2005 ALSA National Fleece Show

Fleece Show Team Members:

   Sharon Beacham, ALSA Llama Fleece Judge
   Susie Smithers, ALSA Llama Fleece Judge
   Lee Ann King, Co-superintendent
   June Black, Co-superintendent
   Geri Rutledge, Facility Management
   Peggy Steward, Local Nebraska Fleece Entry
        Recipient, Clerk & Steward
   Tami Schendt, Steward
   Eunice Cernohlavek, Clerk

     Checking fleeces in was hectic, as Lee Ann, June, Eunice and Peggy all worked to make sure every fleece was correctly placed on the clerking paperwork, and all were in clear plastic bags. Many fleeces were placed in fresh bags, making sure not to disturb the fleece while changing bags! Fleece judges never see any personal information (owner, farm, or llama name, etc.) as they are judging, so all is concealed by the clerks beforehand. Also, pictures, ILR certificates, business cards, etc., are kept in a file until judging is complete and fleece entries are ready to be displayed. Fleece show judges Sharon Beacham of Salida, Colorado, and Susie Smithers of Rollicking Hills, Ohio, had their work cut our for them. They team judged the entire show. Many fleeces were moved from one class to another. After all the movement, there were no fleeces in the Single Coat, 24 Months and Over class. The Double Coat, 24 Months and Over class was so huge, it was divided into two classes: 24 to 35 Months and 36 Months and Over. the judges began working at 4:00 p.m. Thursday afternoon and worked until half-past midnight. They were up bright and early the next morning, taking a break for Opening Ceremonies where they were introduced along with the halter and performance judges. Then it was back to work all day, with only tiny breaks to take sustenance, until 6:30 p.m. Everyone kept asking, “When will the fleece judging be done?” It takes a long time to get through 92 fleeces. Each must be meticulously examined according to the criteria published in the 14^th Edition of the ALSA Handbook. There are ten separate categories to be judged, some of those broken into separate parts. I estimate judging took seventeen hours to complete. That's an average of about 5½ minutes per fleece. Sharon and Susie were working pretty fast! They are expert, seasoned llama fleece judges, and just what we needed to get the judging done, and the fleeces on display before the ALSA Banquet. Tami and Peggy were very helpful to the judges in keeping the fleeces organized and moving. Judge's comments were written on every score card, so entrants can know how to improve for the next show. Numerous people commented they were very pleased fleece judging was being done simultaneously with the halter and performance judging, at the national show.

     The fleece show display was designed by Lee Ann King, ALSA Fiber Committee Chair. She lends elegance to everything she touches, and it was evident in our display. Everyone who made a comment on the display echoed the same thought: what a beautiful llama fleece display! We were fortunate Geri Rutledge placed us in the Courtyard area, where the display was highly visible as people came and went, and visited with one another.

     Prizes were spectacular! Certainly all who placed 1^st through 10^th are enjoying their premiums. In addition, we had beautiful hand-thrown pottery bowls as best of show awards, llama socks, hats, mittens, and a walnut niddy-noddy as gifts awarded to various non-placing fleeces. Gorgeous ribbons were awarded through 6^th place.

      A giant thank you! to our generous sponsors! You made all the special gifts and premiums possible! Thank you Peggy Morgan, for creating our Sponsor Boards displayed at the show.

Special Sponsors
Julie & Hal Koenig, Koenig's Wool-N-Fir Farm, Corvalis, OR
Carol Reigh, Buck Hollow Llamas, Inc., Birdsboro, PA
Joy Bishop-Forshey, The Joy of Llamas, Wauseon, OH
Debi Garvin, Cabernet Creek, Mt. Hood, OR
Patti Morgan, Valley Graphics & Design & Rock-n-M Llamas, Arkansas City, KS

