[Alpacasite] Re: Misbehaving Alpacas at Shows

Jeannie and Laurel,

This is an interesting and important topic. Laurel has brought up
many good tips. The thingy wacket issue is much like a right of
passage for exhibitors. I think most of us make this mistake sooner
or later.

That being said I have a different perspective. Contrary to what Jude
Anderson has said, you CAN'T TEACH AN ALPACA TO ACCEPT HANDLING AT A
SHOW. In fact, in handling alpacas the real teaching that is going on
is that the handler is learning what drives an alpaca crazy an learns
not to do those things.

Alpacas do not have the same temperament as llamas. Some of them will
be spooked in the scary environment of the showring and there is
little or nothing that can be done to calm them down. If this
happens, often the best thing to do is scratch them from the show
yourself.

Also, containing an alpaca as Laurel has described will work some of
the time. If the alpaca is really spooked however 3 people will not
be able to hold them still, and the process of trying can make said
alpaca even more crazy (that flight response thing).

There is no simple answer here. Just be aware that some alpacas don't
have the temperament for the showring.

My 2 cent,

Neil
A Paca Fun Farm
Mt. Airy, Maryland
Sugarloaf Mountain, Maryland
www.apacafunfarm.com

--- In Alpacasite@yahoogroups.com, "Jeannie Wells" <jeannie@b...>
wrote:
>
> Excellent post Laurel!
>
> I was at the show on Saturday (a great show---lots of Suris :-)),
and the
> same thing was happening in the Suri ring with Jude Anderson.
There were
> (at least) 2 incidents with loose alpacas due to playing with the
thingy
> wacket in the suri ring. Also, some of the classes looked like a
wild west
> Jude Anderson was very helpful in her reasonings, as well as
commenting
> several times that <paraphrasing> most people teach their animals
to lead on
> halter, but neglect to train them to accept HANDLING. As in fleece-
parting,
> tail-lifting, checking bite, and (boys) privates-touching. Not
that animals
> well-trained don't sometimes act up, but good training can cut down
a lot on
> the disruption and stress.
>
> Thanks for the post,
>
> Jeannie Wells
> Wellspring Suri Alpacas, LLC
> <http://www.wellspringsurialpacas.com/>
> http://www.WellspringSuriAlpacas.com
> 210-698-8018
> Boerne, Texas
> Also on AlpacaNation:
> http://www.alpacanation.com/farmsandbreeders/03_viewfarm.asp?
name=11752
>
>
> What we see depends mainly on what we look for. --- John Lubbock
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Alpacasite@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:Alpacasite@yahoogroups.com] On
> Behalf Of Shouvlins
> Sent: Thursday, December 01, 2005 7:46 AM
> To: Alpacasite@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [Alpacasite] Misbehaving Alpacas at Shows
>
>
> Hi All,
>
> A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of serving as color checker and
then ring
> steward at the Alpacafest in Ohio. I worked with Jane Tellier and
> apprentice Kathy Klay in the female huacaya ring. It was a great
learning
> experience and one I hope to repeat for that reason.
>
> However, there were some challenges. Two things became very
obvious, very
> quickly.
>
> First, most folks know how to show an alpaca that is behaving well,
but many
> many people don't know what to do when the animal misbehaves. We
teach
> showmanship, but we don't teach folks what to do when things fo
awry.
>
> Second, by the time the alpacas got to the ring they were very
spooked.
> Most had to walk through a tent tunnel from one building to the
show ring
> and I think that the fear was in the air, for there was an
inordinate number
> of alpacas freaking out. These same animals were fine being color
checked,
> but were going ballistic a day later.
>
> So... some pointers
>
> If you are uptight...your alpaca will be uptight...take in some deep
> breaths. Try to loosen yourself up by standing relaxed. If you
know Ray
> Rodriguez and have seen him show, follow his example (minus the
duct tape
> over your farm logo on your shirt). Some times a deep breath
softly exhaled
> into the face of your alpaca will calm it down some. Perhaps it
conveys to
> the alpaca that you are relaxed, so it can be.
>
> Do not hold the lead by the clasp or you might accidentally
liberate your
> alpaca by pulling on the thingy whacket and opening it up to let
them free.
>
> If the alpaca starts to act up... face your alpaca with your left
arm firmly
> holding the bunched up lead and wrap your arm around the alpacas
neck.
> Position yourself so that your left thigh/knee is against its chest
and the
> animal's neck is firmly against your left chest. Point its chin
into the
> air with your shoulder. You are now hugging that huggable
investment, but
> thinking less than affectionate thoughts! It is important that the
alpaca
> does not feel as though it has any room to move. Brace yourself
against any
> of its attempts by keeping your right leg back and firmly planted
so that
> you can push against the animal if necessary. If it senses it has
> space...it will try to take advantage of it, so be gentle, but firm.
>
> As if this isn't enough to confuse you, take your right hand and
place it on
> the alpaca's back in the same spot you check for body scoring with
your
> thumb on one side of the spine and your other fingers on the
opposite side
> and push down firmly. This again tells the alpaca it has nowhere
to go.
>
> All of this will communicate to the alpaca that it ain't going
anywhere.
> There were some doozeys, but everyone was thoroughly examined by
Judge
> Tellier and apprentic Kathy Klay!
>
> Now for the ring stewards out there!!! Your job of course is to
help get
> the job done safely for both alpaca, handler, and judge, especially
the
> judge. I never touched one alpaca tail and please don't touch my
alpaca's
> tail if I am ever in your ring. Nothing will make an alpaca feel
more
> threatened than you grabbing its tail. This is where predators
attack them.
> I will never understand why folks do this, but I have noticed that
guys have
> a tendency to, more than women do.
>
> The ring steward should lay back unless the alpaca starts to act
up. A
> bunch of people descending on an animal will cause even the mildest
mannered
> alpaca to freak. So don't approach unless necessary. First you
just stand
> at the side of the animal so that it can't move away from the
judge. Often
> that will be enough. If it isn't, then you put your left knee
under the
> animal's flank right next to the leg and if necessary actually lift
the
> alpaca onto your knee, taking its vault away from it.
>
> Now mind you this technique is only used on the alpacas who are not
able to
> be restrained by the handler and should not be necessary. Usually
this
> would only have to be used once per class at most, but as I said,
there was
> something in the air at Alpacafest that had them all going, so that
there
> were often 5 or more twits in the ring.
>
> By the way, it was a great show from my perspective with many new
faces in
> the show ring which was fun.
>
> Hope this is helpful
>
> Laurel
>
> Tim & Laurel Shouvlin
> Bluebird Hills Farm CSA & Alpacas
> 3617 Derr Rd. Springfield, Ohio 45503
> www.bluebirdhills.com
> bluebirdhills@v...
> 937-390-6127 or 937-206-3936 (cell)
>
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