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Top alpacas to strut the show ring The nationalalpaca show, featuring stock fromeight <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> breeders, wasin jeopardy because of Covid-19 restrictions. Themovetoalert level 1means it can go ahead this week at <strong>Canterbury</strong>Agricultural Park. David Hill reports. Kaiapoi alpaca breeder Kit Johnson is relieved the National Alpaca Expo is going ahead tomorrow (Friday). Alpaca breeders from all over New Zealand are set to converge on <strong>Canterbury</strong> Agricultural Park for the national show, which runs until Sunday. The Alpacas Association of New Zealand secretary and national show coconvenor is thrilled with the entries of 250 animals and 200 fleeces after Covid 19 had placed the event in doubt. “It’s agood number considering Covid19,’’ Kit says. ‘‘The whole thing was in jeopardy for awhile because one of the judges is based in Auckland and we didn’t know if he would get down. “Considering everything that has gone on in the world this year, we are delighted to have 10 breeders coming down from the <strong>North</strong> Island and others who couldn’t make it have sent fleeces.” The move to alert level 1also means the public is welcome to attend the show, which will be held on the National Bank Lawn at the park. “We haven’t done alot to promote the show because of Covid19, but it’s agood public spectacle to see all the different colours and hear the judges’ comments, and there will be time to talk to breeders,” Kit says. The fleeces have already been judged, with the results announced this week. The alpacas will be housed in the cattle pens for the duration of the show, with judging to take place inside amarquee. There are 22 different colours across the two alpaca breeds —suri and huacaya. Over the years, <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> breeders have dominated the huacaya classes, and around seven or eight local breeders are lining up this weekend to vie for honours. There are about 40,000 alpacas in New Zealand and nearly three million worldwide, with around 10 percent suri and the rest huacaya. Huacaya alpacas are like “an elongated sheep”, while the suri is ❛You need to benchmark your animals and if you don't havethese shows,it's very hard to compare.❜ known for its “dreadlock” fleece. The low numbers and the diversity of colours makes it difficult to establish an alpaca industry in New Zealand, Kit says. Lower quality fibre makes about $15 a kilogram and is used as aliner for duvets, while top quality fleeces fetch about $60 akilogram, with white the dominant colour. New Zealand breeders were known for the quality of their animals, with top alpacas in demand in Europe and Asia. They are selling for $20,000 to $25,000. An alpaca male —Kit Johnson from Silverstream Alpaca Stud, run by Kit and his wife, Sheryl, sold to a British breeder for $120,000 in 2007 after beating the sheep and cattle to win supreme champion animal at the <strong>Canterbury</strong> A&P Show. But Kit says the competition is even tougher these days and he will be content to win afew classes and agegroup competitions. He has 25 animals and 30 fleeces entered. “You need to benchmark your animals and if you don’t have these shows, it’s very hard to compare. “We’ve only had one show prior to the nationals so it’s hard to know how our animals will go, and different judges look for different things; and the climate on the day can have an effect the animal.” Show time ... Kit Johnson will be back at <strong>Canterbury</strong> Agricultural Park this weekend for the National Alpaca Expo. He is pictured at last year’s New Zealand Agricultural Show. PHOTO: SUPPLIED Lifestyle Agricultural Specialists cater for most of your lifestyle requirements. We specialise in small blocks and do the jobs the larger operator can’t but also doing industrial yards. 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