British Alpaca Futurity

We finally arrived home yesterday at half past three in the afternoon and hastily unloaded the girls as they were pretty tight up together in the trailer. All were well and extremely pleased to be back in a field. The whole Futurity event went well, judging miraculously finished on time, we got reserve championships with our adult fawn and brown and one of my little white Dynamics boys managed to get a first in a junior white class, marvellous and there were various other 2nds, 3rds, 4ths and 5ths.

The people in the Alpaca Fibre Arts Village were happy and the lovely spinners from Walsall were great. My feet are killing me however, it seemed as if the water tap got further and further away as the days went on! Tom and Matt’s chocolate alpaca heads were a hit and the chaps sent down by Mick George from Houghton Hall Alpacas to help with the build and breakdown were fantastic. They worked like trojans and were such nice people. The breakdown was very fast and Chas was signing off with our NEC event manager by midday.

I had to go to bed immediately when I got home but after an hour and a half woke up starving so sat in front on Countryfile eating anything edible left in the fridge. We both feel less exhausted today but find that if anyone asks a question the answer takes several seconds longer than usual to emerge from befuddled brains. Those of you who had to keep giving me tissues will be pleased to know I have, mostly, stopped snivelling.

It is Alex’s (marvellous middle son alpaca handler at the Futurity) birthday today and our fourth cria of the year arrived this morning. I thought we should name it after him – she could be an Alexa or an Alexandria. We have three girls and a boy, the girls are white, dark brown and light brown and the boy is a medium fawn – three of them from CME Tulaco Centurion. The light brown girl was premature and had dreadful front legs. We looked at them with some horror but after three weeks of running about they have straightened up and are very close to perfect. That is so good as she has a lovely little fleece and I’m sure she will be in the show team next year.

I have just eated half a loaf of bread with my quince jelly. I am extremely hungry, perhaps I forgot to eat enough at the Futurity. I feel lively enough to drink my bottle of Fortnum and Mason’s Mothers Day champagne sent by youngest son Joshua. Alex gave me an amazing silk velvet dress in a bright burgundy colour, it fits. I shall wear it to the dinner at the Dutch Show in Hapert next weekend. Tom has slightly failed on this occasion only managing a card! But how nice that everyone remembered.