Excellent BAS Nationals in fleece and hatter for TOFT

Great show, great weekend and a great result for our little show team. We had Seven TOFT entries in total and acheived 6 rosettes, 2 firsts who went on to achieve Reserve Champion. In addition one of our agistees SNAPDRAGON Tamar acheived 3rd in the Junior Light Male.

TOFT Timogen- first in class and Reserve Brown Champion

TOFT  Tornado - first in class and Reserve Light Champion 

TOFT Torranaga- 4th in class, Intermediate Fawn Male

TOFT Tenacious- 4th in class, Junior Fawn Male

TOFT Typhoon- 4th in class, Junior Brown male

TOFT Manilla-      3rd in class,Intermediate Fawn Female

In the BAS Nationals Fleece we entered three fleeces in total and achieved two first and one second.

TOFT Nashira- 1st in Adult Female Light

TOFT Torranaga- 1st in Junior male  Fawn

TOFT Tamburlaine- 2nd in Junior Male Fawn

In addition one of our agistees Tanya  Davis   acheived a third place in the Junior Male Brown with TOFT Kleef. Congratulations Tanya and Kleef.

All in all great results for TOFT Alpaca Stud in a seriously competitive show with almost five hundred entries. A massive TOFT thanks to Freya and Linda for getting the animals into the ring in a real professional manner looking their best. Another to the show organiser Barbara Hetherington of Beck Brow Alpacas and her team of stewards and helpers who did a magnificent job in keeping the show moving and on time.

All tucked up for the Nationals

With the weather report threatening Snow and all sorts over the next couple of days we though it best to shed up the TOFT show team ready for the Nationals on Saturday. With over 500 entries at the National Show this coming weekend competition will be fierce. So we had better look our best. Alpacas don't show well in the wet. There is no lanolin in their fleece, when they get wet they get wet and dry themselves in the wind the minute the rain stops. Their fleeces have the ability to absorb over 30% of their weight in water so it's a bit like rubbing you hands over a wet dishcloth judging them when damp. Impossible. Anyway that's not a problem for TOFT we have them in the fed shed all tucked up against the elements for the next few days. Friday they go off to the International Centre Telford for the British Alpaca Society National Show. If you fancy seeing the very best the Uk has to offer you need to be in Telford 8am -5pm Sat and Sunday this weekend. Don't forget to come and see us if you get there. We wish the best of luck to our livery alpacas from Snapdragon and Arre alpacas who each have an entry in their weekend. They will be travelling with the TOFT team to Telford and we hope retiring with a rosette. 

Fancy Dress at the BAS National show 2014

Wow! I first saw this event in New Zealand at their National Show around 2008 in the young peoples arena. Then again when I judged the Yorkshire Alpaca Group Show in Thirsk a couple of years ago. Now here we are with it centre stage at the BAS  National and I have to say it remains the biggest crowd puller of the weekend. The people were four deep around the ring to see Harry Potter and the Unicorn, Batman and Robin and the  Princesses strut their stuff during the lunch hour. The crowd vote for the winners with a show of hands and fantastic appreciation and encouragement was shown by the general public and the UK Alpaca Breeders for this unique and fascinating distraction.

A fantastic amount of effort was put in by all the entrants and I should imagine hours of fun were had in preparation for this event. Although Batman & Robin came out the winner, everyone was truly a winner and the alpacas seemed to love it. The entrants obviously pick their favourite pets, acclimatise them to the costumes and must spend some hours performing in full cossy to get them to be so settled.

It's fun, challenging in its preparation and certainly a wow with the crowds and the young handlers who took part must have found it a rewarding experience. 

Personally I have never liked dressing up in fancy dress myself but as an alternative alpaca entertainment  I love it, as long as it is well done, enjoyable for alpaca, exhibitor and crowd alike I believe it emphasises the 'show case' element of our industry and certainly must appeal up those who adore keeping these wonderful creatures as pets. Let's hope that more families take up the challenge for 2015, and make this a fantastic alpaca spectacle. 

A huge thanks on behalf of us all to the exhibitors and a special thanks Julia Smith of Astonishing Alpacas who did a great job in organising this event as well as supervising in the Young peoples area for the BAS National. There always seemed to be plenty going off in there everytime I whizzed past.

And the weirdest image of all was when I caught 'Robin' with his mask off -Spooky or What?