World Alpaca Conference
very interesting speakers and workshops. Collabo- ration is the name of the game for our industry so it’s wonderful to be able to meet face to face with people and discuss the issues common to us all.”
SOUTH AFRICA Peter-John Garbutt, President of the Alpaca
Breeders’ Society, said that current membership stood at 48. In 1998, the
overall population of alpacas was 3000, 1600 of which are registered.
Cameron Holt (right) with Rob Bettinson of Toft Alpacas.
Guest of honour Cameron Holt described the conference as “well structured” with an excellent standard of speakers and topics for discussion. “I was asked how the British fl eeces on show
compared to other fl eeces around the world,” he said. “The British entries did very well although it must be remembered that as we found in Australia when the International Fleece Show was conducted, there is a large home advantage. “It is diffi cult to send fl eeces around the world for shows, however, organisers did well to attract the entries from overseas. Personally, seeing UK fl eece over recent years, the top of the British herd is up amongst the best in the world.”
At the gala dinner (see page 26), Cameron was
awarded a life membership of the BAS, an honour he described as “humbling.”
SUPPORTED BY CROWE LIVESTOCK
SILVER SPONSOR
SILVER SPONSOR – Armitage Livestock Insurance Agency Ltd “The atmosphere was informal and relaxing, whilst remaining extremely professional and educational,” said Armitage’s Jacinta Nastali. “We had the opportunity to meet up with many of our existing clients, and form new friendships with future clients. It was a great occasion to raise our profi le and there was plenty of time to discuss the various types of insurance we now offer for alpacas worldwide.”
“A challenge for our country is that breeders are exiting the industry because its fi nancial viability is in doubt,” he said. “As a result, alpaca prices are decreasing and fl eece income does not support the high animal cost. With only one mill in the country, there is insuffi cient focus on fi bre and no show circuit, therefore nothing to promote the industry. “What we hope to achieve is a sustainable industry based on the fi bre, that in turn supports the breeding.”
Demystifying fl eece judging
The workshop programme was extremely popular, with the fi bre sessions attracting particular interest. Val Fullerlove demystifi ed fl eece judging, giving tips on preparing a fl eece for showing, including the best methods for sorting, rolling and storage. She then presented attendees with a fl eece and explained the points system, developed by Cameron Holt, and used by judges the world over.
IRELAND Eloise Sritheran, President of Southern Irish Alpaca Association. “Alpacas
were fi rst imported into Ireland in 2000 and total numbers in the south are 600, with the largest breeders owning between 90 and 110 animals.”
Mary Mount (left) from conference sponsors Snowshill Alpacas, and Hilary Shenton, Zarza Alpacas. “It’s a fabulous venue and there are some
18 Alpaca Summer 2012
Imported animals were from UK breeders and many of the major Chilean and Peruvian bloodlines are now represented. Plans for the future are to foster a vibrant industry, to create a central register, and to encourage and promote the development of all aspects of fi bre.
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