up each bill as the job progressed, there was an
good weather and bad. They seek shelter when
honesty and fairness in their approach that was very
and where needed. This is as close to “self
refreshing. The job was certainly a business transacserve” as you get. A run out barn also provides
tion, but also a means to help a neighbor, and it
ideal ventilation for animals who need fresh, cool
showed.
air. Be sure to orient your barn so it is not exposed to cold wind or blowing snow. Ensure that
only morning light penetrates the barn and that
hot afternoon sun is blocked.
The result was a 1,320 sq. ft. “Run Out” style
barn. It includes four 10’ by 20’ stalls, allowing us to
segregate pregnant females with cria from yearlings,
gelding and males. A 9’ by 8’ warm room provides an
insulated area for recovering animals and storage of
medical supplies and feed. Hay storage is provided at
the rear of the barn in 40’ by 6’, 240 square foot area,
large enough to also store wheel barrows and other
larger equipment. The “multi-purpose” hallway is 6’
wide, allowing room to turn and work easily around
animals. And a rain water harvesting and filtration
system provides a year-round water supply. The exterior construction is white pine board and batten with a
metal roof, with interior beams, walls and stalls in
white oak.
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Be sure to include a window of unbreakable plexiglass in your warm room so the animal never
loses sight of the herd, avoiding stress. A metal
parts cabinet once used by my auto mechanic
father makes the ideal, lockable medicine cabinet. Our warm room also functions as our feed
room with feed bins easily removed if necessary.
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A frost free pump in the warm room keeps the
cistern water flowing year round.
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A rainwater collection system (2,000 gallon cistern)
with filtration at the downspout creates a great water
source, minimizing the stress on rural wells and
eliminating run-off issues from those large spanning
roofs.
A rain barrel set to overflow into galvanized tubs in
pastures make great footbaths on hot summer days.
Concrete in hallways and rooms make for easy
cleanup.
Make your hallway multi-purpose. Ours is a
tackroom, tool storage, weigh station, welcome station (including guestbook and information packages), recording area (calendar for notes), children’s
art exhibition space and show ribbon exhibition
space. This is all achieved by carefully organizing
each area and mounting items on the wall or hanging them from hooks. Everything is off the ground
and neatly in place.
Ensure electrical services are brought to each stall
for heated water buckets and to various places in
the hallway and outside for tools.
We have found drywall mud pans make excellent
feeders for each alpaca. Shallow and long, they
distribute the feed sufficiently to prevent choking.
These are mounted in wooden boxes and easily lift
out for periodic washing.
Lexan panels in the roof bring daylight into dark
places. I have found myself leaving the barn with
the urge to switch the light off because the sun is
drenching even the darkest corners with light.
Stall doors designed to meet barn walls when open
create yet another holding area.
Chips and dust make an ideal barn floor and stall
material. Porous in the warm months, it drains well
and is cool on the bellies of the animals as they
cush. And it provides just enough dust for a good
roll.
Ensure you are able to provide a quarantine pen
and pasture for animals returning from shows or
farm visits.
Dutch doors provide ideal ventilation and security to
keep escapees confined when they follow you into
the hallway to explore.
Minimal hay storage is required for alpacas who eat
modestly in comparison to other livestock. Keep it
central and as close to your animals as possible.
Bales are much lighter when carried only a short
distance! Our area is adjacent and open to the
driveway so the haywagon can pull right up and un-
load quickly and easily. We used vapour barrier to
weatherproof the area in an expensive fashion and
to allow light to penetrate.
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Be sure to include room for storage of bagged manure if you plan to capitalize on the other marketable resource these animals produce – alpaca
beans.
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Driveway access. Driveways are expensive. Make
vehicular access to your barn as short as possible.
Driveways are expensive to create, plow and maintain. Level access to your barn is crucial at all times
of year.
Our run out style barn lends itself to an ideal pasture configuration that again makes the workload and
handling the herd a pleasure. It was inspired by Alpaca
Pastures of Virginia (www.alpacapasturesva.com) who
provide an outstanding website just filled with inspiring
ideas for farm planning. We have 5 pastures totaling just
over an acre on our 7 acre farm, offering plenty of room
for expansion when the time comes.
