The Beck Brow Alpaca Stud gets some new members.

  Posted on 19/04/2018  by Barbara  No comments

Those of you who follow us on Facebook will know that the phone call mentioned in my previous blog, brought exciting news. We are now the proud owners of a 50% share in Bozedown Blaze of Glory (sire: Bozedown Ascendant) the Champion White Male at the BAS National Show 2018 and a close contender for Supreme. He was specifically chosen as the perfect match for our Beck Brow Explorer daughters.

 

Blaze of Glory is not the only new white stud male to join the Beck Brow Stud; last week Paul headed off to Heathrow Airport to collect Gilt Edge Kudos of BBW. It was a bit of a wait before we actually got him home, with the plane landing at 7 pm and Paul leaving with him vet checked and with the paperwork at 3 am. Arriving home at 8.30 am. Kudos, imported from New Zealand, is sired by the renowned Ep Cambridge Invictus (sire: Windsong Valley Firedragaon) and is the image of his father. I hadn’t seen him since our visit in September and he has had a shearing since (in November) but he didn’t disappoint. Kudos has three Supreme Championships to his name, including NZ National Fleece Champion 2017. Kudos is co-owned with Old Felton Alpacas.

 

 

 

 

Of course we still enjoy breeding the colours, and were very happy with an update this week from Natasha at Kurrawa Alpacas, regarding our fawn male, Ambersun Spinners Gold (who is staying there). We purchased Spinners Gold as a junior whilst at the Australian National Show 2017. We know that choosing potential stud males on their first fleece is a gamble. Often the biggest change in a fleece is between the first and the second. We see this so often in the show ring. There are 50 junior white males at the National Show, then 18 Intermediates the next year for example. We assume the rest haven’t held their fleeces as they did as juniors. Anyway the good news is that he has held his uniformity of micron well (our biggest hope). We are also delighted with his uniformity of colour. It goes without saying that he is fine and dense!

 

 

 

We have also had news about Forest Glen Champagne Moment, who is at Softfoot Alpacas in Australia “Champagne is doing really well, she is a beautiful girl, who I think you have done very well to procure” Champagne will be part of an ET programme commencing shortly.

 

 

We also had the NWAG Alpaca Championships the first Saturday In April. This is our most local show but as one of the organisers it is a busy couple of days. We had a very successful show winning many broad ribbons and the Suri Supreme Championship, but what was most enjoyable was seeing our clients do so well with progeny from our studs. Especially impressive were the  Beck Brow Explorer progeny

Champion White Female, Overall White Champion and Best Of British – Beck Brow By Design

Reserve Champion White Female – Rivenherd Diamond

Champion White Male – Beck Brow Hey Now

Reserve Champion White Male – Velvet Hall Border Reiver

The Goldmine stars included:

Beck Brow Vidal – Champion Light Male and overall Light Champion

Beck Brow Kiss Me Quick – Champion Fawn Female

Beck Brow Bees Knees – Champion Fawn Male and Overall Fawn Champion

Beck Brow Back of the Net – Champion Brown Male

Kurrawa Hell Raiser of Beck Brow was awarded Suri Supreme Champion

 

 

 

 

Last weekend saw me off to the Netherlands with Jean & Stuart from Velvet Hall Alpacas. I had very kindly been invited to judge their Alpaca show in Assen. I was made to feel so welcome and so enjoyed judging the show. It was great to see the quality of the alpacas too (I love the fact the cup is so large that I can hide behind it).  We also spent a day relaxing in Amsterdam, one of my favourite cities.

 

 

In amongst all this we have made numerous sales and deliveries. So have been very busy. Birthing has yet to start but Elvira is 351 days gestation today so hopefully not too much longer to wait. Thankfully the weather has improved and the grass is growing so no excuses to hang on any longer.

We are flying to Dublin on Saturday, ready for judging of the Southern Ireland National Alpaca Show on the Sunday. We arrive late Saturday and return Sunday evening. No rest time but I have been off farm too often of late, and we are at the Scottish Alpaca Championships showing the weekend after.

Oh and I nearly forgot to mention, Paul has competed his probationary week well and has gained permanent employment on the farm!! So far so good. It is certainly going to make things a bit easier with him not going out to work…I even have time to write a blog!

P.S the photo at the top of the blog is of Beck Brow By Design, taken with blue skies behind – long awaited. Lets hope it lasts!