CCNF at the 2025 Eastern Alpaca Jamboree

We came, we saw, we…ate? Yeah, ok. So, in some ways, this recent show weekend in Harrisburg, PA didn’t vary all that much from prior ones. Though perhaps with the decidedly curtailed size of our show string — a slightly cheeky fifteen animals, the result of only having had five crias born last summer — we put even more emphasis on our time back in Harrisburg spent away from the show ring/venue with friends and colleagues. Even our old friends from Arrow Acres Farm and Emelise Alpacas made the drives from NJ to be there on Saturday, so it was genuinely a special weekend with lots of feels. There were, of course, libations too and copious amounts of inappropriate laughter Involved, even if the team’s alcohol consumption was, like the size of the show string itself, a shadow of its historically typical and headache-inducing self. There is (well, was) a time and a place for everything.

None of which is to take anything away from the aforementioned 4-legged members of our show team and their subsequent results in the show rings. The Jamboree, for those that might not know, is one of several multi-show alpaca events — in this case the North American Alpaca Show, the PAOBA Breeder’s Showcase, and the Empire Spring Show — that have come into being in recent years as a way to make such weekends more financially sustainable for both organizers and exhibitors alike.

The CCNF farm display at the start of Day 3 of the Jamboree.

For us, the Jamboree is both relatively nearby, a handy 6.5 hour drive, and sufficiently competitive to satisfy our current thirst for halter show shenanigans. It’s three well-managed and judged shows in one weekend and, given the state of things, both for our family and the wider world in general, that checks a lot of boxes. Those who choose to go chasing ranking points and banners at a myriad of different shows and events across the country: we support you! Mostly from home in Vermont. My only point being that it’s a good idea for us to pop our heads above the proverbial show parapets now and again, even if yours truly has been a touch curmudgeonly about the whole thing of late. My bride would likely point out that this has been the case for 25+ years now.

All snark aside, our thanks and admiration, as always, to our old friends and fellow survivors Ann and Scott Young of Alpaca Show Management, the Empire and PAOBA folks, the judges, and the the many volunteers for making what we know from prior experience is not an easy job (making a show weekend run smoothly), look like something they all do with one hand tied behind their backs. The Youngs can run our weekend alpaca camp anytime!

CCNF Citadel (CCNF Capuchin x CCNF Reign Dancer)

I won’t drill down on our show results below in too great of a detail, though some team highlights, some from the head, others more about the heart and how we got here:

CCNF Amador (three Light Male Color Championships to go along with another three JCs) and his niece, CCNF Amusia (two Light Female Color Championships) had themselves a bit of a weekend. Amusia (her dam, Amadea, is Amador’s full sister), who was sired by CCNF Angiolo, also put down a marker and perhaps lit a way forward for her father in our program. We shall see. Amador, Amadea, their dam Amalthea, and maternal grandam, Capella, are all maternal descendants of the lovely Sunny Mesa’s Tessora, who joined our program almost 20 years ago, originally to match up with a young 3-year-old Herdsire named CCNF Archangel. That touch of genetic diversity matters, especially now.
Speaking of the Archangel line: CCNF Neytiri was the last Elixir cria ever born. The full kid sister of Sovereign-Legacy, Nymeria, Triumvirate, and Lunar Quinton (who elsewhere at the show pulled off another 2 Championships and 1 Reserve for his new owners) was there with us for her halter show finale (one 2nd, two 1sts, and one Color Championship) before entering our breeding program later this summer. Both her dam, Luna Majesty, and older sister are currently bred and due with Bell Ringer crias.
Speaking of Bell Ringer, firsts, and another last-ever: our program’s first-ever Bell Ringer kid, CCNF The-Alchemy (CCNF Alabanza Majesty x Majestic Peruvian Bell Ringer), did not banner, but he did win all 3 of his halter classes and looked quite convincing doing so. His dam, Alabanza, was likewise the last Matrix Majesty (another old friend who left us too soon and Elixir’s favorite genetic dance partner) baby ever born and just happens to be CCNF Dominion’s full sister (CCNF Delilah x Snowmass Matrix Majesty).
CCNF Mjolnir is our young Herdsire aspirant who was written up a few weeks ago in this very space. Though he is in desperate need of shearing (6″+ of staple with that kind of fineness and follicular density tends to get ragged at 11 months of growth), he is very good. Likely special on a generational level, in fact. We knew that already, and the results in PA (a 2nd, two 1sts, and two White Color Championships) just reaffirmed it. Again.

