Winter - Classical MileEnd Alpacas

Alex Harrington Smith updates her diary about life
and the alpaca business in Australia
I normally like to sit down with a glass of
wine and write my diary, it helps the art of
reflection I find. Unfortunately there are a
few days of very high temperatures coming
through so for this poor Pom alcohol is off the
menu. It has been sometime since I last wrote
this diary (Rachel's patience is astounding
– she loves me really) and so for once it is hard
to know where to begin.
The birthing season has been in full swing
for at least a month now so plenty of checking
of these girls is the order of the day. There
are about 100 girls out there at present and all
these should birth by the middle of December
at the latest; plenty more to fill their shoes
though. Even after nine years the magnitude
of the breeding programmes in a large stud
can blow your mind. Fortunately Matthew
and Cathy are now back so the highs and
lows are shared out a little. It was a pleasure
introducing them to the new drop the day
after they returned. We have some stunning
cria gracing the paddocks that will move
us to a whole new level of breeding. The
completeness of Commisario blending with
the ageless charm of the old master Ruffo,
the artistry of Stravinsky, or the finesse of
Spartacus over Caesar blood, the discovery of
how new lines gel with the old. All of it weird
and wonderful, almost incomprehensible in
the way it comes to fruition. For breeders
there is nothing quite this exciting.
The farm at Oakbank is a hive of activity as
the drought calls for some major harvesting
of hay. There is a lot to cut and bale whilst
constantly battling the weather – temperatures
are getting high and the hay has been getting
too dry to bale. Add to that the heavy dews
you see in the Adelaide hills, particularly
Oakbank, it can also get too wet. It seems
to be a balancing act with short windows of
opportunity available to get the job done.
Undoubtedly it will all come together
and if it is anything like the clover hay my
girls received courtesy of one of the other
properties it will be beautiful quality.
Irrigation has also started – you often hear
the sound of the irrigators creaking as they
spin round. I find it quite relaxing watching
these majestic jets of water slowly working
there way across the paddocks, especially at
the end of the day when they first get going.
At least some of the paddocks will stay green
during the heat of the summer – it is quite odd
seeing these patches of green on the landscape
where everything else can be so arid and
brown. They are like small oasis in the desert.
I often feel sorry for the girls on pasture
which is not irrigated as they watch the girls
next door partaking in some lush irrigation
grazing. In this instance I guess the grass
really is greener …
Meanwhile the alpacas are eagerly waiting
for shearing. They are often seen in rather
languid poses under the shade of a gum tree
or positioned under the irrigators in the early
evening cooling off. The best part of shearing
this year will be my well timed absence – no
need for luxury holidays, just the knowledge I
won't be in that shearing shed for a second is
enough. Almost like finding your own slice of
utopia. Now to convince everyone that Cathy
is surplus to requirements (not easy!) and
I'll even have a serious
shopping partner. This
may be pushing it a little.
The other big
adventure was of course
the AAA National
Show and Sale. I am
sure there is no need for
too much gossip about
events irrelevant to showing as the UK blogs
I read suggest all this has been more than
covered by the rumour mills. The show had
a great atmosphere not tainted by politics
or sore losers. In this respect perhaps the
best show I have been to in Australia. Plenty
of Brits turned up which was good – since
leaving the UK I don't think I have ever felt
more at home at a show. EP Cambridge had
a successful show – plenty of calls between
Melbourne AUS and Baydon UK, resulting
in an exaggerated mobile phone bill and
some stern words from Sally. Sally who is
the administration and accounts supremeo,
came to the show with me and was a constant
source of support and amusement – if only one
could put videos in print I would show you
the lesson I had in dancing to Neil Diamond's
crunchy granola Suite. To give you some ideas
please recall being 13 or 14 and watching
your parents dance in public. Thankfully
the transit van was in motion at the time and
no one could possibly have seen it, if they
did I hope the therapist they find is not too
expensive. Luckily for us Philip (O'Conor)
also turned up. Now if you ever want an
evening of sophisticated entertainment in
Melbourne look no further than Philip. I
believe EPC UK is not his only job, he also
works for the TAB (a betting agency here
in Oz) and is in charge of keeping patron
numbers up. We went to the TAB at the end
of the road both nights and then I discover
his one night in an Adelaide motel was in
suspiciously close proximity to, you guessed
it, a TAB. Something fishy going on there.
My victory on the Pokies was the highlight of
the evening. Philip gave some amazing fund
to start with (at least 50 cents if not a whole
dollar!) and I was up nine bucks by the end.
Sally has since raised some concern over a
possible gambling addiction.
What else? Another successful embryo
transfer flush took place last week which is
always good. Great fun as ever with Jane
Vaughan's ever increasing repertoire of
amusing anecdotes, not to mention nutrition
and reproduction 101. It really is a fascinating
exercise but with its highs and lows it is not
for the faint hearted. In addition to all this
there is the burgeoning alpaca meat industry
here in Australia, you should check out www.
laviande.com.au. I took some time to get my
head around the whole thing but I am now
there. Having sampled the fare at the National
Show it is with some trepidation that I admit
how excellent it is. It has a very pleasant and
subtle taste, incredibly tender and all in all
pretty damn good. There are many factors in
Australia which meant that the time had come
and Steve Ridout has recognised this. He is
very knowledgeable and enthusiastic along
with being completely committed to seeing it
done right and in a manner that ensures it is in
no way damaging to the larger industry.
36 Alpaca World Magazine Winter 2007 / 08