So, our “barn raising” was a unique partnership of
the past and present – the best of old world building techniques, combined with the best of research and design.
The benefactors are our small herd. Were there challenges? Of course. When working with an Amish builder
there are no cell phones or telephones involved to communicate and settle last minute details. We often had to
find Robert (our builder) by driving out to his farm, consulting with his family, and even following wagon tracks to
a nearby farm to have a chat. Our daughter enjoyed
“tracking Robert” with us, often being rewarded with fresh
cinnamon buns baked by his sisters when we visited his
farm.
As newcomers to farming, the experience of design
an ideal alpaca shelter was daunting but rewarding. But
the greatest reward came when that final beam was put in
place, the stall door swung closed, and our alpacas began humming their first tune. We’ve never looked back.
Other tips:
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Your barn is your sales office. Keep it neat and tidy.
This reflects on the quality of your animals and your
standard of care when clients come calling.
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Have sales material and general information available
in a public area of your barn at all times. We placed a
guest book in the barn and have returned home to find
visitors have come calling from across the province.
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Consider what it takes to do your chores as time and
age creep up on you. Design can make your workload
light – something to appreciate on days you have to
rush out to work, or later in life when bones begin to
creak.
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If you are designing your barn for alpacas, be sure to
make the design flexible enough that the barn can later
be used for any type of livestock. This will broaden the
appeal and enhance the value of your property to future buyers.
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Don’t forget to include the most important item in your
pasture – a nice comfortable chair to sit back and admire your peaceful herd. Enjoy!
Heather Candler, co-owner of Oak Hills Alpacas (OH Alpacas) with husband Michael and daughters Samantha and Ruby live in Stirling, Ontario, Canada. Their new sustainable farm is home to 8 alpacas, a
livestock guardian dog and family dog. Heather works as general manager of a development corporation by day and Michael is a monument craftsmen. Their alpaca farm is their commitment to slower living to balance their busy careers and full family life. All members of the Candler family play an active
role in farm life. Visit www.ohalpacas.com or contact the Candlers at [email protected].
“Barn Yard to Bedroom”
Thirteen years and still growing! Wow, it is hard to
believe how much time has passed and what Kathleen
and Erma of Salem Alpacas Farm have accomplished.
Situated on 25 picturesque acres in the Kawartha Lakes
area, Salem Alpacas was established in 2000 with just a
few alpacas. Since those early days, Kathleen and Erma
have grown their herd of huacaya alpacas and have participated in countless festivities and hosted numerous onfarm events – sharing their passion for alpacas with the
outside world. As founding members of Alpaca Ontario,
they have enjoyed the annual AO shows and chatting
about alpacas with visitors at the Royal Winter Fair. Kathleen also served 6 years with the AO Board as Advertising Director and then President. Their efforts now are
mainly focused on the care of their animals and continued
growth of Salem Alpacas.
Employing sewing experience gained through her
years as an upholsterer, Kathleen undertook the creation
of their first prototypes of alpaca filled duvets. The first
attempts yielded duvets that were much too warm as they
used larger amounts of alpaca batting than were necessary as they thought that the duvets had to be as thick
and lofty as typical down filled duvets. Because of the
greater insulating qualities of alpaca, that myth was soon
dispelled as they had better success with much thinner
batts, which produced a remarkably lightweight, comfortably cozy duvet that moderated body temperature throughout the cold months as well as the warmer months. Not
too hot, not too cool! As Goldilocks said, “Just right!”
Another misperception that was debunked early on
involved the incorrect assumption that alpaca fibre had to
be blended with another type of fibre such as sheep’s
Although breeding has always been important to
wool in order to produce satisfactory batting for duvets.
them, Kathleen and Erma embraced the fibre side of the Not so!! Contrary to what was originally thought, batts
business right off the “batt” (pun intended) as they knew
made from 100% alpaca do indeed hold together very
that their success and the success of the alpaca industry well and provide a suitable level of loft for duvets. By usas a whole was dependent on getting the gorgeous fibre ing only alpaca fibre and no sheep’s wool, Salem Alpacas
into the hands of consumers. An idea for a niche market Handmade Duvets can be considered non-allergenic and
soon blossomed… You may have heard the catch line
are therefore perfect for those who are sensitive to wool
“Fleece to Fashion”. What about “Barnyard to Bedroom?” or lanolin.
