ALSA Showring Magazine Summer 2013

Magazine of the Alpaca and Llama Show Association Summer 2013

“For people who love llamas, alpacas and the thrill of owning them�

16th Annual ALSA Grand National

Sopris Unlimited

“New Beginning” 2013

A publication of the Alpaca & Llama Show Association

www.ALSA.org

ALSA BOD

President: Ken Forster•701-724-3059 • kforster@drtel.net Vice President: Jim Doyle• 940-488-3163 • jdoyle@marikollamas.com Secretary: Kitty Tuck-Hampel * 478-972-0808 • kitty.bod@mkllamas.com Treasurer: Patricia Wattigney (non- board member)• 504-394-3817 • pkmini2@aol.com AllenDavis • 765-533-6680 • allendavisllamas@hotmail.com Larry Lewellyn • 303-870-7341 • fhllamas@aol.com Charles Poillion • 321-689-3902 • cpoil@aol.com ALPACA COMMITTEE: Allen Davis, Liaison BOD • 765-533-6680 • allendavisllamas@hotmail.com Kevin Sullivan, Chair ,OH • 440-965-7057• alpaca@centurytel.net Cynthia Ernst,MI • 517-861-9328 • cynthiaernst@sbcglobal.net Deb Yeagle,OH 8• 419-665-2697• debyeagle@ymail.com ELECTION COMMITTEE: Ken Forster, Liaison-BOD-701-724-3059 - kforster@drtel.net Lougene Baird, Chair ,HI • 808-883-1887 • lougenebaird@hawaiiantel.net Sherry Adamcyk,CO • 303-621-9021 • sadamcyk@asd20.org Jerry Dunn,CO • 303-277-1129 • beartrak@q.com ETHICS COMMITTEE: Jim Doyle, Liaison,BOD, 940-488-3163 • jdoyle@marikollamas.com Paul Schwartz, Chair, TX • 307-672-5144 • chantar@fiberpipe.net Rick Adams,CA • 530-273-8931 • rick@wildoakllamas.com Jill Knuckles ,CO, • 970-487-0223 • talltailllamas@bigplanet.com FIBER COMMITTEE: Larry Lewellyn, Liaison, BOD • 720-733-2775 • fhllamas@aol.com Cindy Ruckman, Chair,OH •740-393-2309 •cindy@mcfarlandsllamafarm.com Cynthia Ernst,MI • 517-861-9328 • cynthiaernst@sbcglobal.net Susie Smithers,OH •937-585-5161 • susiesmithers@embarqmail.com Geri Rutledge,NE • 402-366-9304 • buckshollow@wildblue.net Patti Morgan,CO • 620-442-4996 • pmmorganks@gmail.com Marilyn Milton,OR • 541-899-8097 • marilynmilton@charter.net Finance & Budget Committee: Larry Lewellyn, Liaison BOD • 720-733-2775 • fhllamas@aol.com Patti Wattigney,LA • 504-394-3817 • pkmini2@aol.com Karen Kurbis-NE-402-785-2077-llama1mama@gmail.com Grand National Committee: Ken Forster, Liaison BOD • 701-724-3059 • kforster@drtel.net Jim Doyle, Chair - TX - 940-391-1862 .- jdoyle@marikollamas.com Kitty Tuck-Hampel - GA - 478-972-0808.- mkllamas@mkllamas.com Charles Poillion - FL - 321-689-3902 - cpoil@aol.com Larry Lewellyn - CO - 720-733-2775 - fhllamas@aol.com Allen Davis - IN - 765-533-6680 - .allendavisllamas@hotmail.com Patti Wattigney - LA - 504-394-3817 - pkmini2@aol.com Cheryl Juntilla - CO - 970-640-8028 - cajwdj@aol.com Robin Turell - TX - 713-249-3893 - figranch@flash.net Handbook Committee: Larry Lewellyn, Liaison BOD • 720-733-2775 • fhllamas@aol.com Marcie Saska-Agnew,TX Chair • 817-866-3585 • twobittwo@windstream.net Ruby Herron,TX • 281-351-1820 • figranch@flash.net Judge’s Committee: Allen Davis, Liaison BOD • 765-533-6680 • allendavisllamas@hotmail.com Barb Harris, Chair ,CO • 719-275-9457 • wildcatllamas@aol.com Margaret Henry - TX - 903-784-8257.- HenryHillsLlamas@gmail.com Patti Morgan,KS • 620-442-4996 • pmmorganks@gmail.com Deb Yeagle,OH • 419-665-2697 • debyeagle@ymail.com Kevin Sullivan,OH • 440-965-7057 • alpaca@centurytel.net Maryan Baker - CA - 951-685-6773 - llamamaryan@yahoo.com

