Photo and Artwork by Valerie Newell of The Green Alpaca

The Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association (AOBA) is giving alpaca breeders something to celebrate this holiday season!

Through AOBA’s public relations efforts, a press release was distributed to the media highlighting alpacas as a green business. As a result, Alpacas are being featured as the perfect green livestock on a syndicated television special called “It’s a Green Christmas.” This is one of the largest exposures of alpacas to the general public to date.  Being shown in over 120 television markets, this segment is worth over $200,000 in television air time.

The one hour show features a variety of ecologically beneficial businesses and products.  Alpacas are highlighted for over 3 minutes as an all around environmentally friendly livestock.  Alpacas are discussed as being easy on the land and efficient users of food with highly desired manure.

Showcasing the alpaca industry is video footage from AOBA’s National Conferences including models wearing beautiful alpaca fashions on the runway, fleece competition judging, individuals spinning alpaca fiber and consumers shopping for alpaca garments.  The show also includes a visit to Alpacas at Windy Hill in Somis, California where Cindy Harris was interviewed while holding a 3-day old cria.  Cindy did a terrific job of educating viewers about alpacas in general as well as the different types of alpaca fiber and the variety of end products.

“It’s a Green Christmas” is airing from November 21, 2009 through January 4, 2010 across the United States. For a list of airing times and stations, visit http://itsagreenchristmas.com.  More markets continue to be added to the schedule.

Note from Alpaca Farmgirl: Is AOBA back? Let’s hope this is a sign of things to come! Alpaca Farmgirl encourages you to sign up or renew your AOBA membership, and to participate in the AOBA Farm & Ranch Guide. AOBA works for us. Let’s support our organization and we will all benefit!

December 4th, 2009 | Tags: alpaca, alpaca fashions, Alpaca Industry, alpaca manure, Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association, alpacas, Alpacas at Windy Hill, AOBA, Cindy Harris, cria, easy on land, ecologically beneficial business, fleece competition, green, green livestock, It's a Green Christmas, spinning alpaca fiber | Category: alpacas, Events, Farm Business, Marketing/Sales | Comments Off

ARI Board of Directors

The Alpaca Registry held their Annual Membership Meeting this morning in Cleveland, OH at the 2nd Annual World Alpaca Conference. Here are a few of the highlights:

• ARI urges members to clean up their herds on-line. For example, login and mark your deceased alpacas as deceased. Also, you can mark the appropriate ones as sold without certificate transferred. (when you sell non-breeders but don’t transfer the ARI to new owner)
• ARI will be offering BVD testing from Geneseek. Testing can be done from the same blood card that is used for registration.
• ARI welcomes new Board Members, Monica Kline and Laurel Shouvlin.
• For 90 days this summer (June-August) ARI will have an amnesty period where all registrations will be the lowest price regardless of the age of the animal. This is a chance for everyone to catch up and make sure all their alpacas are registered.
• ARI urges its members to please register their geldings/non-breeders. It only costs $25 and it will significantly help our industry when it comes to accurate statistics and EPDs.

June 5th, 2009 | Tags: alpaca, Alpaca Registry, ARI, BVD testing, National Alpaca Conference | Category: Business Matters, Events | Comments Off

 

Auction Coverage Sponsored by Fairhope Alpacas.

June 5th, 2009 | Tags: alpacas, AOBA Auction, auction, World Alpaca Conference | Category: Business Matters, Events, World Alpaca Conference | Comments (1)

AOBA Board of Directors

The National Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association held their Annual Membership Meeting this morning in Cleveland, OH at the 2nd Annual World Alpaca Conference. Here are a few of the highlights:

• The National Show and the Educational Events will be separated out as national venues beginning in 2010.
• The National Alpaca Show is set for the third week in May in Fort Wayne, Indiana for 2010.
• AOBA is working with Gaston College to have alpaca fiber tested.
• Over 100 colleges participate in the AOBA Student Design Competition.
• This year’s comprehensive election process helped AOBA achieve the highest voter turnout in history.
• We have an up and coming Youth Division.
• Funding is needed for a comprehensive alpaca industry study conducted by GIRCOM with AOBA in conjunction with ARI.
• Ian Watt talked about working on a brand for alpaca fiber, a logo the way wool and cotton have one. This project is underway.

Coverage of this event was sponsored by Frostglen Alpacas.

