CME Tulaco Centurion was Huacaya Show Champion at the Devon County Show with Alpaca Stud Jaquinto reserve champion so we found ourselves in the Grand Parade with all the other livestock. Chas took Centurion, Nick Harrington Smith led Jaquinto and Ian and Rachel Waldron with their daughters had the Suri Show Champion and reserve.
The huacaya show clases were on the Friday and heavens be praised, it only rained once and that was pretty brief. We were very pleased. Our little fawn girl and brown boy were champions and the white weanling won the junior white male class which was an excellent result. All our show team came home with rosettes. They are nice rosettes at Devon County too, not piddling little ones. The judge was Val Fullerlove who looked as elegant as ever. We have a rolling bet now with several of the British judges. They have to get the phrase ‘the complete package’ into their oral reasoning or next time we met when they are NOT judging, they buy the drinks. Some of the phrases used can be a touch on the repetitive side and we are hoping our bet will make it disappear altogether as it has turned into a joke! Our Distinction progeny group was second this time, beaten by Inca William who we beat at the National Show, ah well. The downside of this show was the ghastly smell and black smuts that rained down on us when the steam engines over the way fired up. I came home with a sore throat.
Yesterday was catch up day on breedings, moving fields, resting others etc, it was a 12 hour working day and we were pretty exhausted by the time we finally setled down to roast lamb. In between Aphrodite had a male cria. She made a tremendous fuss lying on her side for ages moaning. I was getting slightly concerned and thinking about calling the vet but decided to leave it for half an hour. Lo and behold large cria on the ground struggling to get up.
Meanwhile in Wales at Wonderwool John Arbon and Juliet Sensicle were manning the UK Alpaca stand selling our yarns, tops, noils, fleeces and John Arbon Textiles end product made with our yarns. It was a very successful weekend, lots of money taken and lots of interest from designers.