The North American Alpaca Show will be held in Springfield, MA this coming weekend. This show always kicks off the season for us.
Getting ready for the first show is a bit of a challenge. Our show supplies have been packed away since fall and it’s time to drag them out and see what’s missing. We need new stall signs, copies of our sales list and herdsire list, business cards and banners. We have to pack up hay and grain, water buckets, fans and poop scoopers. We have to pull the farm display out from storage and dust off a winter’s worth of hay. We need to located our scattered tables, chairs and tablecloths, tool kit and – most importantly – make sure we have sufficient zip ties to put up the display.
Our spring show string is ready and trained (more or less). The vet’s been here for their health check and paperwork has been submitted to the show. The show alpacas have been fitted with halters and had their toenails trimmed.
Ron – the one who takes the alpacas into the show ring – has to be outfitted, too. Dark pants, plain shirts, fleece vest and comfortable boots will do for him.
We’ve been hauling hay with the trailer, so it needs to be cleaned out and the dividers put back in so we can bring both male and female alpacas to the show.
Once we get through the first show, we’re good to go for the rest of the season.
We look forward to alpaca shows. It’s easy to become “barn blind” and think your alpacas are the best if you never get a look at the “the best”. Next weekend, we’ll see some of the best alpacas in this part of the country.