TOFT Suris

Well it looks as if our breeding for colour move with the TOFT Suris might be getting results. Not sure about the character in grey in the top corner. The sooner he goes a petting the better we shall look.

TOFT Character in the making....LORD EARL GREY

Thus is Lord Earl Grey posing for the photies this morning in the wind. He's a 7 month Old Grey Suri. We rarely get a grey anything in the TOFT herd anymore as we breed for pure colour to produce a predictable pallette from which to blend our yarns. This boy's father was a solid dark brown Suri called Solsitice who although not the finest had lustre in spades.  His mother is stood beside him here. She's a very fine dark fawn girl with a slight touch of white on her nose. 

This boy is a lot finer that his father which he must have got from his mother along with a great deal of density but he has lustre in spades which is definitely his fathers bequest. So all in all he's a tidy wee boy and a bit of a character at the moment.

Will he grow to be a stud?  Maybe not but whichever way his fates decide he is certainly destined to adorn someone's pet paddock with a bit of colour. 

We have a lot of award winning Suris at TOFT in various colours. We have been breeding Suris for well over 12 years. We have a lot of girls pregnant for this coming season at very competitive prices with great discounts for multiple purchases. If you are seeking pedigree Suris to increase your herd or if you would like to start up with Suris as opposed to huacaya why not get in touch and come and see what TOFT Suris have to offer.

Howling a gale, raining a flood but all things are good at TOFT

Woke up last night to find the neighbours tin shed on its roof blocking the lane. A quick knock on the door and a shocked neighbour's son in his underwear and myself in  dressing gown and slippers shoved the offending obstacle up the neighbours drive. 

Woke this morning to find all sorts of objects not where they should be and the weather howling again but the alpacas although a little damp, ( what's new at this time of the year?) were all in fine fettle ready for their chomp.

TOFT Duke arrives early doors - Boys 3 Girls 1

Increase in the coloured TOFT Suri Herd this morning early doors with the arrival of TOFT Duke out of TOFT Diamond sired by TOFT Alpaca Shop Lord Sutch - result! Boys 3 Girls 1

Wonderwool Wales for me...

Spent Saturday and Sunday working with Kerry entertaining  the Yarnies, Darnies, Spinners, Felters and Dyers in a hall at the Royal Welsh Showground in Bulith Wells at Wonderwool Wales.

There I am for two days with two young boys a Suri and Huacaya entertaining hordes of creatives from all over the UK who have descended on this textile festival with a hunger to touch and feel the most colourful, creative and wonderful materials created in the UK.

 I have to say I had a ball.  The show is really well organised, the setting idyllic, the people are delightful, the food was very good indeed. Oscar the Suri  was the star of the show. Nearly all the crafters and creatives knew the fibre well but found it a real treat to meet the source of their luxury fibre munching hay and haughtily staring them down as only Suris can do. I had a blast.

Unfortunately as we set off at the crack of sparrowfart on Saturday  I left my I pad and phone at Toft by accident so  couldn't take any good pics. Maybe next time.

Thanks for a fabulous weekend at the Heart of England Alpaca Fiesta

Last weekend I had the privilege of judging almost 300 alpacas in the Heart Of England Alpaca Fiesta. Two full on days from 8am to 6pm with the ring full of superb Huacayas and Suris. There were some classes of clear winners but the majority were very close and the championships set a real challenge. The standard of Suris was exceptionally high despite the smallish entry. The Suri classes were interspersed with the Huacayas and for me it works great and I hope that other show organisers decide to interlay their Suri entries in the same way. It's good for the breed, good for the breeders and creates interest and promotional points for the general public and Suri breeders throughout the show. Way to go! As for the judges concentration not a problem more of a change is as god as a rest!

The champion Suri went to a superb Intermediate Light Female from Houghton Hall alpacas whose lustre shone deep and bright from a dense, fine, uniform fleece which hung in independent wafered layers like laminate. Lovely.

Mind you there is no room for  complacency in the white and lights. The traditional winners had better keep the ball moving because  the judge's choice went to a stunning Black Junior Suri from the Backyard Alpaca Company who had lustre like wet paint and a density to die for. If that alpaca grows up to fulfil its potential then we might see a bit more colour on the cup in the coming years!

TOFT Suris glow too, you know!

Yes, they do and the winter sun really does a job on their lustre...We have a very select prizewinning  Suri Herd at TOFT which is always worth a look at if you are passing. The Cornflower Cafe is open Wed-Sunday and offers some of the best Cappuccino and Cake in the Midlands!

And the Best in Show was...?

A light fawn Suri...owned by Alpacas of Density. The Suris made a spectacular short run as usual at the end of the two days competition with a late but colourful dash up the  inside lane and snatched the overall Show Champion away from a young fawn Huacaya. Hey, that's show business! Congratulations to all who took part in 6 Alpaka Show Ost.

Suri Sunshine on a rainy day...

On the first rainy day in what seems like weeks - a little ray of sunshine from a glorious summer.

A day to sample the best coffe and cake in downtown Warwickshire at the Cornflower Cafe!

Alpaca judging action from the North Devon Show

Hairdresser needed ?

Startled Suris ...

No matter how elegant they appear in full fleece - until it gets there the Suris always look as if they fell into their fleece by accident giving them a permanently startled look. These two wee juniors are no different and are badly in need of some hair wax and a comb!

Super cool Suris

A right little cracker looking very smug and totally cool in this hot weather.