What am I talking about? Well, duvets of course! Known
for its extraordinary insulating properties and nonallergenic quality, alpaca fibre makes the perfect filler for
duvets and offers an opportunity to use various grades of
alpaca fibre. Their journey to develop their now famous
Salem Alpacas Handmade Duvets had begun!
In their early days, Kathleen also experimented with
various stitching patterns used to hold the batts between
the fabric. They soon settled on a unique stitching pattern
that locks the batts between the 100% cotton down-proof
fabric so that the batts cannot shift or bunch unlike feathers or down. The batting stays in place even after many
years of use, maintaining even batting distribution and
providing consistent heat retention throughout the whole
duvet.
With the batting thickness and the stitching pattern
settled upon, the duo was ready to launch a marketable
product by September 2002. Offering king, queen, double, twin, and crib/lap alpaca duvets both retail and wholesale, they have produced and sold well over 1000 duvets
to date! Salem Alpacas duvets have been shipped all
over Ontario; across Canada and some have even made
their way to Europe and the US! While many of their duvets are created with batting made from their own alpacas
or from fibre that they purchased from other farms, many
alpaca producers have requested wholesale duvets using
alpaca batting from their own herds. This adds a personal touch to their product for their own beds or for their
farm stores as they can offer their customers an opportunity to “sleep” with their favourite alpaca! Other folks
enjoy giving loved ones an alpaca duvet derived from
their own alpacas to honour a particularly special alpaca.
Some of Kathleen and Erma’s wholesale customers
prefer a “whole-herd” approach to their duvets and at
skirting and sorting time, they place all appropriate duvet
fibre from each alpaca fleece into a bag to be blended
and processed into alpaca duvet batting. What better way
to make use of the lesser grade and coarser fibre (not the
hairy, straight bib and leg)? They strongly encourage customers wishing to follow this route to check with their mill
to find out the requirements for processing their fibre into
batts including maximum and minimum staple length as
each mill has their own unique specifications. Of course,
this is best done before skirting and sorting the fleeces to
ensure that the fibre requirements are met and unsuitable
fibre does not contaminate the batch.
With a greater than 10 year history of creating lightweight, warm, and breathable alpaca duvets, Salem Alpacas Handmade duvets have become an icon in the alpaca world, as more and more lucky alpaca duvet owners
enjoy a more comfortable and restful night’s sleep under
cover of the glorious alpaca. Sweet dreams!
Submitted by
Kathleen Holmes,
Salem Alpacas
Manilla, Ontario
Salemalpacas.com
Fibre Initiative Committee
By Mary Anne Mounce, Committee Secretary
I’ve been involved in lots of different committees: some to do with alpacas and lots not. But I’ve
never been involved in a committee that generated
so much excitement for its members and caused
them to be thrilled to work hard on behalf of its initiatives. There is a very good reason for the enthusiasm of this committee: it is because of the shared
conviction that the success of the Canadian alpaca
industry depends upon the efficient use of alpaca fibre. These are such simple words; but they imply so
much!
FIBRE ON THE AO WEBSITE
A key organizing principle guiding all of our
work is the Value Chain of alpaca fibre production
and processing. Now, this could sound rather theoretical but, honestly, it is not. Despite the sound of
the name, value chain is a simple and highly valuable approach that many agricultural enterprises are
using. The value chain approach depends upon taking each small step of your alpaca business and examining it carefully to see if you are doing it as efficiently and profitably as possible. If you go to the AO
website, http://www.alpacaontario.ca/valuechain.php
you will see the usual steps in a value chain for an
alpaca fibre business. In future, the Fibre Initiative
Committee will be organizing workshops to guide AO
members through the preparation of their own specific value chain that will reflect their unique operation.
Another project that our committee hopes will
help each and every member of Alpaca Ontario is
the Harvest Code of Practice, which is also on the
AO website: http://www.alpacaontario.ca/
harvestcode.php For both the value chain and the
Harvest Code of Practice, any suggestions that
members would like to offer for improvements will be
gratefully received. Your suggestions could help us
all!
