2007 AOBA National Conference and Show
May 16-20
AOBA Certified Show
Louisville, KY

2007 Marquette County Fair
August 8-12
Marquette County Fairgrounds
Sands, MI

Michigan International AlpacaFest 2007 (2007 MIAF)
September 22-23
AOBA Certified Show
Birch Run Expo Center
Birch Run, MI
Judges: Nard Mullen and Ruth Ingelfield

Midwest Alpaca Jamboree
September 22-23
International Rules
North Iowa Fairgrounds
Mason City, Iowa
Judge: Dr. Julio Sumar

2007 Northern Illinois Alpaca Extravaganza
October 27-28
AOBA Certified Show
Lake County Fairgrounds
Grayslake, IL
Judge: TBD
http:www.likada.com/illinois-extravaganza

Mid-America Alpaca Show
October 27-28
AOBA Certified Show
Topeka, KS
Judges: Huacayas - Jane Tellier; Suri - Shannon McConnell

2007 OABA AlpacaFest
November
AOBA Certified Show
Ohio Expo Center
Columbus Ohio

2008 Spring Bling Alpaca Show
March 15-16
Level III, AOBA Certified Show
Tri-County Ice Arena
Neenah, WI
Judge: TBD
http://www.SpringBlingShow.com

Annual Kentucky Classic Alpaca Show
March/April 2008
Level IV, AOBA Certified Show
Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center
Louisville, KY
Judges: TBD

2008 North American Alpaca Show
March/April
AOBA Certified Show
Eastern States Exposition Center
Springfield, MA
Judges: TBD

Annual MOPACA Invitational Alpaca Show
April
Level III, AOBA Certified Show
The National Equestrian Center
St. Louis, MO
Judges: TBD

2008 Indiana Alpaca Invitational
Level IV
April 5-6
AOBA Certified Show
Allen County War Memorial Coliseum and Expo Center
Fort Wayne, IN
Judges: Wade Gease; Sharon Lonner; Peter Kennedy

2008 Minnesota Alpaca Expo
April 5-6
AOBA Certified Show
Owatonna, MN
Judges: Males - Diana Timmeran; Females - S.J. Maclennan

Annual All American Alpaca Futurity Show and Sale
April 18-21
Louisville, KY
Judges: TBD

(NOTE: Our premier fawn herdsire, AFA Royal Peruvian Aristocrat will be nominated as a Futurity Herdsire thereby making all of his crias under two years of age eligible to compete in the 2008 Futurity)

5th Annual Great Midwest Alpaca Festival
April 23-24
Level III, AOBA Certified Show
Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Alliant Energy Center
Madison, WI
Judges: TBD
http://www.gmaf.info

MAPACA Eastern StatesJubilee
April 23-24
AOBA Certified Show
Harrisburg, PA
Judges: TBD

Buckeye Alpaca Show
May 5-6
AOBA Certified Show
Ohio Expo Center
Columbus, OH
Judges: TBD

Great Western Alpaca Show
May
AOBA Certified Show
Denver, CO
Judges: TBD

2008 IAOBA RiverSide AlpacaFest
May 13-15
Level II, AOBA Certified Show
Oaks Convention Center
East Peoria, IL
Judges: TBD

PAOBA Breeders Showcase
May
AOBA Certified Show
York, PA
Judges: Jude Anderson and Kristin Buhrmann

2008 AOBA National Conference and Show
May 21-25
AOBA Certified Show
South Towne Exposition Center
Sandy, Utah

2009 AOBA National Conference and Show
May
AOBA Certified Show
Louisville, KY

2007 SHEARING DAYS at Avalon Farm

Each year we invite friends, customers, and prospective alpaca owners to join us for our annual shearing days in early June. This is a great way to learn more about alpacas and, specifically, about alpaca fiber. If you would like to attend our 2007 Shearing Days either Sunday or Monday (June 3rd and 4th), please give us a call at (906) 942-7599. We'd love to have you join us for two days of FUN, hard work, and comraderie!

At Home & On the Road

It's hard to believe that it's springtime here in the Upper Peninsula and that summer is on the way. The grass is greening and the flowers and trees have begun to bloom. After a successful spring show season, our thoughts now turn to the crias soon to be born and to the anticipation of a bountiful crop of sweet smelling orchard grass hay.

This week we leave to travel down to Louisville, KY for our annual AOBA National Conference and Show. The only alpacas making the trip this year are some boys who will be going to new homes in lower Michigan. Although we won't be showing any alpacas owned by us this year, we look forward to cheering for several of Aristocrat's grandchildren who will be there to compete. Sleeping Monk Farm (NH), owned by our good friends Sue and Bob Evon, will be showing two Polaris sons (Aristocrat grandsons) this year: SMKF Arlo and SMKF Oliver. Both of these boys have already been successful in the showring. Arlo is a multiple blue ribbon winner and Champion. Oliver, as a juvenile, was the White Male Color Champion at the 2007 North American Show in his first show, placing over more than 140 white males. We are thrilled for Sue and Bob, and look forward to seeing the boys compete at the national level. We are also thrilled to see that a lovely Aries daughter (Aristocrat granddaughter) will be at AOBA, too. She will be offered for sale to some lucky bidder at the auction on Friday. We plan to be there to give our support to her, too. And, last, but not least, being at AOBA will be a good time to see old friends and make new acquaintences.

With summer approaching, and the hot, humid weather sure to follow, this is the time of year to be vigalent about keeping our alpacas kool. To keep everyone comfortable and safe in these conditions, we make sure they have plenty of fresh, clean, cool water. This can mean frequent trips to the barn to keep the buckets full, but that's good. We want them to drink a lot in this weather! If you are considering whether or not to go to the extra expense to put in automatic waterers, it's this kind of weather that will tip you over to the "absolutely" side.

Other tips for keeping the alpacas cool include: 1. having good barn fans that will push a lot of air; 2. putting "kiddie pools" out for the alpacas to wade in (although you have to change the water frequently as some will also try to drink from the pool now and then...yuck!); 3. spraying their legs and bellies with cool water from the hose (they learn to LOVE this!); and, 4. putting out soaker hoses for them to lay on. And, if you plan to do any breedings, you might want to consider doing them late at night or early in the evening on those hot summer days.

Enjoy your visit to our site. We hope you’ll find a time to come visit us in person. We LOVE to talk about alpacas.

AlpacaAFA@aol.com