Bronze Sponsors
Tom & Judy Ross, Good News Llamas, Chesapeake, OH
Debra Sund, Rivers Edge Ranch, Lexington, NE
Pauline Funk, Sail Away Llamas, Mantorville, MN
Robert & Jill Knuckles, Tall Tail Llamas, Grand Junction, CO
Don & Sue McFarland, McFarland Llama Farm, Mt. Vernon, OH

Silver Sponsors
Michigan Lama Association
Llama Association of North America
Rocky Mountain Llama & Alpaca Association
Rocky Mountain Lama Fiber Pool, Sharon Beacham
Lamas of Minnesota
Raymond & Sandy Wickham, Fox Hill Llamas, St. Pete Beach, FL
Sharilyn Ramsey, Ram Z Llama Ranch, Waco, Nebraska
Jeff & Annie Higginbotham, Head & Heart Fiber Farm, Huntington, West Virginia
Fred & Laura Keller, Yellow Wood Llamas, Martinsville, Indiana
Lynda Carothers, Carothers Country Fiber Mill, Minnesota City, Minnesota
Sharon Lawson & Chris McElhinney, Morning Sun Fiber Barn, Wapello, Iowa
Annie Higginbotham, Head & Heart Fiber Farm, Huntington, WV

Gold Sponsors
Ohio River Valley Llama Association
Karen Kinyon, Double K Diamond Llamas & Fiber, Wellington, Colorado
Robert Kinyon, Kinyon Transport, Inc., Wellington, Colorado
June Black, Blooming Prairie Llamas, Story City, Iowa
Lee Ann King & Cherreen Thompson, Midwest Fiber Company, Stryker, Ohio
Debbie McDermont, Stonehedge Fiber Mill, East Jordan, Michigan
Micheal & Wendy Gerken, Hard Rock Llama Company, Ada, Ohio
Sally Brandon, The Shepherd’s Mill, Phillipsburg, Kansas

Best of Show Fleeces and Awards
left to right:Double Coat, Single Coat, Suri Coat

TOP 10 PLACINGS
(listed by llama name – owner name – farm name, location)

Double Coat, Up to 24 Months (31 Entries)

1^st Whisty Creme – Carol Reigh – Buck Hollow Llamas, Inc., Birdsboro, PA
2^nd Chocolate Crème Puff – Julie & Hal Koenig – Koenig's Wool-N-Fir Farm, Corvalis, OR
3^rd Ovation's Sugar Baby – Mary Jo & Larry Miller – Brooks Creek Farm, Bardstown, KY
4^th GNL Meshae – Tom & Judy Ross – Good News Llamas, Chesapeake, OH
5^th Sweet Tomah – Sharilyn Ramsey – Ram Z Llama Ranch, Waco, NE
6^th Klein Himmels Quick Silver – Margo Unzicker – Klein Himmel Llamas, Goshen, IN
7^th BAL Merlot – Carol Reigh – Buck Hollow Llamas, Inc., Birdsboro, PA
8^th Hi Hopes – Julie & Hal Koenig – Koenig's Wool-N-Fir Farm, Corvalis, OR
9^th Argentine Truco – Kelly Radding – Tuckerwoods Farm, Columbia, CT
10^th Sarmiento's Zeus – Christina Leahy – Tuckerwoods Farm, Columbia, CT

Double Coat, 25 Months to 35 Months (16 Entries)

1^st CFLA Charles Borromeo – Austin Lassell – Ora et Labora, Eminence, KY
2^nd Hard Rock's El Uno Pasado – Debra Sund – Rivers Edge Ranch, Lexington, NE
3^rd Orryan – Joy Bishop-Forshey – The Joy of Llamas, Wauseon, OH
4^th GNL Vashni – Tom & Judy Ross – Good News Llamas, Chesapeake, OH
5^th CFLA Majella Veronica Therese – Mary Lassell – Ora et Labora, Eminence, KY
6^th Dream Sweet Dreams – Julie & Hal Koenig – Koenig's Wool-N-Fir Farm, Corvalis, OR
7^th Sarmiento's Joya – Kelly Radding – Tuckerwoods Farm, Columbia, CT
8^th CFLA Rita of Cascia – Frances Lassell – Ora et Labora, Eminence, KY
9^th YW Tiajuanan Cruz – Laura Keller – Yellow Woods Llamas, Martinsville, IN
10^th Cauzin A Rucus – Debra Sund – Rivers Edge Ranch, Lexington, NE