And, finally, again on the AO website you can
now go on line to buy and sell alpaca fibre. Just go
to the fibre section and, on the pull-down menu, select “buy or sell”. Follow the instructions there to either offer your fibre for sale OR request some fibre
that you are interested in purchasing.
As part of our efforts to help provide fibre
education opportunities for AO members, the Fibre
Committee is organizing an “Alpaca Fibre: Classer
Certification Course”. It will be offered this winter by
Alpaca Ontario in collaboration with Haliburton College. Cathy Merkley will be the course instructor and
we hope that you will watch the AO website and Bulletin for details about the course, including the date
and venue.
ABOUT THE AO EDUCATION WEEKEND
The next major project that your AO Fibre Initiative Committee is undertaking will be in collaboration
with the Education Committee. The Board of Directors decided that this Fall’s education weekend
would coincide with the Canadian National Alpaca
Sale and Futurity: East this October 24 – 27 In Orangeville. The education focus for this event will be
FIBRE and, consequently the Fibre Initiative Committee was tasked with organizing the fibre-related
events for the weekend. Corinne Cote, chair of the
Education Committee, liaised with us and provided
assistance along the way.
The centerpiece of the weekend will be AO’s
first Sort-a-Thon. Our Committee members have
been told repeatedly that a huge and serious impediment to getting alpaca fibre from the raw, sheared,
beginning to glorious final salable products is the
sorting of the fleece which is a prerequisite to moving
it on toward processing and, ultimately, the market.
In response to this clearly-expressed need, we have
investigated a solution which has been successful
elsewhere, including the U.S.: the Sort-a-Thon.
Here is the core information about AO’s first
their expertise, the hard work of the Fibre Initiative
Sort-a-Thon that will be held in Orangeville during the Committee, and your support, this can be a highly
Futurity.
successful event. We hope you will help by submitting your fleece and by volunteering to work during
First of all, it is a wonderful opportunity to have the event. There will be opportunities to volunteer
your fleece professionally sorted by a certified sorter, available when you complete the registration form.
who will, in addition to the sorted fleece, provide you
with a written assessment of your fleece. This valuable feedback will help you in determining the end-use
of your fibre, and will also assist you in making
breeding decisions. The charge will be $10/fleece
and the deadline for registration is October 18. ArMembers of the Fibre Initiative Committee:
rangements will be made for fleeces to be mailed or
delivered to a collection point; but the key point is
Robert Martel (chair) – 705-785-3389
that the paper work must be received by the 18th.
Mary Anne Mounce (Secretary)
Each fleece is to be rolled, and second cuts, debris,
and guard hair are to be removed, to the extent posDeb Griffey,
sible.
Secondly, once your fleece has been dealt with
by a certified sorter, you may take it away with you or
you can offer it for sale. There will be buyers at the
event with whom you can deal.
Thirdly, a key point to consider is that there will
be two highly-experienced classers in charge of the
Sort-a-Thon: Wini Labrecque who has overseen numerous sort-a-thons in the U.S. and Cathy Merkley
who most of you know is an AOBA-certified fleece
and halter judge, an instructor in fleece sorting and is
involved in many other fibre-related activities. With
Denise Martel,
Suelaine Poot,
Deb Coles,
Melody Macdonald,
Cathy Merkley
Jody Henderson.
Membership Renewal
All members please note that membership invoices have been sent out
And are due for payment by October 31, 2013.
If you are not a member of Alpaca Ontario, but would like to join, please visit
Our website www.alpacaontario.ca for information and
Benefits of becoming a member as well as
Downloadable membership forms.
Perspectives
A Judges’ View
Glen Finbow – Split Rock Farms Alpacas.
Glen and Lynda Finbow of Split Rock Farms, located in scenic Ridgeway, Ontario have been breeding
and raising alpacas for over nine years. Active in many
alpaca organizations including Alpaca Ontario, Alpaca
Canada, CLAA and the AOBA, they have been at the
forefront of promoting alpacas and the alpaca fibre industry.
In addition to publishing “The Alpaca Breeder’s
Terminology Sourcebook”, Glen has recently completed
the lengthy and arduous AOBA Judge’s Certification
Programme (fleece). Glen has agreed to an interview
with Alpaca Ontario to discuss showing from a judge’s
perspective and his views on the future of the alpaca
industry in Canada and the United States. Glen is the
first male judge to be certified by A.O.B.A. in Canada .
