Thanks to one and all...at the. Heart Of England Alpaca Fiesta

After 12 years judging alpacas all over the UK and Europe it was a real treat to judge a show in my own backyard. It meant TOFT couldn't show and I have not been able to take a detailed interest in my friends alpacas since last summer but it was worth it for the fun we had this weekend. I loved every second of it from start to finish. Not only the challenge of the judging but also the pleasure of being amongst friends who all speak English and get your jokes. It's fun in Europe too but it's great when you all. Get the funnies straight away. It was a blast!

I thank Lulu Oliver of Lusi Alpacas for inviting me and  for organising a real professional event with a great atmosphere that will only get better as it settles I to its new home. I thank Liz Barlow for her work as  chief steward, my wife Shirley for show secretary and Jo Bridge of Windy Ridge and Viv Cook of Oakton Alpacas who combined a day each as my apprentice with the alternate day as Ring steward. This worked real well and I was very impressed with both my apprentices and wish them well as they go onto gather more experience before certification. I feel if they go to approach their learning  with the confidence they showed this weekend they will go on to make a real contribution in years to come.

A huge thanks to all those white coated stewards who hustled and bustled to keep the wheels running and didn't get in the limelight. We know who you are and what you do and we thank  you all.

The Alpacas were superb throughout and the competition fierce in coloureds as well as whites. The supreme champion Huacaya went to an intermediate white  Huacaya from Ashwood Alpacas who has a handle like melted white chocolate on an extremely bright, dense well organised fleece exhibiting a good uniformity throughout the blanket and between primary and secondary fibres.

 However there were signs that a change might now be blowing through the alpaca shed with a couple of signature fleeces emerging on two  of the juniors that may be signalling the next stage of development.  

The judges choice went to a young Junior White from Houghton Hall alpacas which was as bright as a lighthouse, extremely well organised in a floppy style with density to die for in its staples whose amplitude was seriously impressive. It was very close but the young lady took it on the day however this boy will be one to watch if he grows to his full potential. Likewise there was a small light junior alpaca from Furze Park Alpacas in the ring which exhibited similar qualities but unfortunately it needed to eat more pies to get in contention. 

It's going to get very exciting in years to come if we see this amount of luxury emerging and unbelievable if we can manage to get it to stay that way for ten years. Scnuzzle? You'll want to Scnuzzle , Wuzzle and stroke your alpacas all day long if we get that good. that's of course if Scnuzzling is still legal by then!

Thanks for inviting me to judge, thanks for entering, thanks for your patience and humour and I hope you all have a wonderful birthing season that lives up to your expectations...you wish!  Have a great summer! The judge.

Toft triumph at the Heart Of England Spring Alpaca Fiesta

Another busy weekend and another great show for Toft Alpacas at the Heart of England Alpaca Fiesta.

 We took eleven Toft alpacas to the show and every one of our entries achieved a rosette including three firsts and a Reserve Champion. 

TOFT MATILDA- 1st, Huacaya Junior Female Brown and Reserve female Champion Brown

TOFT ADELE- 2nd, Huacaya Intermediate Female Brown

TOFT TIMOGEN- 1st, Huacaya Junior Male Brown

TOFT TAIPAN- 2nd, Huacaya Junior Male Brown

TOFT LEANDER- 6th, Huacaya Junior Male Brown

TOFT IKRIT - 1st, Haucaya Adult Male Brown

TOFT RASTABAN -3rd, Huacaya Adult Male Brown

TOFT TITUS- 5th, Huacaya Junior Male Fawn

TOFT STALA- 4th, Huacaya Junior Female White

TOFT MARY QUANT- 3rd, Suri Junior Female Light

In addition we took 2 clients animals and they both got rosettes with one of them achieving a Championship Ribbon.

Terry and Liz Davis of Snapdragon Alpacas got 4th in the Huacaya Junior Female Light with Toft Bootes

Ben Harford of Ashcroft Alpacas achieved First in the Huacaya Junior Female Fawn and Champion Female Fawn with a Lavender Park Tulley girl- Ashcroft Tulley's Zephyrine.

And to top the lot we entered Timogen and Matilda in the Sires Progeny alongside Zephyrine on behalf of Lavender Park Tulley of Ashcroft alpacas and won the cup. Epic!

A great day for Team Toft and a big thanks to our herdswoman Linda Newport and our new trainee herdswoman Freya Shuttleworth for preparing and handling our alpacas throughout the show. It was Freya's first alpaca show and she took to it like a seasoned Alpaquero. Well done Freya!

British Alpaca Society Alpaca Judge Cathy Lloyd of EP Cambridge judged the show with great skill, clarity and professionalism at a pace that was very impressive. We may have had early starts but on both days we were done and dusted by 3pm. Thanks Cathy a great job well done!

The Supreme Champion Huacaya Alpaca was won by Houghton Bentley a beautiful fawn male owned by Liz and Mick George of Houghton Hall Alpacas.

A big Toft thanks to Lulu Oliver of Lusi Alpacas and Paul Stead of Saphire Alpacas for organising and running the show on behalf of the Heart of England Alpaca Group. Your efforts were much appreciated -thankyou. We are already looking forward to next year when we shall all meet up and do it all again. 

Well that's us done showing for 2014. We shall start shearing the herd on May12th and saying goodbye to the 'Teddy Bears' and welcoming the 'Pink Panthers' as we start preparing for the birthing season where we are expecting almost 60 cria before the end of July. It never stops at Toft Alpacas- Perfick!

Alpaca handlers

It's an art handling alpacas in the show ring. The handler has a massive effect on how the
alpaca will settle and present itself for the judge. A calm steady, unselfconscious handler who doesn't allow their own nerves to affect the alpaca is vital.
Linda our herds woman and her daughter Gemma handled our alpacas like real professionals and despite the cold weather in the shed they looked like happy handlers all day long. Thank you ladies.

Considering that Paul our helper and Judith our close neighbour at Willoughby Alpacas are new to the alpaca show ring they handled it like real pros yesterday. Paul use to show dogs and he is a man who certainly likes the ring as his happy demeanour shows. Alpaca showing should be fun and despite the weather being uncommonly cold for April lots of fun was had by all at the Heart Of England Alpaca Fiesta.

Much thanks to Paul Stead of Saphire Alpacas and Lulu Oliver of Lusi alpacas for the vast amount of effort that went into getting this lovely local alpaca event organised.