Wainui sets a world record

By Frank Neill

Wainui has set a new Guiness world record.

Wainui is the world’s oldest alpaca in captivity, and Guiness has just made his status as a world record holder official on its website.

List MP based in

South Chris Bishop

Born on 2 January 1998, Wainui lives with his owners Vicki and Alex Cordier on their Coast Road farm.

He was not named after the valley where he now lives, however. In fact the Cordiers did not know his name was Wainui when they bought him in 2002.

He already had that name when Vicki and Alex bought their first two alpacas.

Wainui was born in Australia, and moved to the Banks Peninsula at a young age. He is named after the Banks Peninsula town Wainui.

Following their experience with two alpacas they have since added to their numbers and now have 11 alpacas that they run on an area of their land they have named Waterloo Park.

Wainui, the world record holder, with his owner Vicki Cordier.

Now that he has set a world record Wainui is “quite the movie star,” Vicki says.

“25 is a fantastic age for an alpaca. 18 is a good age, 20 is a great age and 25 is exceptional,” she says.

”We had a dinner party for his 23rd birthday and this year, when he turned 25, we had a birthday party.”

Wainui is fortunate to still be alive.

When he was about five years old Wainui ate an Oleander bush.

The poison resulted in his kidneys and his liver failing, and the veterinarians at Massey did not think he was going to survive. He was on a drip for a week, and miraculously recovered.

“So he’s made of strong stuff,” Vicki says.

“They are my life, my alpacas.” They are intelligent animals, too. “We can learn a lot from them,” she adds.