Local alpaca stud, Coolawarra Alpacas, Berrima, claimed both the supreme alpaca and fleece title at the 2018 Alpaca National Age and Colour Championships in August at Bendigo.
It was EP Cambridge Connoisseur who took out the supreme champion title ahead of more than 500 of Australia’s best alpacas at the Australian Alpaca Association's calendar highlight for his owner and foundation alpaca breeder Janie Forrest.
The halter judges were Angela Preuss and Molly Gardner with fleece judge Jillian Holmes also naming Connoisseur’s first fleece the supreme title at the showing event.
Connoisseur was purchased as a six-month-old by Ms Forrest, who said she couldn’t go past the advanced characteristics in the young white male when she came across him.
“Alpacas are a relatively new addition to Australia's fleece harvest, and in our 30 years of breeding, which includes a year's research in the alpaca homelands of Peru, I have never seen a fleece as productive,” Ms Forrest said.
“Today, its fleece is as bright as its baby fleece was a year ago, with bundles of deeply crimped and highly aligned staples, and a silky touch, which sets alpaca apart from other fleece producing livestock.
“This young male exhibits density rare to the species and as such will fast track breeders into competitive commercial production.”
The judging coincided with the second Australian Alpaca Spectacular, which was established to celebrate and promote the achievements of Australian Alpaca Association members, and encourage further investment into the industry in Australia.
Less than 12 months ago, Coolawarra's herd was established after a merger with Storybook Alpacas owned by Michael, Karen and Rubey Williams.
The herd was drawn from two of the oldest studs in NSW and Australia, Coolaroo and Illawarra alpaca studs, owned by Ms Forrest and her partner, Dr Ian Davison.
Both studs, over the past 30 years, had sourced bloodlines worldwide, drawing stud consultants from the merino industry and utilising embryo transfer to accelerate their genetic advancement in the alpaca world.
The stud’s showing success continued at The Charles Ledger show in Goulburn where their alpaca, Illawarra Plantel Chant Time, was also named supreme exhibit.
Michael Willams said they were very impressed with their win at such a prestigious event.
“Whilst this show is at a more local level, the competition is fierce, with alpacas coming from studs in Victoria, Queensland and South Australia,” he said.
“This, along with the nationals where stable mate, Coolaroo Mercado won champion senior male, has been an outstanding start to our spring show season.”
The Charles Ledger Show also hosted Australia’s first alpaca carcass competition.
Ms Forrest said it was further evidence alpaca were a viable option for Australian farmers.