J.R.'s blog entry

My name ia J.R.R. (as in Tolkien) and I am taking over this blog while we are in Utah at the National AOBA Conference.

You might be wondering who I am, well, I am an Etsy! I was created by Sarah at: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5550996
You can also visit her by clicking on the link to Hollywood Flake on the sidebar.
Sarah is creative, and as is obvious by looking at me, very talented.

I am an alpaca, and I thought that I would bring you an alpaca's perspective on conference, so here it is!

Here I am, on the Super Stud Raffle table, I think I should have been chosen, but I heard I didn't have enough ribbons..... yet.
Here I interviewed a brown suri. He was open about his hopes for winning a ribbon in the show ring. I wished him luck, and offered to trim his bangs for him. For some reason he got offended and walked away. No accounting for taste I guess.
Next I talked with a curious black huacaya male. He said he wasn't going to be in a show, but was here as a buddy alpaca. He was very nice and complemented me on my colorful fiber. Then he sneezed on me.....
Here I am in an alpaca pen..... all by myself.... alone...... *sniff-sniff* I see why they always bring buddies! It can get lonely being an alpaca at a show as large as this one. You are surrounded by hundreds of alpacas, but they are all strangers!

Well, I'm off to watch the auction! I'll be back tomorrow with more from nationals. Till then, remember- spit happens!!

See ya- J.R.R.

going away....

A smiling suri alpaca from last year's conference

An adorable huacaya alpaca weanling last year.

Last year it was to Louisville Kentucky, same thing in 2006.

This year it is to Sandy Utah, for the AOBA National Conference. Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association that is.

Every year I am in charge of the Super Stud Raffle for a national non profit organization called- The Alpaca Research Foundation. You can see it here: http://www.alpacaresearchfoundation.org/


I am the Super Stud Raffle coordinator, and it is my job to gather the studs up, get all their info and get it all in for press time, coordinate email blasts, develop all the promotional material completed and in general, run the raffle. We sell tickets in advance, and at the event. I also am on the development committee and participate in other areas of the organization. It's lots of work, but I truly believe ARF is the best volunteer run organization for alpacas out there. We provide invaluable information for veterinarians, owners and breeders.

We find two of the best studs in the country, one suri, one huacaya, and their owners donate a breeding to them and we raffle off tickets for $50 a piece. It's a great way to raise money for the organization -which provides research data on a large variety of health topics, all camelid related- and lets even small ranches have a chance at some of the top studs out there, for only a small amount of bank.

We start this in about September, and the drawing is in May, and then we do it all over again!
So, I will be only here sporadically until after the 25th of May. Things get really crazy here at home while mom prepares to be gone for a week. The ranch, the kids, and the hubby all need to be battened down and prepared before I go! This year my daughter will be going with me again. I look forward to this time alone with my kids. My son was supposed to go this year since sister went last, but he is still recovering and is supposed to go to a concert at that time too.

So, I'll see you guys on the fly! Love you all!
Slainte~
Rachelle