Purple sash for Silken Delight

The Alpaca Autumn Show and Fiesta marked a special occasion on the weekend for convenor Ron Reid and his wife, Rose.

During Saturday’s judging, the Henley Brook couple were overwhelmed to have one of their alpacas become the supreme exhibit of the Huacaya section of the show.

“We have never won the top award at the Whiteman Park event,” Mr Reid said.

It was a very sobering moment when judge Steve Ridouf, of Macarthur, Victoria, made his decision and placed the purple sash on Swan Valley Silken Delight.

The 14-month-old female was sired by Banksia Park Khan and out of Swan Valley Fair Lady, both parents being past supreme champions in their own right.

Mr Ridouf said Silken Delight carried a soft handling fleece with excellent staple definition that was very lustrous.

“The fleece was the most consistent within the supreme line-up,” Mr Ridouf said.

Earlier, as the Huacayas entered the judging arena to contest the best of the best, there stood the depth of Encantador stud’s five champions, the most of any exhibitor.

For Frank and Judy Stannard, of Encantador, Armadale, it was quite a nervous moment after stacking the deck with so many champions.

Although Swan Valley had the ace in Silken Delight for top honours, Encantador won the progeny sires trophy with the stud’s successful male, Blue Grass Centurion.

In the Suri judging, it was the weighted fleece of Surilana Tito Man that was awarded supreme exhibit of the breed.

For owners Wendy and Kevin Lawn, of Lawithick Alpacas, Busselton, it too marked a special moment to see their top stud male win his first purple sash.

“We showed him with 17.5 months of fleece growth, which was well received,” Ms Lawn said.

The judge said the three-year-old Suri had very good independents of lock in its fleece, which was very silky and lustrous.

Earlier in the junior judging, a daughter of the supreme champion, Lawithick Lady Tito Rose, was judged intermediate female champion.

Tito Man was also awarded the sires progeny trophy, which exemplified his quality of breeding at the show.

Fleece judging awarded both breeds with supreme exhibits with the Huacaya won by Futura Panache and the Suri to Eversprings Inka.