British Alpaca Society Judge Tutor: Alpaca Assessment

Published: 10/10/2011 3:17:00 PM

Introducing the British Alapca Society, One Day Alpaca Assessment course.

I had a busy old weekend scuttling off down to Bozedown Alpacas on Saturday to attend the new one day Alpaca Assessment course which was held in the village hall right next to Bozedown. Nick Harrington Smith( Alpaca Stud) was lecturing on the day and Val Fullerlove ( Hanley Hall Alpacas), Liz Barlow( Livanti Alpacas) and myself were in attendance to watch and observe.

This was the first time that the BAS Judge Tutors have given this one day alpaca assessment. We were all there to observe, make notes and comment afterwards on how it may be tailored and improved to enable this one day course to be given by a single Judge Tutor in any venue in the UK.

This is an exciting development for the British Alpaca Society and the Judge Tutors who have historically delivered this type of course over 2-3 days. This new initiative is a more fundamental Alpaca Appraisal course which touches on most aspects of alpaca assessment and is designed specifically to give  breeders and owners a basic strategic framework and methodology for comparing alpacas and discerning beneficial traits.

It is hoped that this will become an absolute must for Alpaca breeders. As a one day course, indoor based  with no need for loads of alpacas it is hard to imagine that it would not. However all the places weren't filled on the day which was a littel dissapointing. It never fails to amaze me that despite how much money alpaca breeders invest in their animals why they are so reluctant to attend seminars, workshops and courses to find out objectively the detail of why we breed these magnificent creatures and what is acheivable and what is not. So often they contentedly accept as Gospel whatever the seller has told them and for some it seems this remains fro a long time the sum total of their alpaca knowledge. No wonder some are severely dissapointed when they come to sell their stock or fibre.

I would urge all UK breeders to get motivated and get learning because I have no doubt that once our European friends get wind of these BAS courses there will be quite a demand in Europe. European breeders are already devouring the BAS Judge training courses with a passion. They have serious ambitions to  begin with the knowledgfe that we have gained through experience and who can blame them, Why go backwards when there is so much to acheive by the appliance of science.

Keep looking out for these courses it won't be long before they are appearing at a venue in your neck of the woods. For new and aspirant  breeders who want ot know what is good and what is not it's an absolute must.

The Alpaca Education in the Ukis second to none and available, the costs are minimal in comparison to an investment in breeding alapcas, Google gives none of us excuses not to get up to speed in this inspirational business and add value to their alpaca aspiration.

Rob Bettinson

Toft Alpacas, Dunchurch, Warwickshire

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