Q.
What prompted you and Lynda to start raising
and breeding alpacas?
Lynda and I were looking for something to do
with our 60 acre property other than the bed and breakfast we were running in the summer of 2004. While attending the Erie County Fair one August, we happened
upon an ad by a Cuba, NY alpaca farm which we found
intriguing. We made an appointment to visit them the
following week, fell in love with the animals and the lifestyle we saw. After much research (there's so much
more info available now than when we started) and a
visit to six different farms, we wound up buying our first
black female alpaca from James and Denise Cole in Peterborough, Ontario at Christmastime.
Q.
How long had you been raising alpacas before
getting involved as a Director with the various
organizations that you were a member of?
I first volunteered for the AO Board of Directors in
2005, helping on several committees, before being
elected to the Board in 2006.
I currently sit on the Canadian Llama & Alpaca
Registry Board, the Eastern Canadian National Alpaca
Sale & Futurity Board, the Alpaca Ontario Board, the
Photo courtesy of Ms. Karen Audet, Fort Erie Chamber of
Commerce
Quechua Benefit (Canada) Board and the A.O.B.A.
Judge Training Program (halter and performance) with
exams and testing to be completed in December, 2014
in Hillsboro, Oregon
Q.
Can you briefly describe what is involved in becoming a certified AOBA judge and what
prompted you to undertake the required training?
To become an A.O.B.A. Apprentice, you must first
meet all the criteria in the A.O.B.A. Show System handbook, Part 12, as follows:
a) You must have a minimum of 4 years experience as a breeder of alpacas or extensive professional
experience judging livestock.
b) You must have experience evaluating alpaca
fleece, conformation and movement.
c) You must have experience as a handler at a
show.
d) You must have experience as a ring steward
and gatekeeper and be able to demonstrate a depth
of knowledge of both positions
. e)
You must have experience as a public speaker.
Q.
What is the first thing you look for when a
competitor enters the ring?
Conformation comes first ... size, leg structure,
head style and overall appearance. Does it look
like the alpaca pictured in our training manuals as being ideal or does it have too long ears or other traits
resembling a llama?
We are taught to completely ignore the hanf) You must submit a resume to the Administrator
dler ... the alpaca has our total focus.
of the J.T.C.C. (Judge Training & Certification ComShows are based on two judging criteria: 50/50
mittee) at the A.O.B.A. office in Nashville, Tennessee.
g) You must receive approval for attendance at the fleece v. conformation or 60/40 fleece v. conformation, depending upon the rules for each show as
Apprentice Judge Qualification Clinic held in Hillsbodecided upon by the Show Superintendent.
ro, Oregon.
h) You must receive a grade of 75% or higher
and recommendations from the J.T.C.C. and
A.O.B.A. before you begin the Apprenticeship Program (for me, it was Feb. 2011).
Q.
As a Judge, are you at all put off if the animal
is being less than cooperative (balking,
jumping, kushing?)
Since it is a 4-year program, my final testing will
O.K. Let's start this one off by saying I've been
kicked (sometimes in delicate areas), knocked down,
be held in December 2014.
spat at ... you name it. If an alpaca is restless, jumping, running away, spitting, kushing, etc. most judges
The Apprentice must attend and successfully
will attempt a fleece evaluation 3 times before moving
complete the following clinics (A, B & C). These train- on. The safety of the handler, ring steward, other exing clinics must be completed before you are permit- hibitors and the judge must be the no. 1 priority. Suted to start your apprenticeships in the ring or the
ris, by nature, tend to be more temperamental, so you
fleece room. D & E can be completed the following
have to approach them differently than a huacaya. All
year.
this having been said, we do our best to judge every
A) Total Immersion Fleece Clinic: 3 days in Nash- animal fairly, but sometimes, just like people, an animal is having a really bad day.
ville, Tennessee
B)
Form & Function: 2 days in Bend, Oregon
C)
Oral Reasons Clinic: 2 days in Bend, Oregon Q.