Double Coat, 36 Months and Over (19 Entries)

1^st CFLA Vanilla Mousse – Daniel Lassell – Ora et Labora, Eminence, KY
2^nd Joy's Sawyer – Joy Bishop-Forshey – The Joy of Llamas, Wauseon, OH
3^rd Profit Sharing – Pauline or Kristen Funk – Sail Away Llamas, Mantorville, MN
4^th Beautiful Dreamer – Julie & Hal Koenig - Koenig's Wool-N-Fir Farm, Corvalis, OR
5^th Bolivian Asombroso – Julie & Hal Koenig - Koenig's Wool-N-Fir Farm, Corvalis, OR
6^th James and John Sons of Thunder – William Lassell – Ora et Labora, Eminence, KY
7^th HBL Summer Breeze – Kati Renee McCrone – Bridgman, MI
8^th SSRMT Gucci Girl – Tabbethia Haubold – Long Island Livestock Company, Yaphank, NY
9^th PPF Good 'N Plenty – Annie Higgenbotham – Head & Heart Fiber Farm, Huntington, WV
10^th Cabernet's Corbierres – Debi Garvin – Cabernet Creek, Mt. Hood, OR

Double Coat Best of Show:
CFLA Vanilla Mousse – Daniel Lassell – Ora et Labora

Single Coat, Up to 24 Months (16 Entries)

1^st Jasper, Artist of the Night RER – Debra Sund – Rivers Edge Ranch, Lexington, NE
2^nd Tall Tail's Caprielle – Robert & Jill Knuckles – Tall Tail Llamas, Grand Jct., CO
3^rd Corduroy's Shawnee – Joy Bishop-Forshey – The Joy of Llamas, Wauseon, OH
4^th Head & Heart's Smokin' Ash – Annie Higgenbotham – Head & Heart Fiber Farm, Huntington, WV
5^th Summer's Silver Star Light – Kati Renee McCrone – Bridgman, MI
6^th Leap of Faith – Julie & Hal Koenig - Koenig's Wool-N-Fir Farm, Corvalis, OR
7^th Cassiopeia's Andromeda – Elizabeth Soxman – Windy Ridge Farm, LaTrobe, PA
8^th Split Rail Ginger Woody – Ila Hunderman – Split Rail Llamas, Zeeland, MI
9^th Four Hawk's HoneyMoon – Tina Etter – Llamas In My Backyard, Howel, MI
10^th Split Rail Prairie Daisy – Ila Hunderman – Split Rail Llamas, Zeeland, MI

Single Coat Best of Show:
Jasper, Artist of the Night RER – Debra Sund – Rivers Edge Ranch

Suri Coat, Up to 24 Months

1^st GC's Calvin Klein – Robert LaMorte – Northwind Llamas, Sawyer, MI
2^nd Cabernet's Siena – Debi Garvin – Cabernet Creek, Mt. Hood, OR

Suri Coat, 25 Months and Over

1^st Siluette – Kay Patterson Sharpnack – Hinterland Ranch, Sisters, OR
2^nd Kastizo – Kay Patterson Sharpnack – Hinterland Ranch, Sisters, OR

Suri Coat Best of Show:
GC's Calvin Klein – Robert LaMorte – Northwind Llamas

Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2005 ALSA National Fleece show, as a fleece entrant, sponsor, part of the show team, or supporting someone in any of these groups. We had a great show because of you! We look forward to an even more spectacular 2006 ALSA National Fleece Show!