Membership Committee: Kitty Tuck-Hampel, Liason BOD • 478-972-0808 • kitty.bod@mkllamas.com Kathy Devaul - GA - 229-431-0738 - kdevaul@bellsouth.net Nomination Committee: Charles Poillion, Liaison BOD • 321-689-3902 • cpoil@aol.com Carolyn Myers - TX - 806-867-3423 - cmyers@lyntegar.com Performance Committee: Kitty Tuck-Hampel, Liason BOD • 478-972-0808 • kitty.bod@mkllamas.com Eileen Ditsler, Chair,CA • 951-897-2783 • iceyllama@verizon.net Kathy Nichols,CA • 916-686-7086 • kathysva@aol.com Ellen Goldsmith,NV • 775-782-4242 • cvalpacas@juno.com Steve Katzakian, CA • 530-676-5544 • katzak@directcon.net Brock Royal,TX • 325-245-5752 • royalcretllamas@zipnet.us Melanie McMurray, MO • 573-698-2141 • llamapelli@aol.com Barb Harris,MO • 719-275-9457 • wildcatllamas@aol.com Sean Price,TX • 281-351-1820 • sean@figmentranch.com Policy & Planning Committee: Ken Forster, Liaison BOD • 701-724-3059 • kforster@drtel.net Barb Harris, Chair, CO • 719-275-9457 • wildcatllamas@aol.com Michele Batt, NY • 585-737-8142 • mbatt@rochester.rr.com Tracy Weaver, FL • 727-856-3582 • lotsallamas@earthlink.net Lora Crawford, CA • 209-632-6891 • lcllamas@gmail.com Promotion & Marketing Committee Charles Poillion, Liaison.BOD • 321-689-3902 • cpoil@aol.com Protest Committee: Jim Doyle, Liaison,BOD, 940-488-3163 • jdoyle@marikollamas.com Margaret Henry, Chair,TX • 903-784-8257 • HenryHillsLlamas@gmail.com Keith Wattigney,LA • 504-394-3817 • pkmini@aol.com Lora Crawford, CA • 209-632-6891 • lcllamas@gmail.com Mary Adams, CA • 530-273-8931 • mary@wildoakllamas.com Marilyn Milton, OR • 541-899-8097 • dmmilton@charter.net Barb Harris, CO • 719-275-9457 • wildcatllamas@aol.com Paul Schwartz, WY • 307-672-5144 • chantar@fiberpipe.net Publications Committee: Larry Lewellyn, Liaison, BOD • 720-733-2775 • fhllamas@aol.com Ruby Herron, Chair, TX • 281-351-1820 • figranch@flash.net Regional Committee: Kitty Tuck-Hampel, Liason BOD • 478-972-0808 • kitty.bod@mkllamas.com Cheryl Juntilla, Chair,CO • 970-640-8028 • cajwdj@aol.com Penny Thomas.OK • 918-521-0766 • pooder33@att.net Barb Harris, CO • 719-275-9457 • wildcatllamas@aol.com Joy Pedroni, CA • 510-385-2902 • joy@blackcatllamas.com Show Management Committee: Allen Davis, Liaison BOD • 765-533-6680 • allendavisllamas@hotmail.com TBA, Chair Jill Knuckles,CO • 970-487-0223 • talltailllamas@bigplanet.com Website Committee: Jim Doyle, Liaison,BOD, 940-488-3163 • jdoyle@marikollamas.com Ruby Herron, Chair,TX • 281-351-1820 • figranch@flash.net Mike Hoopegardner, IN • 317-498-0422 • mikehoop@redbudllamas.com Youth Committee: Charles Poillion, Liaison BOD • 321-689-3902 • cpoil@aol.com Susan Leslie, Chair, TX • 830-401-0819 • leslielanellamas@gmail.com Tabbethia Haubold, NY • 631-680-6721 • lilivestockco@optonline.net Diana Collins, TX • 325-486-8195 • dcollins1017@suddenlink.net Anna Reese, TX • 830-401-0819 • areese29@gmail.com Michelle Kutzler, OR • 541-740-1434 • michelle.kutzler@oregonstate.edu Heather Koenig, OR • 541-752-5434 • hjkoenig@peoplepc.com Youth Scholarship Sub-Committee: Sally Rucker, CO • 719-689-9010 • ssllama@q.com SHOWRING EDITOR/DESIGN/LAYOUT

