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The program Andrew and Bronwyn Munn are running at Alpha Centauri Alpacas is working as they claimed back-to-back Best in Show Huacaya awards at the Sydney Royal Show.
This year’s victory by Alpha Centauri Dominika, Grand Champion Female, came on the heels of Alpha Centauri Kamando claiming the same prize last year.
Both alpacas were sired by Elysion Jupiter, winner of the Sires Progeny for the past two years as well.
Andrew and Bronwyn moved their stud to Warrenbayne in Victoria after spending a number of years at Jerrawa near Yass in NSW.
They both have Monday to Friday jobs outside of alpacas and are kept busy on the weekends running their 310-strong herd on their stud.
“We always have a lot to do to keep the stud going,” Andrew said.
“It has been a busy time for us with the move to a new property and getting ready for the show.
“Bronwyn and I do everything ourselves – we don’t have a stud manager.
“The move came about after my job took me to Warrenbayne and we found a better property with superior land, which is more suited to breeding and growing alpacas, so we moved the operation down as well.”
Andrew and Bronwyn became involved in alpacas since 2002 after leaving the military. They wanted to run livestock and decided alpacas were the best fit for them.
“We started with a couple of wethers in late 2002 before getting a couple of breeding females in 2003,” Andrew said.
“It was a case of wanting livestock but not cows or sheep.
“We saw alpacas at the Sydney Royal Show that year and our interest grew from there.
“Alpacas are pretty easy to manage as they are soft on the land and less intensive than other livestock which appealed to us.
“We purchased four main males to begin the initial breeding.
“Now we have produced some very good males through internal breeding.
“This has allowed us to create a uniformity in the herd.
“Proof of this is winning the Sires Progeny at Sydney Royal four out of the past five years,” he said.
Alpha Centauri will sell genetics in September or October to other breeders.
