The Reasons why we Show our Alpacas

We have now been showing Alpacas at A&P Shows since 2002. This is not a very long time compared to how long Dairy Farmers, for example, have been showing their stock but as our industry is still in its infancy, we have to start somewhere. 

There are a couple of very good reasons why we show our animals and these are:

1. It showcases our Animals to the Public. The show ring is where our best animals are on display and the public can look at these animals and our industry and see what we are producing. The Public after all is where our future customers will come from.
   
   
2. Showing allows us as breeders to compare our own animals with our fellow breeders. Thief of Hearts believe this is the most important reason to enter the show ring, to see how our animals compare to other animals in our industry. If we are  breeding for the wrong traits, a show can give us a reality check.
   
   
3. By showing my animals at the local shows, we are supporting other conveners, and their areas as well as my fellow Alpaca Breeder. We think it is very important that we all become involved as much as possible in our industry.
   
   
4. If our Breeding Programme is up to what we hope, then showing our animals that we have bred gives us an enormous amount of satisfaction. It allows us to take the emotion out of breeding, because we think our Cria are special, (as we all do) and look at them as the judge sees them, an animal that is on show that day and is there to be judged.
   
   
5. It is also a very nice feeling when you actually win something. We have had some very good wins over the last few years and this has helped to lift our profile in the Alpaca Industry.
   
   
6. Showing Alpacas allows us to spend more time working with these animals, we love halter training a new Cria, watching it evolve from a frightened, jumpy animal into a beautiful show animal that walks around the ring, like it owns it.

Following are most of my Show Results, since we started showing in 2002. We are looking forward to the future to see how Governor and Samurai’s Cria do in the future.