Summer - Classical MileEnd Alpacas

feature acer alpacas
quality shows
2010 was the first year
that Fred and Catherine
Ellis took their show
team on the road scoring
a notable success when
Acer Jackson won the
Champion Intermediate
Male at the Royal Bath &
West Show.
They were thrilled and this
is their story.
This has been our first year of showing,
taking along a selection of animals from our
small herd of twenty four alpacas, and not
wishing to sound smug, shows what can be
achieved by sourcing quality stud males from
superior and proven bloodlines. Speaking as a
small breeder, yes it is definitely worth making
the effort to show. We have attended six
altogether, ranging from local to national, and
have learnt a great deal, met some interesting
characters and made some new and hopefully
lasting friendships along the way.
Our expectations of winning anything were
low at the start, as we knew our animals
would be up against the very best, but each
event produced results and encouragement
for us. Winning Champion Intermediate Male
with our fawn boy, Acer Jackson at the Royal
Bath & West show was one of those moments
we will never forget. Jackson took it all in his
stride - he really is the strong, silent type,
incredibly placid just like his sire Talisman.
That is until the judge Nick Harrington Smith
looked at his fleece. He objected a little, but
only until the examination was complete,
quickly returning to his cool calm pose.
A few people had expressed concerns over
Speaking as a
small breeder,
it is definitely
worth making the
effort to show
our decision to enter any shows this year
given the present climate, but coming from a
traditional farming background and weighing
up all the possibilities, know that in reality the
risks are probably greater outside the show
circuit. The lengths taken by the organisers to
minimise the threat of infection, have been
greatly appreciated by all.
We have relished the challenge of competing
against the larger, well established breeders
who rely on us small cogs to keep the alpaca
wheel of industry well oiled. It is by drawing
on their wealth of advice and experience so
generously offered over the years, that we
have enjoyed some success of our own this
season. l
62 Alpaca World Magazine summer 2010 summer 2010
Alpaca World Magazine 63