D) Total Immersion Huacaya Clinic: 2 days in
Gainsville, Virginia
E) Total Immersion Suri Clinic: 2 days in Gainsville, Virginia
Many have asked how much all of this costs
and what is involved.
I will have spent over $40,000 to travel across
the U.S. since June, 2010. It is just like going back to
university with the training, reading and studying.
The love of the animals, the fun with exhibitors,
my fellow judges and the possibility of world travel
after certification motivated me to dedicate 4 years to
this endeavour.
Even though the alpaca is being judged on
fleece and conformation only, is it difficult
for you personally to discount the level of
training the animal has had and the handler's
ability?
Usually you can tell in the first few seconds as
the animal approaches about how much training the
animal has had. The good ones work as a team, each
knowing what to do, where to go and how to stand for
the best viewing. Again, only the animal's fleece and
conformation are being assessed, not the handler.
Q.As time goes on, do you see a possibility of al- Q. As both a judge and a breeder, what should
paca shows becoming more like some other types breeders be striving for?
of shows (e.g. dog shows) or will they remain fo- o Uniformity of colour -- no other coloured fibres
cussed on fibre and conformation?
(contamination)
No. The show process started approximately 23 o Consistent micron/fineness/handle
years ago (1990) in Grass Valley, California. There
o Staple type/density
were 36 animals, six classes, shown by seven breeders. The show was judged by a llama judge. A.O.B.A. o Uniformity of length
o Narrow s/p ratio
continues to hone its shows and show system rules
and began its own judging programs in 2000. So, we o Crimp/Lock Style
are only 13 years into having bonafide alpaca judges o Brightness/luster
judge our shows and as the growth continues across
o Lack of guard hair
the world, alpacas will always be judged accordingly.
Shows are now held in Canada, the U.S., Peru, Ger- o Weight
many, England, France, Italy, Australia, New Zealand Q.What advice would you give to someone who is
and being newly developed in several other countries thinking about getting into the alpaca industry?
worldwide. And, yes, the focus everywhere is on fibre
My advice would be to research alpacas via the
and conformation.
web and publications/books --- as many as you can
Q. The alpaca industry has sometimes been
get your hands on --- to understand animal husbandry
compared to the somewhat disastrous emu indus- on a daily/weekly basis. Research is key. Visit several
try in North America where we will reach a point
farms and read their websites for ideas on barns, paswhere there are too many animals and no one to
ture layout, etc. Ask lots of questions and attend as
buy them. What are your thoughts on this and
many seminars as possible. Completely educate yourwhere do you envision the industry in North Amer- self! Constantly volunteer: ring steward, gate steward,
ica in five years.
scribe, fleece room -- all valuable teaching tools -don't leave it up to everybody else. And one of the
We have no where near the amount of alpacas
most important aspects is to find a mentor, someone
that we need to carry out a commercial
you can trust and whose opinion you value. My menfleece industry, i.e., Canada has approximately
tor turned out to be a fabulous breeder in Saskatoon -30,000 alpacas, the States 250,000. We need patience. We are such a new industry. We cannot go
so your mentor doesn't have to be down the street -about this as a cash cow, at least not yet. Rome was- only a good communicator and available to you. Also,
n't built in a day and our alpaca industry won't
spread out your genetics by investing in alpacas from
be either. To establish a herd with really good blood- several reputable farms.
lines takes time. No one should go into this expecting
The better your initial purchases are, the faster
to make a quick buck or if they don't inherently love
you
will
be competing for that championship and reanimals .... that is a recipe for disaster. I see our inserve championship banner or ribbon.
dustry continuing to grow. Sure, we'll take our lumps
along the way, but we must stay focused on the pot of
Relax and enjoy your new lifestyle.
gold at the end of the rainbow. On a personal note, if I
Thank you for this opportunity.
ever for one minute thought that the alpaca industry
would mimic the emu flop, I never would have invest- With kindest regards,
ed my time and money to either own animals or beGlen Finbow, A.O.B.A.-Certified Fleece Judge
come a judge.
Visit An Alpaca Farm Today
As a fun filled family outing , come visit a local alpaca farm today and see the beauty and
grace of these fine animals.
A great way to learn about alpaca farming opportunities The kids will love it too!