Ruby Herron - 17102 Mueschke Rd., Cypress, TX 77433 713-249-8523 • hummingherald@figmentranch.com

The views expressed herein are those of the authors. Before undertaking any new regime with your llamas, you should always consult with your veterinarian. Only they can tell you what is best for your situation. We invite submission for unpaid articles and photographs.

Email to figranch@flash.net or mail to: Ruby Herron, c/o Showring Magazine,17102 Mueschke Rd., Cypress,Tx., 77433

Summer 2013 Contents Editor’s note...............................................................4 Office talk...................................................................6 2012 ALSA YOuth Scholarship................................7 Now There Are Six.....................................................8 Orange Blossom 4-H...............................................10 The Fiber Workshop................................................12 Look Out NEW JUDGES HEADED YOUR WAY.......14 WHEN THE KIDS LEAVE HOME.................................18 HOW CLOSE IS TOO CLOSE.........................................29 ALSA BOARD AND OFFICERS.....................................43 Alsa elite champions.............................................44 Alsa judges & apprentices...................................47 lifetime members.....................................................50

Happy 4th of July

Letter From The Editor Here is your 2013 Summer edition of the Showring Magazine.

Inside you will find all sorts of information that will be helpful to you throughout the summer and the rest of the year.

Many of the articles and information found in this Magazine may be found on the ALSA website, www.alsashow.org.

If you have any questions, please contact me or the ALSA office.

The cover photo used in this Summer edition of the Showring Magazine really depicts what llamas do in the summer! This is a picture of “Chester” and was provided

by Barb Ferris, Eden, New York. Thank you Barb! I also wanted to thank everyone that sent me photos to use on the cover and throughout the Showring Magazine ( Brenda Foulke, Laurel Snider, Dorthe Peloquin,Vicky Southwick and Teri Conroy) Please send me photos all year long! Who knows where yours’ will appear!

I have received some wonderful articles, too. Any information that you have concerning your Camelid, will probably be helpful to someone else – so please send me what you have. If you can’t write a paper (and who can), don’t worry! I will help put it together and have you work with me so we can get it right!

If you have any ideas for articles, etc. that you would like to see in the Showring, please let me know.

We don’t currently allow any Classified ads, but I have been approached to. What do YOU think about allowing Classified ads? What about allowing Sales from Ranches? (Now, this service will only be available to ALSA members) Please let me know your thoughts.

All of the pricing for advertising in the Showring are on the ALSA website .......... or follow this link http://www. alsashow.net/Showring_Rates_2013.pdf . According to what y’all decide, it may change. Please visit often.

