Seems we are always hitting the age our cria should start halter training in the middle of the Winter. Who wants to walk around in the pelting rain with a bouncing alpaca on the end of a lead? If we don't, we don't expect the cria are going to like it much better. January hits and we start making plans for Spring shows and then we have deadlines to aim for. Then of course the rain continues here in the NW and we all continue to not want to walk around in cold and wet weather. I should have kept count of the dry weekend days we've had since registering for our first show, which all of the sudden ends up to be next weekend!
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First thing we do is just put a halter on their heads to get used to it.
First thing they do is whatever they can to rub that thing off their heads! |
It seems like it has rained almost this entire month. Fortunately, there have been a few dry days here and there and we've tried to take advantage of every one in trying to prepare our young juvenile alpacas ready for their first show. Once we think they are a little comfortable with that halter thing on their head, we attach a lead. To some, you would think we've secured a large boat anchor to their head. Others can do some amazing acrobatics once they are connected to that lead line.
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Here is Tulio demonstrating the cush, "you can't make me
move" position~ |
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This is Black Bart demonstrating the 4 point stance and showing
how flexible his head and neck are without moving his feet~ |
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This is Tulio, who looks like he might be standing there peacefully, but
really this is the frozen in place maneuver! |
This weekend we have had 2 beautiful Spring days to work with those going to the show next weekend. We've taken long walks around the yard, visited with alpacas in other paddocks and have found exploring may have some side benefits like fresh new grass! We are taking a couple older alpacas, one from our show string last year who is a pro and will help keep the little ones calm. Plus our new guy
Snowmass Matrix Principe, who gets one show season with us before he settles into his role as our newest Herdsire.
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Here is Principe doing a fairly good job of following Deb towards the girls,
hopefully he'll strut his stuff walking into the show ring for the judge! |
Today is our last anticipated dry day before show check in on Friday. The trailer is loaded, everyone is walking around as well as we can hope and we are ready to go. Our first show of the season is hosted by the Alpaca Association of Western WA, Alpacapalooza. This is a halter show and a fleece show. The halter show judges 50% based on conformation, 50% on fiber quality. The fleece show is a scorecard based judging on the shorn blanket fleece. We are entering 3 fleeces and 5 alpacas in the halter show. If you want to learn about alpacas and meet lots of people raising alpacas, shows are the best place to go. If you can or are planning to be at
Alpacapalooza next weekend at the Clark County Event Center stop by and say hi!
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We want them to walk in the show ring showing off their gait and form, if they'll
stand like this for the judge to get a closer look at their conformation it would be nice! |