Victory Farm Alpacas & Store Lanark, ON
Visit their website victoryfarmalpacas.com
Email: [email protected]
1701 3rd Con Dalhousie, Lanark, ON
Contact Person: Brian Riff & Alanna Riff
Phone: 613-259-0228
Andre's Alpacas
Visit their website andresalpacas.com
Email: [email protected]
033201 Drive In Road, RR #1
Hanover ON N4N 3B8
Contact Person: Henry A. Mengers
Hickory Lane Alpacas
Phone: 519 - 364 - 4921
Visit their website hickorylanealpacas.ca
Email: [email protected]
7326 County Road 9, RR #3 Napanee ON K7R 3K8
Amazing Graze Alpacas
Visit their website www.amazinggrazealpacas.ca
Email: [email protected]
Contact Person: David or Deb Coles
Phone: 613 354-1480
127 Sine Road, Stirling, Ontario K0K 3E0
Contact Person: Marjory Brady
Phone: 613-395-6406
Hidden Hollow Alpacas
Alpaca Acres
Visit their website www.hiddenhollowalpacas.ca
Email: [email protected]
Visit their website www.alpacaacres.ca
Email: [email protected]
5009 Ninth Line, Erin, ON
3979 Road 108 rr4 Stratford, On
Contact Person: Carolynne Rodgers
Contact Person: Ann Clayburn
Phone: 519-625-1064
Phone: 416-885-7365
Highgate Alpacas
Twoloom Alpacas
Visit their website highgatealpacas.com
Email: [email protected]
Visit their website www.twoloomalpacas.ca
Email: [email protected]
1515 North Shore Road, Algonquin Highlands
Ontario
290 County Road 35, RR#2 Hastings ON K0L 1Y0
Contact Person: Jane McKee
Contact Person: Melody Macdonald
Phone: 705-696-1649
Phone: 705-489-2519
Great Canadian Alpaca Ranch
Northfork Alpacas
Visit their website Greatcanadianalpaca.com
Email: [email protected]
Visit their website northforkalpacas.com
Email: [email protected]
223 Milgate Road, Grafton ON K0K 2G0
373 Feasby Road Uxbridge ON L9P 1R1
Contact Person: James Cole or Casey Dewit
Phone: 705 750 5442
Contact Person: Ian Fockler & Mary Saindon
Phone: 905-852-1703
Silent Valley Alpaca
Visit their website silentvalleyalpaca.ca
Email: [email protected]
Pootcorners
Visit their website pootcorners.com
Email: [email protected]
9455 Perth Road 146, RR#2 Palmerston ON
Contact Person: Suelaine Poot
Phone: 519-343-3745
Split Rock Farms Alpacas
Visit their website www.splitrockfarmsbb.com
Email: [email protected]
1652 Ridge Road North, RR#2 Ridgeway (Fort
Erie), Ontario
Contact Person: Glen or Lynda Finbow
Phone: (905) 382-7777
1120 Donaldson Rd. Ompah, ON
(approx. 40 km NW of Perth)
Contact Person: Robert or Hanne Quigley
Phone: 613-479-0307
More Photo
Winners
Motion - First Place
Timberlane Ranch
Other Farm Friends, Too
People’s Choice - Victory Farm
Farm Scenes - First Place
Remington Valley
13th ANNUAL ALPACA ONTARIO SPRING SHOW
Open to the Public
April 12 & 13, 2014
Show Judges
Peter Kennedy
Ken Hibbits
Get ready for the 13th Annual Alpaca Ontario Spring Show! This halter show has almost 300
alpacas in every colour of the alpaca rainbow. In addition to a world class contest featuring two show rings,
you can look forward to a fantastic fibre arts competition and alpaca fashion show.
Location: Orangeville Event Centre (AKA Orangeville Fairgrounds)
City: Orangeville, Ontario
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
FREE ADMISSION AND PARKING
Saturday – 9am to 4pm
Sunday – 9am to 3pm
(or until completion of competition)
The public is invited to join us in this wonderful fun-filled 'alpaca weekend'. Invite your friends and relatives to join you in Orangeville for a
chance to see some of Canada's top alpacas up close.
For more information, please go to www.alpacaontario.ca