Archive Late-2006

'One News' - Alpaca Feature
28 December 2006

Pleased to see Anne and Brian Thornton feature on New Zealand's 'One News' - the article highlighted Brian's continuing recovery from a stroke three years ago, thanks to Anne and their fostered alpacas. And, of course, the alpacas tried to upstage Brian, with a few full-frontals from Charm and Kamikaze. Fortunately Brian showed who was in control - the alpacas!.

See the TVNZ News One article clicking the following link: http://tvnz.co.nz/view/video_popup_windows_skin/946131

And Anne and Brian celebrated a further arrival to their herd earlier that day with arrival of a young male cria named 'Bayley' ... young Bayley was already bouncing around the paddock by the time the prime-time news feature was televised!

'Alpaca Blogs' - New Site Area
Late-December 2006

A new feature has been introduced - a blogs site area for our alpacas, their mates and a few comments from 'Dad'! Our own Dr. Doolittle will translate ... so click on this link to enjoy an insight in to life as an alpaca!

Guess my Dad?
Late-December 2006

Sometimes a cria is born and you simply know who the dad is. Little Blossom (top-picture)was born Boxing Day - the top picture was taken at 2pm, only 6 hours after birth. Mum is centre-stage but Dad is working in Christchurch. That head marking and rich fleece density and colour further clues. Blossom is a spitting-image of Dad, Toledo. For further picture just click on this link. Remember - Blossom is only 6 hours old on the pictures on a Carouselle and Blossom page... on an overcast day!

Early Christmas presents ... in the summer snow?!
21 December 2006

Some horrible weather here on 20 December so we were really surprised to look out and see a new cria arrive between rain-torrents in one birthing paddock - and then one hour later another arrive in the other birthing shed! Both Fifi and Cadbury are strong and doing well - with a little help of a weatherproof dog coat each with light snow falling! Early Christmas presents indeed - both solid coloured in brown and dark fawn respectively - and both sired by our Enrico! Pictures follow ... if we can source a waterproof camera!?

Shearing between the storms?
20 December 2006

We finished shearing here at Flagstaff Alpacas on 19 December only to see the cold weather return the following day - all the girls moved in to the shed to stay out of the gusty storms. When will summer return?

We have been training a local Dunedin livestock shearer - John Bradfield - who is available in east Otago for the summer for anyone needing quality alpaca shearing. John soon developed a technique around the alpaca tail and over the head-knot - the most difficult areas to finish a good alpaca shear - and the girls all look great. Not a nick anywhere!

Stud Males ... going to North Island!
December 2006

Several of our stud males are going to the North Island in January 2007 for several months. Southern Warrior will be with Kathy and Chuck Rademacher at Kaipara Pines Alpacas, Auckland. Ben Elvis and Otto will be in the Wellington-Masterton area between 2 breeders over the same three months. If interested in stud services from these three males please make contact and we will forward details of the boys travels and

Enrico ... our cuddly teddy bear ... is back!
15 December 2006

Pleased to say Enrico, our cuddly teddy bear stud male, is back working. After a winter with Nadine and Craig he is already looking for business around the paddocks! And now he is 6 kilograms lighter after being shorn of that wonderful ginger-fawn fleece.

Paca Shearing
Late-November 2006

Phew! Haircut time so we are full swing on alpaca shearing. And the girls and boys look great thanks to the help of Ben W, John Bradfield, Tom and Lizette our shearer's and helpers. Winds have not helped so a little alpaca confetti around the place but most of the fleece is in bags - primarily with each saddle in its own individual paper bag so we can more finely skirt and sort indoors when the weather is ugly!

With some good team work the maximum time on table has been below 10 minutes including checking teeth and annual injections. And of ninety done only one small nick so great care by all shearer's using snow-combs and spacers on some. We have also tipped a few older cria this year - and their mum's soon recognised their offspring so no stress there and the cria look excellent. Thanks guys - next job sorting for processing - not quite so much fun!

National EXPO and Royal Canterbury Show 2006
9-17 November 2006

Busy times amongst alpaca breeders as we attended, along with over 300 a paca entries, our National Championship for 2006 and the Royal Canterbury Show over 8 days in Christchurch. It was great to see so many alpacas together and all the alpacas seemed content in the roomy surroundings of the Westpac Centre and at the Show Grounds.

Plenty of rosettes and ribbons won by the nations best alpacas and we came away with recognition for all our alpacas especially those entered in some large classes. But our favorite remained the Performance and Handler Classes during the EXPO and Royal - seeing alpacas at their best while having plenty of fun! A real boost to some of our very young breeders showing their confidence, and their favorite alpacas skills, to the public. A great long week with the 'sandwich-filled' with 3 days of seminars on alpaca fibre and health - more details to follow!