Your friend,

Ruby 4 Showring Magazine Summer2013

Alpaca Llama Show Association

Thank you for taking part in the ALSA 2013 General Election 352 ballots were sent to the membership, 99 ballots were voted and returned.

This indicates 28% of the membership voted which is similar to previous year's participation.

You elected two Directors Susan Leslie from the Central Region received 77 votes Larry Lewellyn from the Rocky Mountain Region received 80 votes The ALSA Bylaws revision passed by a large majority 86 of the 99 ballots voted yes to accept the change.

86 represents 87% of those voting were in favor of the Bylaws change.

Congratulations to Susan and Larry!

We wish you well as you step up to serve the ALSA Membership.

A special 'Thank You' to the members who voted in this year's election Lougene Baird, Chair ALSA Election Committee Â

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Offi c e Tal k I hope you are all having a wonderful summer and all of your weather problems / fire problems have ceased! Now we can get busy enjoying the llamas and alpacas, right?

We currently have 63 ALSA sanctioned shows for 2013. I’m sure one of them is in your area. Please visit here, http://www.alsashow.org/nshows2003.asp to see the calendar and location of the shows. If you have any questions, please let me know. Also, we add ALSA shows to the calendar of events quite often, so you need to keep checking. Superintendents, if you have not sanctioned your show for 2013, please do that now. The ALSA office will help you market your show! We need all the exposure we can get for our shows, right? Your show will be listed on our show calendar on the ALSA website, put in the Showring, (our Virtual Magazine which is available to anyone to view), monthly email blasts about upcoming shows, and of course the office personnel will help. If you are an ALSA sanctioned show and wish to have a personal email blast about your show, just let us know and we’ll see what we can do!

We would like to thank you all that participated in the ALSA 2013 General Election. The new directors that will be joining us are Susan Leslie from the Central Region and Larry Lewellyn from the Rocky Mountain Region. (well, Larry is already on the Board of Directors, so he will be staying with us!) Also included was a By-Law change. This was approved. Please read about it on the website under the Handbook By-Laws.

Did you know that we have 6 Regional Shows for you to choose from this year? We have the Central Regional Championship Show, the Northwestern Regional Championship Show, the Rocky Mountain Regional Championship Show, the Southwestern Regional Championship Show, the Southeastern Regional Championship Show, and the Midwest Regional Championship Show.

Please see inside this issue of the Showring for more information, or click here http://www.alsashow.net/regional.html . Also new this year in the Regional Shows ................ All Grand and Reserve Champion Awards that are awarded at any Regional Show will apply towards an ALSA Champion or Elite Champion Award!

We cannot thank the Regional Superintendents enough for making these shows possible and hope that everyone will support their efforts by attending a Regional Championship. Please remember that all Regional Championships are double point shows, you can attend as many as you want with no pre-qualifying.

I also hope many of you are qualified (or planning on getting qualified) and are coming to Shawnee Oklahoma on October 24th – 27th , 2013 for the 2013 ALSA Grand National Show of Champions. There is more information for this Grand National show inside this issue of the Showring or click here http://www.alsashow.net/national.html . (and don’t forget that this show is a triple point show!)

The 16th annual ALSA Grand National Show should prove to be a very exciting show and the competition is sure to be there – you will be competing with the best of the best!

And as always please remember, I am here to help you. If you have any questions and/or concerns feel free to call me. I will usually answer you quickly (unless I am outside working with my llamas and I can’t get to the phone!)

I hope each of y’all have a tremendous and blessed summer full of wonderful events!

6 Sincerely,Your Showring Magazine Summer2013 ALSA Executive Secretary and friend,

Robin

2013 ALSA Youth Scholarship Winners!

We would like to congratulate our two 2013 Youth Scholarship Winners.

They will each receive $500.00.

Brandon B. Benninger of Hebron, Indiana Alex Rodman of Sarasota, Florida We would also like to thank the other ALSA youth that applied for this scholarship.

Our decision was very tough ... you were all wonderful!

