Adventures of The King Garth Alpacas

Once a year, 600 alpacas and their accompanying humans flock to Telford for 3 days of alpaca craziness. Intense competition, intense socialising, no sleep, and all the humans return home in a state of exhaustion. The alpacas , on the other hand, take it all in their stride. I am always amazed at how well they cope. This year, I was only taking juniors, so these little ones had only been halter trained in January. They had, had little experience beyond the paddock, apart from a couple of practise trips in the trailer with Effervescence who looked after them and told them all about shows and what to expect.

After a 4 hour journey the team of 5 arrived at Telford Exhibition centre: indoor, noisy, hectic, people galore, carpets, cardboard bedding, no grass in sight. What do they do? Panic? No, they look around, see that they are now in a herd of almost 600, (don’t worry - all herds have a safe biosecurity distance!), and they know life is OK. Then they see their friend, Zoe, who managed to get time away from her MSc to join us. She had been around helping last year and even been there for the birth of some of these little ones. 

By the time it is time for them to go into the ring they are so chilled that even leaving their mates in the pen to show off in the ring and in front of the grandstand full of people isn’t an issue.

I went to the Show with low expectations. Any rosette would be an achievement, after all it is the National. But the team exceeded all expectations: 4 of the 5 came away with a rosette.

King Garth Feargal (Dam: King Garth Toyah, Sire: King Garth Hipster), was 6th which I was very happy about, after all he’s ones of my favourites. I had noticed some darker fibres in his fleece (which isn’t desirable)  after I entered him so I didn’t expect much, so 6th was great.

King Garth La-Di-Dah (Dam: Beck Brow Posh Pants, Sire: Limestone Red) and King Garth Biscotti (Dam: Beck Brow Roma, Sire: King Garth Solway Sandbar) were in the same class. Zoe took Biscotti in the ring, and I had La-Di-Dah. I actually though Biscotti may be the better bet, but La-Di-Dah upstaged her and sneaked a 6th rosette. We like purple Rosettes, they go with the KIng Garth theme, but we were about to move up the colour rainbow.

KIng Garth Curly Wurly (Dam: King Garth Liquorice, Sire: King Garth Hipster, (Granny Angel 💕) was placed 3rd. This was really exciting for me as she has 2 King Garth Parents so breeding at King Garth most be going in the right direction. 

That was Saturday done and only Cosmic Ray to go on the Sunday.

On the Saturday night there was the Gala Dinner. I tried to be a little sensible but the night ended in a Cocktail bar. Late night, early morning. I had volunteered to be Pen Steward again, which meant an early morning but also helped me wake up as I had to run around getting competitors to the ring on time.

Then it was time to get King Garth Cosmic Ray (Dam: Beck Brow Moondust, Sire: Beck Brow First Edition) to the ring. I didn’t expect anything really: Junior whites are very competitive after all. And then…….. I couldn’t believe it (and still can’t), she was called in 1st!

An amazing highlight to a great show. The show was so well organised and the judges did a great job making oral reasoning both  useful and entertaining. It was lovely to see the alpaca breeders and swap stories and so good to have Zoe there to help. 

I survived the drive home, powered by so much caffeine that my exhausted self couldn’t sleep that night. The alpacas were thrilled to get home to Cumbrian weather and made the most of having rain on their backs and mud under their feet. They usually come inside when it rains, but tonight they made the most of it so the morning after the show they were spectacularly muddy and wet. No prize winners this morning!

With another 2 shows before the birthing starts these little prize winners might have to clean up their act again!