Alpaca shows

Alpaca shows in the following months

List of alpaca shows I will judge in the following months:

  • March 1–2, 2019 Alpaka Schau Süd – Walking Fleece Ilshofen, Germany
  • am 23./24. März 2019 Alpaka Show des Italienischen Verbands SNAEL (Società Nazionale Alpaca e Lama)
  • April 20–21, 2019 Keystone Alpaca Classic, Brandon, Canada
  • May 3–5, 2019 Great Western, Denver, USA
  • July 20–21,2019 AA e.V. Fleece Show, Sonnewalde, Germany
  • October 5–6, 2019 Hengstschau, Trabroch, Austria
  • October 12, 2019 AAB Alpaca Show, Vorstenbosch, Netherlands
  • November 2–3, 2019 Buckeye Alpaca Show, Tallmadge, Ohio USA
  • November 10–11, 2019 Agricultural Fleece Show, Canterbury, New Zealand
  • November 14–15, 2019 Agricultural Show, Canterbury, New Zealand
  • November 25–26, 2019 Saskatchewan Alpaca Breeders Network, Canada
  • March 13–15, 2020 Alpaka Schau Süd, Bayreuth, Germany
  • March 21–22, 2020 Alpaca Show, Uster, Switzerland
  • April 25–26, 2020 Alpaca Show, Ontario, Canada
  • May 3, 2020 Alpaca Show, Ireland
  • Feb 2023 World Alpaca Conference in Graz, Austria
  • Feb 2023 TxOLAN Show in Wichita Falls, Texas USA
  • März 2023 Railsplitter Show in Springfield, Illinois, USA
  • April 2023 Alpaka Show Alsfeld, in Germany
  • April 2023 Alpaca Show in Oslo, Norway
  • July 2023 AOA National Fleece Show Kentucky, USA
  • October 2023 American Alpaca Showcase Des Moines, IA USA
  • October 2023 Empire Alpaca Extravaganza Syracuse, NY USA
  • November 2023 Buckeye Alpaca Show Ohio USA
  • November 2023 Fleece Show in Kaunas, Litauen
  • February 2023 Alpaca Show Süd, Germany

Alpaca shows

An alpaca show is an event organized by a breeding association or private organizations of alpaca breeders for the purpose of displaying the breeding results. Commonly both the Huacaya and Suri alpaca types are presented at an alpaca show. Alpaca shows can be divided into three sections – “Halter, Fleece and Performance”. Breeding associations usually present themselves with exhibition stands whereas suppliers of alpaca-related goods present themselves with sales stands. Usually a framework program is offered to show visitors.

Reasons for attending an alpaca show include:

  • Obtaining an evaluation on one’s animals by the alpaca show judge
  • Exchanging ideas with other alpaca breeders
  • Marketing one’s own alpacas
  • Sizing up other breeders (benchmarking)
  • Collecting sashes
  • Inspect the offspring of famous stallions

What can be said about the different parts of a show: Halter, Performance, Fleece

In Germany, alpaca shows usually consist of two parts. First there is the so-called “Halter”, where the alpacas are placed in the ring for being compared and ranked by an alpaca show judge. The second part of the show is known as the “Fleece Show”. This is where alpaca fleeces are compared and ranked. Neither the breeders nor the alpacas themselves are required to be onsite, since only the fleece is being evaluated. In the USA, so-called “Performance Shows” are also very common – there, not the quality but the dexterity of the alpaca is evaluated. For this purpose, participants have to walk through an obstacle course with the alpaca, which is supposed to navigate through it as gracefully as possible. This is comparable to a dog agility test.