Congratulations Brandon and Alex!

Sincerely, Your ALSA BOD

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The Fiber workshop was held at Centennial Middle School on Saturday June 8, 9am-3pm We had about 20 people stop in or stay as they found an interest in the activities of the day.

Susan Pritchard demonstrated dying fiber and we were able to use her fiber, and colors for a small fee, to practice our color abilities. That was a very fun activity. Susan also showed us how to make bracelets, using yarn of our choice.

It did involved a bit of knitting, but even Tracy finished that project!

Claire Marie and Doug with their very own foam couch cushion to amazing work of fiber art.

were needle felting a huge picture fiber. Claire, resourcefully retrieved a make this project easier. It is an

They also had several other felting techniques going on during the day. Ask about their creative projects and their trip to the "Fiber Store".

We had Diana and her sisters come from the east coast to learn everything they could about fiber.

I think when they left each had accomplished a fiber skill.... spinning,carding fiber, needle felting, dying wool or using a drop spindle.

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Kay Ables, Mary Beth, and Susan Bolender brought their looms and to showed us projects that they had created since the last fiber workshop in 2012. Amazing talented people using fiber from the animals we care for daily.

Thank you to all that came and participated this year. A very special group of people.

Thanks to Tom Himes Centennials Plant Manager for coming to our rescue when the A/C unit decided to go" off line" and to Centennial Middle School for allowing us to continue to hold our fiber workshop at the school.

Sincerely, Tracy Weaver

Reggi Durch on

LLovin LLamas

H inton H ill

953 FM 2081 Yantis, Texas 75494 903-458-2203 double_r_@wildblue.net

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Look Out! New Judges Headed Your Way! I had occasionally pondered the idea of becoming an ALSA performance judge.

Opportunity finally knocked – the location: outside Castle Rock, CO. The timing: Great, June 14-16, 2013. Summer had just hit Texas and the thought of a little more reprieve from the heat was quite appealing.

The ALSA sponsored clinic was taught by Judie Moser, Barbara Harris, and Cheryl Juntilla, all experienced judges. Current judges Linda Hayes and Johnna Edmunds were attending for recertification. Larry Lewellyn, Sandy Nolan, Rob Knuckles, Jens Rudibaugh, and I (Adryce Mathisen) all were there as part of the apprentice program. Sandy Lockwood attended the Breeders section of the course and helped out as a handler. Marci Saska-Agnew and Larry Lewellyn provided animals for us to evaluate. Wally Juntilla, Marci Saska-Agnew, Deanna (Lewellen?), Betty and Darold Thunder helped out as handlers and contributed their insight.. The clinic was hosted at the beautiful ranch belonging to Darold and Betty Thunder outside of Castle Rock, Colorado. (Larry was also instrumental in setting this up I think, just not sure how.)

We all showed up on Friday and got started. We were given lots of handouts, a judges’ manual, information on llama conformation, things to look for when halter judging, ethics, suggestions for staying organized, lists of faults to look for when judging performance. At this point we’re getting a clue that it might not be as easy as it looks.

Our instructors go over things judges should know about the whole process, from starting out with a contract, what things the judge needs prior to arriving at the show, what to

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bring to a show and so on. All of the current judges chip in with some great information. We go over llama anatomy, conformation and problems that poor conformation can cause. Next it is time to look at some real llamas. We start with a group of medium wool females. The handlers paraded the llamas around and around as we tried to decide. We take notes on each one. Now the real panic begins to set in. We not only have to place them, we have to present our reasons why. Out loud. In front of everyone! The llamas in this class all have similar strength and weaknesses. How do you pick the top one? Which traits are more important? I can’t read my notes! So we each record our placements and try to figure out what to say about them. For those of us first timers, this is quite traumatic. The judges at the shows always sound so fluent, so smooth. Making the decision is hard enough, figuring out a clear concise way to discuss the placing’s to the exhibitors and audience is extremely difficult. Additionally, we can’t say that llama number 3 is in last place because it is cow hocked and swaybacked; we have to discuss the positive attributes of the animal placed above it. We’ve heard it done a lot at shows, never realizing how hard it was.

