TOFT Hosts BAS Level 1 Judge training...

Busy old week on the Manor as we hosted the BAS level 1 Judge training course here at TOFT. Course Tutors were BAS Judges, Liz Barlow and Jay Holland, Shirley was observing so she can tutor in the near future and yours truly was on domestic duty, catering, handling and support service. A massive thanks must go to our herdswomen Linda and Freya who'd did a great job of organising the animals and to the handlers who came from far and wide to help lead and hold the alpacas for the prospective judges. A great three days of learning and fun on the Manor.  The delegates all went home exhausted but wiser than when they arrived. We thank then for their good humour throughout and wish them all the very best as they advance through the various BAS judging levels.

Hey ho Off to the Nationals we do go...

TOFT show team were brought out of the shed by Freya this morning, early doors, for an airing outside for a couple of hours before journeying to the International Centre Telford for the British Alpaca Society National Show 2016. 

It is virtually impossible to judge alpacas when they are wet so we shed them up to keep them dry as a bone for a few days before the Nationals. At the Nationals we have fans blowing over them whilst they are in the pens to stop them 'sweating up'. This gives our show team the best chance they've got of competing for the medals the rest is up to them! Here's hoping? 

The show kicks off at the International Centre Telford tomorrow at the crack of sparrow fart and ends around 4pm on Sunday. Over 500 alpacas have been entered making this the biggest show in Europe. It is open to the public if you fancy an alpaca fest. Don't forget to come and say hello to TOFT if you do.

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Happy dry day.....phew! BAS National only a week away.

The National show is only a week away and as luck would have it we have hit a dry cold spell this week at TOFT. The alpacas love every single minute of it. These are some of our TOFT Intermediate boys who were practicing their 'strut' in the cold walking up and down the fence line showing off their masculine presence trying to impress the wee weaner females who were feeding at the time on the hard standing.

Their fleeces dry real quick in this weather and the cold makes their follicles 'ping' and they truly look magnificent in these kind of conditions. We shall be penning the show team up in the shed as soon as the weather looks like turning. Our elite boys and girls deserve to look their best next weekend at the showcase of the year. The British Alpaca Society National Show 2016 at the Internatinal Centre Telford. Friday and Saturday 8 am onwards. Let's hope TOFT do well, certainly the show team have a look and feel about them- we shall see.

Whoopy Daisy with the two time Champ

Yeah, I know it wasn't the best day for photos today and yes we are all knackered from the weekend but before our show team settles down in the quarantine paddocks I thought I'd better get a pic, seeing as how I was too busy yatting to an alpaca breeder when our male  actually won I missed the moment with me camera. The second time the boyo wins Champion Brown Male and I almost missed it. Twas ever thus!

So despite the moans and the weather I dragged Whoopy Daisy out in the garden today to record the moment with TOFT Timogen. Well you have to, don't you, it's not everyday that we win consecutive Championships at the Nationals.

PS: If anyone is seriously considering taking some matings with Timogens dad- Lavender Park Tulley this season can we ask that you get in touch early as it looks like he might have a busy season ahead of him.

Young Handlers at the BAS Nationals

Massive entries of young folk for the young handler classes at the  BAS Nationals. So many that two classes were created split on age. Apprentice judges Julia Corrigan Stuart of C S Alpacas, took on the wee ones and Jo Bridge of Windyridge Alpacas took on the older youngsters. All very creative and charming the young handlers provided a wee treasured attraction amongst the rows and rows of elite alpacas on show.  Well done all you young folk and well done ladies. 

Lovely crop of colour....

Every one of the 9 TOFT entries to the BAS National show got placed resulting in a bonny crop of coloured rosettes from some seriously competitive classes. A massive TOFT thanks to. Barbara Hetherington of Beck Brow alpacas and her merry team of organisers and helpers who made the last two days a massive success. Well done one and all. The. National is a credit to our vibrant community. Roll on next year...same time same place and we'll do it all again...Perfick!

TOFT Timogen Champion Brown Male for the second year running at BAS Nationals

TOFT Timogen has delighted us all again at the BAS Nationals 2015 taking the brown Champion Ribbon for the second year running. This Lavender a Park Tulley boy is carving out a name for himself to match his father.... Whoopee!!!