June 4th, 2009 | Category: Business Matters, Events | Comments Off

Wednesday, June 3, 2009
8:00 am – 5:00 pmPre Conference Cleveland Trips*
8:00 am – 5:00 pmPre Conference Workshops*
8:00 am – 5:00 pmAlpaca Check-in
8:00 am – 8:00 pmVendor Check-in and Setup
10:00 am – 8:00 pmFleece Show Check-in and Fiber Arts and Skeins Check-in
8:00 am – 6:00 pmRegistration, AOBA Store kiosk and Membership Desk Open
*Extra Fee and pre-registration for these events

Thursday, June 4, 2009
7:00 am – 7:00 pmBarn Open
7:00am – 6:00pmRegistration, AOBA Store kiosk and Membership Desk Open
7:00am – 8:00amAOBA Breakfast Available
8:00am – 9:30amAOBA Annual Membership Meeting
9:30am – 6:00pmEducation Seminars
10:00am – 10:30amExhibitor’s Meeting
10:00am – 1:30pmGroup Production Classes
9:30am – 5:00pmVendors Open
8:00am – 5:00pmFleece Judging (closed to exhibitors and public)
9:30am – 5:00pmHandcrafter’s Spin-off Display
9:30am – 5:00pmFiber Arts and Skein Judging
9:30am – 5:30pmPhotography Competition Display
6:15pm – 6:30pmAuction Consignor’s Meeting
7:30pm – 10:00pmMeet and Greet Reception at the Rock N Hall of Fame -
Transportation provided

Friday, June 5, 2009
7:00am – 7:00pmBarn Open
7:00am – 6:00pmRegistration, AOBA Store kiosk and Membership Desk Open
7:00am – 8:00am

ARI Breakfast Available
8:00am – 9:30amARI Annual Membership Meeting
9:45am – 12:00pmShorn Classes
9:45am – 12:00pmComposite Classes
9:45am – 12:00pmPerformance Classes
Friday, June 5, 2009
9:45am- 5:00pmVendors Open
8:00am – 5:00pmFleece Judging (closed to exhibitors and public)
9:30am- 5:00pmHandcrafter’s Spin-off Display
9:30am – 5:00pmFiber Arts and Skein Display
9:30am – 5:30pmPhotography Competition Display
12:00pm – 1:00pmAuction Preview (Open to the Public)
1:00pm – 6:30pmAlpaca Auction: Featuring Cash Bar and ample Hors d’oeuvres
(Dinner on your own)

Saturday, June 6, 2009 (Open to the Public)
7:00am – 7:00pmBarn Open
7:00am – 6:00pmRegistration, AOBA Store kiosk and Membership Desk Open
8:00am – 5:00pmFull Fleece Halter Competitions
8:00am – 10:00amContinuation of Performance Classes (If applicable)
8:00am – 4:00pmEducation Seminars (paid attendees only)
8:00am – 5:00pm
Vendors Open to public
8:00am – 5:00pm
HandCrafter’s Spinoff Display
8:00am – 5:00pm
Fiber Arts and Skein Competition Display
9:00am – 5:30pm
Photography Competition Display
7:30pm – midnight AOBA Fashion Show and Dinner

Sunday, June 7, 2009 (Open to the Public)
7:00am – 4:00pmBarn Open
7:00am – 2:00pmRegistration, AOBA Store kiosk and Membership Desk Open
8:00am – 4:00pmVendors Open to public
8:00am – 2:00pmFleece Show Results on Display
9:00am – 11:00amFleece Show Oral Reasons
8:00am – 2:00pmHandCrafter’s Spinoff Display
8:00am – 12:00pmFiber Arts and Skein Competition Display
9:00am – 2:00pm
Photography Competition Display
8:00am – 5:00pmFull Fleece Halter Competitions
2:00pm – 5:00pmFleece Show Check-Out
2:00pm – 5:00pmFiber Arts and Skein Check-Out
2:00pm – 5:00pmHandCrafter’s Spinoff Check-Out
4:00pm – 10:00pmAlpaca and Vendor Move-Out

June 2nd, 2009 | Tags: alpaca, alpaca info, AOBA, AOBA Conference, Cleveland, National Alpaca Show, World Alpaca Conference | Category: Events | Comments (1)

Photo credit: Chuck Dom

Some Florida alpaca breeders dress their alpacas up and take them out on the town to celebrate the New Year.

Read about them in: Furry New Year , Annual Alpaca Walk, and Alpaca Walk Done. It is impressive the PR and Community Outreach these alpaca breeders are doing. Way to go Chuck and Lorraine!  Follow their lead and spread the word about alpacas.

Alpaca Breeders – What do you do to tell the public about alpacas? Leave a comment and let’s share some ideas on how to get the word out. It’s all about creating a buzz, getting the word out…

January 1st, 2009 | Tags: Alpaca New Years, alpacas, Annual Alpaca Walk, buzz, CNN, Community Outreach, Furry New Years, Fuzzy New Years, PR | Category: Events, Weekly Web Finds | Comments (1)