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The GAA is Proud to Present
The Royal Alpaca Challenge

An AOBA Certified Show
November 6 – 7, 2010

The International Horse Park, Conyers, Georgia

Judges


2010 Judges:

Judging All Huacaya Halter and All Huacaya Production

Nick Harrington-Smith
The Alpaca Stud, Bowford Farm, West Sussex, UK 

Judging Qualifications (Alpaca) 

BAS Certified Judge 

Halter & Fleece. First qualified judge in the UK in February 2003. 

AOBA Certified Alpaca Judge (American Owners & Breeders Association) 

Certified judge for Halter, Fleece & Performance. 

BAS Approved Judge Trainer 

Biography

Born and bred on a livestock farm I have spent the whole of my adult life involved with farming livestock. In 1998 I was appointed as manager of Europe’s largest Alpaca business with some 900 alpacas, a role I continued in until February 2005 when the business was sold. Since then I have formed The Alpaca Stud with my business partner John Potts and have some 600 plus alpacas, both Suri and Huacaya. I was the first judge to qualify under the British Alpaca Society training scheme and am the only resident European to have gained qualification as an AOBA Halter Judge for Huacaya and Suri, as well as for Fleece Judging and Performance classes. I have been involved in the selection and purchase of breeding stock both in North and South America, and have assessed many thousands of animals in the process. I am a very strong believer in the Show Ring as a promotional vehicle for Alpacas, but with a real awareness of the need to keep in perspective its importance in respect of breeding decisions and a strong advocate of the belief that showing should be enjoyable and educational for all. 

 

Judging All Suri Halter and All Suri Production

Cathy Merkley
T'N'C Farms, Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, Canada

Judging Qualifications (Alpaca) 

AOBA Certified Alpaca Judge (American Owners & Breeders Association) 

      Certified as a sorter and classer of camelid fiber through the Natural Fiber Center at Olds College in Alberta
      Certified at the International Alpaca Judging School in the Altiplano of Peru in 2000

Biography
Cathy Merkley is a full partner in T’n’C Farms along with Trudy McCall, based near Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, Canada. They purchased three huacaya alpacas in 1996 and their herd now numbers over 40 huacayas and 5 suris. Cathy attended the International Alpaca Judging School in the Altiplano of Peru in 2000 and has been certified as a halter and fleece judge for both huacaya and suri alpacas through that system. Since then, she has added certification for judging under AOBA Show System. Cathy has judged across Canada, in the United States and in Germany. She is also certified as a sorter and classer of Camelid fibre through the Natural Fibre Centre at Olds College in Alberta and does custom classing both on-farm and at the Co-op collection depot. She is a sorter, classer, knitter, felter and hand spinner and loves nothing better than a day spent with her hands in alpaca fibre. Cathy is lucky enough to be a full time alpaca breeder and all that that involves including judging and speaking and those hours of volunteering. She is currently an organizer of the Alpaca Showcase in Lloydminster, and has previously served on several committees and boards. She and Trudy are very involved in the Canadian National Alpaca Sale and Futurity held in Red Deer, AB every April. Cathy is a firm believer in the alpaca industry and in its untapped and unlimited potential.

Judging All Performance

Linda Hayes
Glenwood Springs, Colorado
Judging Qualifications (Alpaca)  

AOBA Certified Alpaca Judge (American Owners & Breeders Association) Senior Judge and Judges Trainer in Performance

Biography
Linda Hayes has been raising camelids since 1989 and is involved in the llama & alpaca business full time. She currently shows, trains, markets and judges llamas, paco-vicunas and alpacas. Before camelids Linda was a high school teacher. Other livestock experience includes raising, showing and training horses. Although she started out in Texas, she moved to Colorado in 2000 where the climate is more advantageous for fiber production. Linda is certified by The Alpaca Owner and Breeders Association as a performance judge trainer and helped put together the video that is currently being used to teach new judges about performance scoring.  
She has published numerous articles on marketing, training and showing. (Appearing in industry publications such as the Rare Breeds, Llama Banner, Lama Life, Llama and Camelid Quarterly magazine.) Her current involvement with camelidsis centered on judging and on raising Paco-Vicunas. She currently cares for about 30 llamas, alpacas and Paco-Vicunas at her ranch in Carbondale, CO. Linda says that she believes in showing the public how easy alpacas are to work with. In this capacity she frequently sponsors monthly events such as hikes, fun shows and training seminars. To further her alpaca knowledge she has been a member of the People to People group which travels internationally to meet with their peers.  With them, she traveled to Alpaca ranches and conferences in Peru, Australia and New Zealand. As a showman she has won Performance Champion at such large events as the Fort Worth Stock Show and Oklahoma State Fair. Linda states that she is excited about the Alpaca industry. “AOBA is doing a fantastic job of marketing & the fiber industry has no place to go but up. As more and more people learn about the gentle, hearty aspects of Alpacas, the industry should explode. I’m proud to be part of it.” said Linda Hayes, our performance judge.
 

 

Expected Level Show

Halter Level III, with stall availabiltiy to expand as needed up to Level IV.

Judging Style

60% Fleece 40% Conformation.