Re: [AlpacaTalk] Re: Recent AOBA activities

 

Hey Brad,

The only other complaint I hear with any alpaca show, besides cost, (which I will agree is high and determined mostly by the costs of the venue and the amenities offered by the show), is the quality of the judging. I do feel that consistency of AOBA judging over the last several years has improved tremendously, and I think most breeders that have been in the industry for the last 10 years will agree with my claim. Again, there is always room for improvement.

Alpaca breeders are a fussy bunch, and want their show venues to be clean, safe, warm, dry, convenient, close to hotels, central, stalls with sod, bright lights, top notch PA systems, good vending, and easy travel between stall and ring, as well as stall and trailer. All of those things drive up the costs for the show. They also want the show well run, no foul ups on classes, color checking, championships etc., show books that are accurate and in their hand on time. We all want pretty ribbons and banners.  Those things are what really drive up the costs of shows, not AOBA, and affiliates and organizers are constantly struggling to find the venue that offers everything for next to nothing, and on the date that they want!  

You may be willing to give up some of those amenities, but ask folks about how dern cold the stalls were at the Triple Crown? Ask them how much marketing they thought they could do at the show. Ask them about biosecurity, and then note that that the Triple Crown is no longer in existence.
 
Having been doing this for over 13 years now, and having a strong bias as an apprentice AOBA judge, I think one of the big things AOBA brings to the table is the strength of its judging and the training program that it continues to refine. (by the way apprentices spend well over $10,000 to become judges. Their expenses come from attending clinics, at about $400 each, and pay for travel and hotels to shows and clinics).

If you compare AOBA to ALSA, you will see a huge difference in the training of apprentices and the continued education of judges. Are there great ALSA judges? Absolutely. Are there AOBA judges that can use improvement? Absolutely. But there is no denying that training of apprentices and judges by AOBA is much stronger.

Take a look at the requirements for ALSA apprentices and you will find that for an apprentice to qualify to take the test to become a judge they have to have 3 apprenticeships in shows that have a minimum of 6 alpaca classes where the classes have at least 4 alpacas. I did that many classes in my first apprenticeship!

The AOBA apprentice has to have 3 shows in the huacaya ring, and 2 fleece shows to take the judge test for huacayas only, and those shows must include one level 3 and one level 4 show. We also must attend the 5 different clinics. To judge suris it's another 3 halter shows.

So while I am not in any way trying to put ALSA down, I do think AOBA should get alot of credit for training judges and requiring testing and continuing eduction of its certified judges.

If I am going to take the time and expense of going to a show as an exhibitor, I sure want to be sure that I feel the judging is adequate, unless I am there completely for marketing and really don't care about the ring.  And I don't want to look like the Michelin Man covered in outerwear as I walk around between classes either!

Laurel

The Shouvlins
Bluebird Hills Farm
Springfield, Ohio
937-206-3936
www.bluebirdhills.com
bluebirdhills@voyager.net

> The politics of AOBA are mirrored in ALSA and visa versa. Both are equal
> in all of that. Afraid there is no avoiding it!
> Laurel
> The
> Shouvlins
> Bluebird Hills Farm
> Springfield, Ohio
>
>
>
> *Actually they are not mirrored at all. The politics maybe but the price
> tag not quite. I can take 6 animals to an alsa show and show them in
> halter/walking fleece/obstacle course and take a 2 oz fiber sample and a
> bagged fleece for less than 3 animals to an aoba show for just halter.
> That is not mirrored. I don't care about the politics behind the scenes.
> If I can't afford to go to the show nothing else matters!
>
> I do agree it would be nice if a new entity came around that was for
> alpacas only and separate from AOBA. Only a show entity designed for
> quality shows on a budget!
>
> Brad Hamilton
> Zenith Alpacas
> 419-884-3797
> http:/www.zenithalpacas.com*
>
>

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