CCNF at the 2015 NAAS
So after weeks of walking — maybe that should be “walking” — somewhat recalcitrant juvi alpacas up and down our hill in an attempt to train them, the 2015 show schedule for us finally got under way. Amongst the many great things about the North American Alpaca Show, is the fact that the Eastern States Exposition Center, where the show is held, is a straight hour and 45 minute drive, right down I-91. Though not so close as to tempt us into sleeping in our own beds at night, it is convenient enough that we tend to bring out our largest show string of the year, this time around, a mix of 42 juvis, yearlings, and a smattering of 2 year olds. Needless to say, we were kept plenty busy…
To a great degree this was a new-look roster of show animals, with 28 recruits joining up from the 2014 birth class. While the likes of Kona, Precipice, Elizabeth, and Couture were notable holdovers from the fall 2014 team, retired into the breeding herd (or on their way overseas) were the likes of Centurion, Magistrate, Marick, Moonbeam, and Tessora to name just a few. In baseball terms, this spring’s show string could arguably be considered a bit of a rebuilding project, or even the much dreaded “bridge year.” This string was also significant for the presence of both our first real home-grown run of Snowmass Conopa’s Kahuna kids and perhaps, more importantly, the first crop of crias sired by our Futurity Champion/JC winner, CCNF Elixir.
So, what did we learn last weekend?
- Amongst other things, that the Elixir and Kahuna kids are for real. Kahuna’s crias combined for 5 1st place finishes and a Reserve Championship (CCNF Tigerlily in Fawn Females), while the Elixirs — including one snazzy little dude, Navarre, owned by Little Creek Farm whom had purchased his dam, CCNF Ladyhawke, from us at the 2013 Breeders Edge sale — combined for 4 1st place finishes, one 2nd place (behind a sibling), the Best Bred & Owned Huacaya Female (CCNF Love Dove) and two Reserve Championships (Navarre in Light Huacaya Males, CCNF True Adoration in Light Huacaya Females). For a pack of knee-biters, they really all held there own!
- Seems our friends Ole Erik and Laila Sjølli of Alpacajoy of Norway are really getting one heck of a male in CCNF Wayfarer. The son of CCNF Royal Ring of Fire and thus related to vast majority of our colored foundation herd, we had asked our now departed Herdsire to breed one of only two grey production females we own in 2013. The resulting cria, CCNF Abby Rose, won the Grey Female Championship at her first ever show. Well done, old man.
- We also learned that when one’s good friend and erstwhile show-slave is fighting off a stomach bug and a fever, feeding him the spicy Chicken Vindaloo at Pintu’s on Saturday night was probably not the greatest idea. The mighty Dave Serino lives to fight again though.
Last fall at the final Breeder’s Choice sale at Magical Farms, we were hanging out with our friends Wayne and Sue Robinson of Emelise Alpacas, when a striking young male, MFI’s & KVR’s Mint Mo Money, came up on stage. While we had not gone out to that sale looking for anything specifically, we were somewhat flabbergasted that no one seemed to be seriously bidding on an animal with such obviously fantastic qualities and as it turned out, ended up buying him in partnership with our buddies from New Jersey. Fast forward to last weekend where Mo, after doing some serious growing and filling out while spending a cold winter running up and down the paddocks of the CCNF Main Barn, made his show debut for us all and won the White Male Championship! We had always loved his fleece from the first time we saw him but he has now quietly filled out into something much more closely resembling the complete package. Though it’s been awhile, there is some historic precedence for important puzzle pieces arriving here by way of replacement auction lots and a bit of happenstance (SHRA Virtual’s Reality: if you’re a real genetics junky, check out the ARI record on that one…). Many thanks to Wayne for showing him last week and above all thanks to the good folks at Keva Ranch and Magical for making such a glorious young male available last fall! We’ll do our best to make you all proud.
Last but not least, there was the not-so-small matter of CCNF Precipice finally getting his due in Springfield. The son of of Snowmass Matrix Majesty and CCNF Pristine (previously a white Champion female at that very show), we brought out the 2014 Futurity Best B&O Male hoping to make a point about his greater and lasting qualities as he approaches his 3rd birthday. While he had won the B&O Male at various shows last year and had even gotten good looks for Judges’ Choice Male at both last year’s AOA Nationals and the Futurity, we felt like as we looked at him late last winter that he was really showing the qualities of a frontline Herdsire, the likes of which are simply not all that common. At least not nearly as common as sometimes one is led to believe in this business. In the end, the third time was the charm perhaps, and our beloved male was finally awarded a Judges’ Choice Award! All in all, a very successful and gratifying weekend showing our alpacas and catching up with many old friends. Now onto the much bigger pond of the Futurity show in Kansas City. Hope to see some of you out there!
2015 North American Alpaca Show, Cas-Cad-Nac Farm Championships and 1st Place Finishes
CCNF Abby Rose – Champion Grey Huacaya Female
CCNF Opalescence – Reserve Champion Brown Huacaya Female
CCNF Kona – Reserve Champion Fawn Huacaya Male
CCNF Couture – Champion Fawn Huacaya Female
CCNF Tigerlily – Reserve Champion Fawn Huacaya Female
CCNF True Adoration – Reserve Champion Light Huacaya Female
KVR’s & MFI’s Mint Mo Money – Champion White Huacaya Male
CCNF Elizabeth – Reserve Champion White Huacaya Female
CCNF Love Dove – Best Bred & Owned Huacaya Female
CCNF Precipice – Best Bred & Owned Huacaya Male
CCNF Precipice – Judges’ Choice Huacaya Male
CCNF Abby Rose – 1st Place, Classic Silver Grey Juvenile Huacaya Female
CCNF Tipitina – 1st Place, Dark Brown Juvenile Huacaya Female
CCNF Opalescence – 1st Place Medium Brown Juvenile Huacaya Female
CCNF Maria – 1st Place, Light Brown Yearling Huacaya Female
CCNF Reignmaker – 1st Place, Dark Fawn Yearling Huacaya Male
CCNF Kona – 1st Place, Fawn 2+ Year Old Huacaya Male
CCNF Tigerlily – 1st Place, Dark Fawn Juvenile Huacaya Female
CCNF Adelia – 1st Place, Medium Fawn Juvenile Huacaya Female
CCNF Couture – 1st Place, Dark Fawn Yearling Huacaya Female
CCNF Quadratic – 1st Place, Light Fawn Juvenile Huacaya Male
CCNF True Adoration – 1st Place, Beige Juvenile Huacaya Female
CCNF Antares – 1st Place, White Juvenile Huacaya Male
KVR’s & MFI’s Mint Mo Money – 1st Place, White Yearling Huacaya Male
CCNF Sigil – 1st Place, White 2 Year Old Huacaya Male
CCNF Infinite Patience – 1st Place, White Juvenile Huacaya Female
CCNF Freefall – 1st Place, Bred & Owned Dark Juvenile Huacaya Male
CCNF Vanguard Legend – 1st Place, Bred & Owned Dark Yearling Huacaya Male
CCNF Precipice – 1st Place, Bred & Owned Dark 2 Year Old Huacaya Male
CCNF Love Dove – 1st Place, Bred & Owned Light Juvenile Huacaya Female
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