Next comes the heavy wool females. Look at all that wool! What’s under that? Are their bones under there? We go through the same process again, this time it’s a little easier, until it’s time to talk about them. That’s still hard. Our instructors talk about their selections and their reasons for them. The reasons make sense; maybe things are getting a bit clearer.

Time to adjourn, get some dinner and do some studying.

The next day (Saturday) we took tests on llama anatomy and conformation. Again, not as easy as it looks. What’s a gaskin? It was all much clearer when we weren’t being tested on it. Can a llama really walk with the deformities we see in the book? We went on to have some great discussions on llama shows, judging horror stories, things to watch out for, the state of the llama industry and all sorts of llama related things. We judged males, again practicing evaluation and presenting reasons. We judged showmanship. No sandals in the show ring! Those of us who have never showed in a showmanship class learned that some of the key items being judged are the exhibitor’s ability to follow directions, and pay 15

attention to the judge and the llama. And then, from up the hill, a call came announcing that a long overdue baby was coming!!! That brought things to a halt for a while. A new, healthy cria was born that afternoon, up and nursing right away, a beautiful boy born at Foothill Llamas. After class some of us went over to take a peak at him. A great end to a great day.

Sunday brought us to performance. After struggling a bit on halter evaluations, I thought performance would be easier. Wrong! You have to assure that the courses have all the required obstacles for the class, that the obstacles are safe, and are the correct size. Ten points can be earned or lost on each obstacle and there are numerous ways to lose points. Some carry over more than one obstacle. It’s a good thing that they don’t go into negative numbers. When judging performance, if you blink, sneeze, or get distracted in any way, you could miss something. There are variations in how many points are taken off for different faults. Did the llama brush against the side of the pole, or did he knock it across the ring? You know all these things if you show in performance, but actually making shorthand notes, scoring the obstacle, watching as the exhibitor continues to move to the next obstacle, again is more difficult than it looks.

We tally our scores and compare them to the professionals. Sometimes we are close, sometimes not. This judging stuff takes concentration and practice, practice, practice.

Bottom line here is that even the most experienced among us learned something. We had some great discussions, heard some wonderful ideas, learned a lot, got to know some fine people and gained a much greater respect for those people taking on the task of being a judge. And had a wonderful time doing it. Thanks to everyone who made this possible! If there is a clinic in your area, don’t miss the opportunity to attend!

Adryce Mathisen

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A kiss seals two souls for a moment in time.

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Clipper sales repair serviCe - parts Blade sharpening Most Brands

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217-414-8126

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ALSA 2012 Youth High Point Top 10

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Lets Here It For The ALSA Youth !

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ALSA Board and Officers

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The ALSA Board of Directors is pleased to announce the return of the Showring Magazine. The Showring Magazine will be a quarterly on line publication:

Issue Spring Summer Fall Winter

Submission Deadline February 15 May 15 August 15 November 15

Publication Date March June September December

There will only be two sizes of advertisements available. (One for individuals and one for commercial business.)

For layout specifications and design please contact the editor: Ruby Herron 713-249-8523 figranch@flash.net The Showring editor and the ALSA board of directors reserve the right to refuse any ad.

ADVERTISING SPACE AVAILABLE:

Members $10.00 per quarter

Non Members $20.00 per quarter Individual Ad Size 3.5” width X 2” height

Members $10.00 per quarter Non Members $20.00 per quarter

Commercial Ad Size 3.5” width X 4.75” height 4.75” width X 3.5” height

Members $25.00 per quarter

Non Members $35.00 per quarter

Individual Ad Size 2” width X 3.75” height 53

Only if we can learn to work together will we realize our strength in numbers.

Free your mind and think.

Figment Ranch 54 Showring Magazine Summer2013