Australian Alpaca National Show 2006
3 November 2006

Our Australian colleagues really stepped up their performance at their National Show 2006 in Canberra last weekend of October. With over 500 alpacas, 100 fleece and a spectrum of alpaca fashion garments the industry certainly appeared in very good order. I guess the alpaca is relatively drought proof with their low fodder intake requirements in the heat; our Australian counterparts showed their belief in their industry with the closing National Auction of 14 alpacas grossing over AU$520,000!

Can I encourage you, if you want to take the alpaca seriously, to visit the Australian National Show - next year in Bendigo, Victoria - and our own NZ EXPO just to appreciate the strength and vision oozing through the industry.

There is always a highlight. For me it was seeing the great Jolimont WARRIOR being shorn (second picture) - one of his son's, Southern Warrior, is one of our working males. Look at that bright, bright fleece. It was so dense and rich to touch ... and the great boy, now aged seven, simply took his haircut like the gentle 'man' that he is! And there were kilograms of it! That will make it a little easier for this great alpaca to continue to leave his mark throughout the Australian national herd!

BBC News Story - "I Love The Alpaca..."
23 October 2006 - BBC News

Sharp-eyed Auckland alpaca breeder spotted and passed on this lovely story from the home of the alpaca. Quote: "I love the Alpaca like a beautiful woman...". Thanks to BBC News for the story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6066610.stm

Swans ... not long-necked sheep!
13 October 2006

Visitors to Flagstaff Alpacas on 'Black Friday' commented the alpacas looked like sheep with long necks? "Sheep with long necks??" I commented ... "NO ... sorry ... NOT!!!" ... As the picture bottom shows these lovely animals have the grace and poise of a group of swans. They grace us with their looks, their manners and their presence, and they are always a pleasure to watch ... glide ... across our ponds and lakes of grasses and herbs. Whatever their fleece colours these 'swans of the pasture' grace our land.

Halter Training for National Alpaca EXPO
12 October 2006

With the National Alpaca EXPO only one month away we are busy getting our alpacas ready for their 'Miss' and 'Mr New Zealand' contest. Third picture is Laura refreshing a few of the boys who really should know better! Left to right are Que Cee, Sea Stallion and Southern Warrior on our front lawn.

Upsize Your Alpaca ... NO THANKS!
10 October 2006

Interesting story from BBC News - 'Giant Camel Fossil Found in Syria'. Apparently a team of researchers have unearthed a camel double the size of the modern-day camel ... and 'King Camel' was around only 100,000 years ago .... about the time the toothpick was invented. Described as 'as big as an elephant' it surprised scientists as they had not expected to find camels in the Middle East in that period?

Picture right bottom is 'Clover', one of or Guanacos, with a deer fence in the background for size perspective. Clovers expression shows he has not got 'the hump' about being upsized!

So the potential for breeding 'King Paca' may be on the breeding agenda. Well here's hoping not ... because they are cute enough the size they are now thanks! But if you wish to 'upsize' you alpacas mind they don't tread on your toes!

Alpaca EXPO Sponsorship - 'The Human Factor'
30 September 2006

Flagstaff Alpacas is pleased to announce we will be sponsoring all the Performance and Handler Classes at the 2006 Alpaca EXPO in weekend of 10 to 12 November 2006 at the Westpac Centre, Christchurch. Fun events these Special Classes are all about our easy interaction with our alpaca friends. So come and watch - or even enter - you, your family, friends and ... of course ... your favorite alpaca(s)!

And don't forget the weekend is the best opportunity in the year to get to know the New Zealand alpaca community, and their favorite alpacas. Hope you can join over 250 alpacas on Show and a variety of events, trade sites, information sources, handling opportunities, shearing demonstrations, products ... and the stars of the EXPO ... our alpacas.

September - fleece testing
September 2006

Busy in mid-September with our annual herd fleece testing. The great weather has made the process easy - and a pleasure to see the progress in the herd this year. Traits we are keen to see are brightness in the fleece, a property directly linked to feel of the fleece. We like to test now so we can get a feel for shearing groups, shows and mating choices through the summer.

Same time as taking mid-side samples we are checking toenails. Fortunately Liz has joined us for rural work experience and has got really stuck-in ... right at the deep-end of alpacas as we trim a few nails and give plenty of mid-side haircuts!

For more Alpaca News Archives try the following:

News Archive Early-2006 - click this link!

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