European alpaca show Vierzon 2010

It soon came around. Last years show was held at the back end of the year because of complications with the availability of the blue tongue vaccine, so barely six months between the two, and once again we have pre show car problems. We still haven't got a replacement yet so Gary and Felicia from Popham alpacas drove us and our animals down, along with their alpacas that live here. We also loaded a suri female and cria we had sold to customers in the Limousin,to be collected from the show. Add to that, a spinning wheel, fleeces, boxes of products and clothing, overnight bags and picnics,signs and banners and anything else you can think of.
Ready to go ,the big Toyota hauled itself down the road without effort. Crammed in the car amongst all the stuff we joked where on earth would we put all the cups and trophies on the way back!
After a somewhat fractious AGM on the Friday evening the show was underway first thing Saturday.
The lovely Quelvehin Fanny-Ann was first up,with the intermediate girls. Not looking her best I have to admit. Still a little damp after Thursday and Fridays rain. A matted top knot and a good deal of this years hay quota still stuck in her fleece.
It didn't matter though. First place. A good start.
Pophams Columbus was up next. A terrific stud male who has spent his life in France after coming over as a weanling. He had been working in the Dordogne for the last year and was at the show to come back to Quelvehin to stand at stud for 2010.
Sporting a silly haircut and in need of a teeth trim Gary was hesitant about showing him.
He needn't have worried. First placed in the seniors.
Daniel was next. A Popham male already at stud here. A beautiful mahogany brown boy and so well behaved he couldn't fail to wow the judge. First place.
This was all going very nicely thank you.
Could Atlas spoil the party? Up next,I doubted his chances. I had spied a very nice black in the Belgians pen next door. The judge took her time and then pointed us forward. Yyesss Attaboy!
As the afternoon went on Popham French lass and Quelvehin Ghost took a first and second in the Suri classes. Daniel and Atlas both went on to win championships in their colour classes.
And Columbus,? only went on to win Supreme champion didn't he. Supreme!
Thats like the bestest alpaca in the world! Well, it felt like it just for a while.
I think he's going to be a busy boy this summer at Quelvehin.
So all in all, a good day at the office as they say.
The evening was topped off nicely with a meal at a local restaurant for all the exhibitors.
Sunday morning the fleece entries were judged and Atlas copped for another cup.
Just the tidying up then Oh , and that problem of extra space in the truck!