TOFT fleeces are Champion in the British Alpaca Society National Fleece Show

Good results from TOFT in the. British Alpaca Society Fleece Show 2015.

TOFT Adele- 1st in class and Champion Brown

TOFT Nautilius- 1stin class and Champion Light

TOFT Tai Pan- 2nd in class

TOFT  Nashira - 2nd in class

Exhibitors meeting at the crack of sparrows on the first day...

Each year we meet friends and foe to compete for the bling...and we love it! Sad or what ? No just obsessed with moving forward to see where we can go. And the alpacas? They never let is down...Perfick!

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Commentators view... Your truly on the mic for tag first day of judging introducing the acts...

Alpaca Fancy dress at the National Show

Whole family themed for Snow White and the seven dwarves. Daddy in the dress deserves a medal for his dedication. As for the cutie in the pink dress - what a draw. The crowd loved it!

Aha....that looks better...

Up at the crack of Sparrowfart for the Nationals....

The glamour of show biz...Early doors at the Telford International Centre for the first day of the 2015 National Show. TOFT stand looks a little understated until we get the flag here (forgot it yesterday hey ho) and the telly on! White coats at the ready for Linda and Freya when they get here. They are currently whacking their way up the M6 to join us.

What's with the Van, man?

TOFT boys showteam had a new experience today as they were transported to the National Show in Telford in  a Van. Never had this problem when the National was within spitting distance of TOFT. Nowadays it's a big ask to get the TOFT Showteam and our client animals to the show in one trailer. Fortunately Ben Harford of Ashcroft Alpacas stepped up to the plate with his van. The boys were spoilt it even has carpet on the floor. Here's the TOFT boys getting acclimatised.

Hey Ho into the trailer we shall go...BAS National Show Telford International Centre this weekend

TOFT Alpaca Stud ladies team trotting into the trailer...

Hey ho, hey ho, it's off to Telford we all go for the British Alpaca National Show!

Waiting to load the TOFT Alpaca Stud show team on this glorious day ready for the British Alpaca Society National Show at the Telford International Centre this weekend. 

TOFT show team drying out in anticipation...

The first elite TOFT combatants in 2015 alpaca show season are busily standing on the hill in the wind drying out for the British Alpaca Society National Show this weekend. The dry spell this week couldn't have come at a better time. Hopefully by the time they leave for the Telford Exhibition centre on Friday for the Nationals these fine fleeced boys and girls will be dry enough to show of their best. 

However they will be competing against almost 400 of the best alpacas in the UK so we shall be very pleased to find our boys and girls in the frontline never mind being placed. If we knew the outcome before we attend it wouldn't be worth going. Regardless of the results we are getting excited now and really looking forward  to catching up with everything alpaca over the weekend.

Shirley at Olympia with the British Alpaca Society at the Farm Innovation Show...

5 am the girl set off this morning with the trailer for Olympia where she is busy promoting Alpacas at the Farm Innovation Show for the next two days on behalf of the British Alpaca Society along with Gary Sanders of Popham Alpacas.

The girl will be tired tonight as she will have talked herself to a standstill today about our emerging industry and she had a lecture to deliver. 

This girl doesn't do ' Sparrowfart' easily so she was huffing and chuffing in the dark this morning as we were loading the alpacas and she will have run on adrenalin most of today.  The stand looks great. Apparently there has been a lot of interest throughout the day but I  hope they let her get to bed early the night or there won't be a lot left of her coming backup the M1 tomorrow! 

British Alpaca Society Alpaca Assessment Foundation Course...

More photies of a great alpaca weekend...

BAS Foundation course...

I had a wonderful weekend at Pure Alpacas this weekend tutoring the British Alpaca Society Foundation Course alongside fellow alpaca judge Val Fullerlove. 3 full on days of alpaca assessment and we loved every minute of it.

Course was full with 12 very committed and keen alpaca breeders for the UK and Europe.  The days were filled with lots of intelligent discussion and appraisal as we assessed Form and Function, Huacaya and Suri Fibre both in the classroom and hands on with the Pure Alpaca Herd.

Handlers were a good humoured bunch, delegates open minded and keen, weather was amazing and the hosting excellent. What more could the judge tutors ask for? 

A big thanks from me and Val to all who attended, handled and hosted. Don't give your own herds too hard a time when you get back in your paddock and see you all soon...

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