The British Alpaca Futurity
Planning is well underway for the British Alpaca Futurity 2009 which will be held on February 27/28 at the Stoneleigh Park Exhibition and Conference Centre. The Futurity will take place in Exhibition Hall 1 which, with over three thousand metres of space, will be able to accommodate all the alpaca penning, show ring and trade stands with room for alpaca exhibitor displays as well. A range of sponsorship opportunities will be available for alpaca breeders for the first time.
The international judge and founder of the British Alpaca Society’s Judge Training Scheme, Amanda Vandenbosch has agreed to judge the show classes. Veterinarian Claire Whitehead and the president of the Australian Alpaca Association Dr Ian Davison will be among the speakers.
Please contact the event’s production manager Chas Brooke for further information on sponsorship opportunities and any other matters on 01884 243579 or chas@alpaca-uk.co.uk
February 16th and 17th, 2008, Newbury Racecourse, Berkshire
The top selling alpaca at the British Alpaca Futurity 2008 elite auction last weekend was sold for fifteen thousand guineas. Wellground Killawasi’s Keepsake, a solid white, twenty two month old unproven stud male, sired by Accoyo Killawasi, is expected to work this year. He was Supreme Champion at the South of England Show 2007. Close behind him was the black pregnant female Inca Magic that achieved a price of fourteen thousand guineas. This girl won first place in the black intermediate class at the BAS Spring Show, the BAS National Show, South of England Show, Royal Bath & West Show and the East of England Show in 2007.
Seven alpacas were sold by the auctioneers Harrison & Hetherington at Newbury Racecourse Grandstand, for a total of £60,100. One of the animals was donated by the Futurity sponsors, Langaton Alpacas, The Alpaca Stud, Classical MileEnd Alpacas, Alpacas of Wessex, Bozedown Alpacas and EP Cambridge UK, and the proceeds are going to the charities Quechua Benefit and Practical Action. Both of these charities work with alpaca farmers and their families in Peru. The auction followed a dinner for 200 alpaca breeders from the UK, Europe and Australia and a fashion show where the best of British garments made from alpaca were seen on the catwalk. The prize draw winners were announced over coffee and prizes included a trip to Chile, tickets to a Manchester United match, a paddock cleaner donated by the sponsors and many more.
More than two hundred and twenty alpacas took part in show classes during Saturday February 16 at Newbury Racecourse with the championship classes on the morning of Sunday February 17 and over £14,000 in prize money was paid out. The international judge Mike Safley flew in from America to judge the classes alongside British judge Paul Cullen. It was the first time that Mike Safley, who has written many books on alpacas and judged all over the world including Peru, had been invited to judge in the UK. His verdict on the Futurity was, “It is a world class event”. In his lecture on the Sunday morning Mike commented on the quality of the British animals and their world class genetics and urged breeders to consider setting up a system of Estimated Breeding Values to maintain and advance the British herd’s superiority in Europe.
The Futurity is the only show of its kind in Europe where just the progeny of nominated sires can be shown. The Futurity championship is won by the sire whose progeny win most points and this year for the second time the winner of the huacaya section was Galaxy of Bozedown Alpacas with the suri section being won by Arunvale Suri Wonder Dream of Moonsbrook Alpacas. ATA Cambridge Centurion, owned by EP Cambridge and Inca Alpaca, won the Junior Herdsire Award and Helen Macdonald of Alpaca Power was named as the most successful Small Breeder. Several hundred people attended the event where there were a number of trade stands selling all manner of garments made from alpaca yarns, alpaca feed, paddock cleaners and alpaca handling equipment.
Veterinarian Claire Whitehead , lecturer in camelid medicine at the Royal Veterinary College, conducted morning and afternoon seminars on Reproductive Problems in Camelids whilst Nick Weber, chairman of the Camelids Trust, discussed Practical Nutrition.
The date and venue for the 2009 Futurity will be released shortly.
feedback
Feedback after the event was excellent. These are some of the comments we received:
“A world class event” - Mike Safley, international judge.
“You must be congratulated on the show, we only came on the Saturday, but everything seemed to run like clockwork.”
“I thought having the show in February was a great improvement (over November), the alpacas had a good fleece on them, the temperature is far better for them than at some of the summer shows, and the quality of the animals shown really was quite exceptional, especially the white classes.” Robert Reeve, alpaca owner.
“Many thanks, great FUTURITY, much enjoyed it” - Richard Beale, Stanford Livestock.
“Your fine work was appreciated by the Spanish/French connection. The girls had a wonderful time and I thought you should know that your efforts were hugely successful. Thanks.” - Nigel Cobb, Alpacas de la Andalucia.
“Well done again on the weekend” - Mathew Lloyd, EP Cambridge.
“Thanks for organising the Futurity that I thought was very well done all round” - Bernard Northmore.
“Can’t fault it, excellent all round” - Paul Cullen judge.
elite auction results
| Lot | Purchaser | Price |
| 1 | Roger Mount | 4,900gns |
| 2 | not sold | |
| 3 | R & P Jefferies | 15,000gns |
| 4 | R & P Jefferies | 14,000gns |
| 5 | Kim Kearney | 5,000gns |
| 6 | Roger Mount | 6,200gns |
| 7 | not sold | |
| 8 | Debbie Rippon | 9,000gns |
| 9 | P Garner | 6,000gns |
| Charity Item: Paddock Cleaner | Karen Oglesby | 1,000gns |
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