Judging fleece at the Three Counties Show...

Just returned from Malvern where I have been judging the alpaca fleeces at the Three Counties Show. Off to Ireland in two hours with the companion animal to judge halter show at the Dundalk Show tomorrow for the Irish Alpaca Association.

Had a lot of laughs the past two days at the the Three Counties, Julia Corrigan Stuart of CS Alpacas was my apprentice for the show and did a very fine job indeed.  A huge  TOFT thanks to Pauline and Trisha for their dedication in laying out, putting away, scribing and secretarial work. We were a little short handed at times but we got there in the end. 

Ashwood alpacas will be delighted with the results as they took both Supreme and Reserve in the Huacaya. Top score was 95 points with a handle that took your breath away as it swam in your hands- congratulations.

Thanks to Roger Mount of Snowshill, Jay Holland of Pure and Val Fullerlove of Hanley Hall ( show committee) for inviting me. We saw some quality Huacaya and Suris in all colours and had a fab day yesterday talking and educating the schools. Good luck everyone with the halter today I hope the weather holds.

Back at TOFT with my old friend John...

Back to cutting and doing at TOFT after a five day 'break' at the SWAG alpaca show at the Royal Bath & West and then the Irish Association Summer Show at Mullingar. Great break, met some great people, had a good laugh and talked an awful lot of alpaca...as you do. It's a tough life being a companion animal to Mrs TOFT Alpaca judge  but someone's got to do it. 

Next? I'm judging the Three Counties Fleece Show and then a return to Eire to judge  the Irish Association National Show in Dundalk!  Perfick!

Mrs TOFT Alpaca judge at the Royal Bath & West

Busy week for Mr and Mrs TOFT Alpaca judge Friday and Saturday Shirley was judging the alpacas at the South West Alpaca Group a Show at the Royal Bath & West show. Your truly was on the mic keeping the crowd interested whilst the judging took place. After a tricky start when the heavens opened and wouldn't let go we had a great two days. We kicked off in a tent then got outside around lunchtime on Thursday were we stayed right through to last knockings. Although the sun shone it was the cold wind that kept grabbing at those of us sat at the table. So much so myself and Dawn Crawford had to get out and buy a new coat each. Despite the cold start everything soon warmed up for us to enjoy the show. The crowds came out on the Saturday and we held them around the alpaca ring right up until lays knockings. Congratulations to the organisers,stewards, exhibitors and of course the winners for providing a great showcase for the alpacas. Well done Mrs TOFT Alpaca Judge and see you all soon.

Lest we forget...

It's the shearer who has the full on job. 

Our job is  support and service. We have to keep the alpacas coming too the shearer dry, relatively unstressed and without pause throughout the day so he/she can maintain a rythmn and get on with the job without drowning in fleece. 

Then we must get the shorn alpacas out away back to their paddocks where they can relax and adjust to the new temperature of their existence. 

Our second job which is also primary to TOFT is to get the fleece off the table and get it skirted, sorted and graded and into the appropriate bags in the six minutes before the next one arrives. 

 We find great bacon sandwiches for 2nd breakfast around 9 am, a great lunch at 1.30pm and cake and tea around four keeps the table humming until 7.30pm weather permitting.

The weather held good this year everyone performed professionally and with good humour, job was done and we all carry the experience as a memory until next year when we shall do the same again. All that is left now is the tidying up. The sorted and graded batches go off to the mill next week to be turned into TOFT luxury yarn. The rejected fleece will be picked up by the stuffing man, sheds swept and cleaned, hurdles returned to the paddocks and all will seem like it had never happened- except of course we have 200 pink panthers wandering around our paddocks until October when the re growth start to soften the look again.

'Twas ever thus...

All done and dusted - jobs done for 2015

That's it a huge thanks to everyone who helped and of course not forgetting B D Wheeler and his helper Benny, my son Grant for catering, and Whoopy Daisy for ferrying, sorting childminding and being a friend of all the world and my talented daughter Kerry Lord who now has the job of turning the best of what we have to offer into magnificent luxury yarn for the TOFT Alpaca Studio. Give it the old TOFT magic young lady. Thanks everyone for a very enjoyable shearing from a TOFT Alpacas. 

I am now off to see my mate Jules for a skinny Latte in the TOFT tea room.

TOFT Alpaca Studio team the stars of the show

Shearing has now been declared officially over for 2015. The weather held off Linda and Freya did a fantastic job of herding, walking and ferrying the TOFT herd, all 200 of them to the shearing shed and back again without any major incident. The stars of the shearing shed were the young ladies for the TOFT Alpaca Studio led by Emily( seen here in red all scrubbed and clean) Petra, Caroline and Liz. All new to the shearing they have been on a steep learning curve over the past three days. Undaunted they rolled their sleeves up and got stuck in learning the flick, sorting the fleece, packing, picking, brushing wiping and sweeping with good humour and commitment throughout.

 Thankyou ladies one and all from all at TOFT Alpacas- you will dine out on this experience for years to come!

Caroline working on her flick...

The reputation of a good roustabout is his or her ability to take the fleece from the table or floor and flick it onto the sorting table. Caroline joined us yesterday in the shearing shed to practice her flick and by the end of the day she looked born to the job. Day 3 today- 158 down 42 to go..