All CCA members are warmly invited to come along for an informal day learning all about alpaca fleece.  One of the most precious assets of these wonderful animals is that, whatever else we keep them for, they all have amazing fleece!  

 

We are really lucky to have Jay Holland with us for the day – he is a British Alpaca Society Judge and Judge Trainer and he loves sharing his knowledge with others!

 

Jay will talk about and show us how he evaluates fleece when it is still on the alpaca, including in the show ring.  

 

Then we will move on to looking at shorn fleeces – which is a fabulous opportunity to see and touch a variety of fleeces, side by side.  

 

You’ll learn about the score card used in fleece shows which is really helpful in breaking down all the different aspects that need to be considered – for example, fineness, density, brightness and length.  

 

We will hand pick a number of fleeces, including some from different generations of a family, so that you can see a range of quality and how fleece characteristics can be bred for and improved over time.

 

You are also welcome to bring along any of your own fleeces that you’d like to take a ‘guided’ look at.

 

Finally, we will learn about the importance of skirting a fleece, either for a show or for processing, and how to ‘noodle it’ when you have finished to keep it in good condition – again, feel free to bring some of your own fleece along to practice on.

 

A ‘pasty lunch’ will be available for a small charge (approx. £5 per person), plus tea, coffee and biscuits – but do feel free to bring along something of your own if you prefer.

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