Huge thanks, as always, to the usual group of friends/victims who seemingly just haven’t yet had the verve to tell us to go fly an effiing kite whenever we call recruiting show help: Sue Monat (best pit boss EVER) and Vin Veratti, Dell Rodman, and Dave Serino. It’s likely a deeply entrenched form of Stockholm Syndrome, but we love them all, so for now, at least, we’ll continue pretending not to notice. 😉

Anyway, CCNF 1st’s, Championships, and one specialty award at the 2025 Alpaca Jamboree listed below, along with pretty show pictures above courtesy of old friend, Doug Hermann:

Cas-Cad-Nac Farm, Winner – 2025 Eastern Alpaca Jamboree Breeders Cup, Large Farm Division, Huacaya

PAOBA Breeder’s Showcase, 4/4/25

CCNF Amador (CCNF Amalthea x Irish Meadow’s Elite Max) – Judge’s Choice Huacaya Male

CCNF Citadel (CCNF Capuchin x CCNF Reign Dancer) – Champion Brown Huacaya Male

CCNF Janelle (CCNF Marielle x CCNF Privateer) – Champion Brown Huacaya Female

CCNF Amador (CCNF Amalthea x Irish Meadow’s Elite Max) – Champion Light Huacaya Male

CCNF Amusia (CCNF Amadea x CCNF Angiolo) – Champion Light Huacaya Female

CCNF Oriflamme’s Polly (CCNF Oriflamme x CCNF Snow King) – Champion White Huacaya Female

CCNF Triumphal (CCNF Marielle x CCNF Triumvirate) – Reserve Champion Brown Huacaya Male

CCNF Prince of Wales (CCNF Elizabeth x CCNF Snow King) – Reserve Champion White Huacaya Male

CCNF Marinus (CCNF Margaux x CCNF Bataclan) – 1st Place, Light Brown Juvenile Huacaya Males

CCNF Citadel (CCNF Capuchin x CCNF Reign Dancer) – 1st Place, Brown Yearling Huacaya Males

CCNF Janelle (CCNF Juneaux x CCNF Privateer) – 1st Place, Brown Yearling Huacaya Females

CCNF Neytiri (CCNF Luna Majesty x CCNF Elixir) – 1st Place, Dark Fawn Yearling Huacaya Females

CCNF The-Alchemy (CCNF Alabanza Majesty x Majestic Peruvian Bell Ringer) – 1st Place, Light Fawn Juvenile Huacaya Males

CCNF Amador (CCNF Amalthea x Irish Meadow’s Elite Max) – 1st Place, Light 2-Year Old+ Huacaya Males

CCNF Amusia (CCNF Amadea x CCNF Angiolo) – 1st Place, Light Yearling Huacaya Females

CCNF Prince of Wales (CCNF Elizabeth x CCNF Bataclan) – 1st Place, White 2-Year Old+ Huacaya Males

CCNF Oriflamme’s Polly (CCNF Oriflamme x CCNF Snow King) – 1st Place, White Yearling Huacaya Females

North American Alpaca Show, 4/5/25

CCNF Amador (CCNF Amalthea x Irish Meadow’s Elite Max) – Judge’s Choice Huacaya Male

CCNF Citadel (CCNF Capuchin x CCNF Reign Dancer) – Champion Brown Huacaya Male

CCNF Amador (CCNF Amalthea x Irish Meadow’s Elite Max) – Champion Light Huacaya Male

CCNF Amusia (CCNF Amadea x CCNF Angiolo) – Champion Light Huacaya Female

CCNF Mjolnir (CCNF Electra x CCNF Idris) – Champion White Huacaya Male

CCNF Oriflamme’s Polly (CCNF Oriflamme x CCNF Snow King) – Champion White Huacaya Female

CCNF Janelle (CCNF Juneaux x CCNF Privateer) – 1st Place, Reserve Champion Brown Huacaya Female

CCNF Citadel (CCNF Capuchin x CCNF Reign Dancer) – 1st Place, Brown Yearling Huacaya Males

CCNF Janelle (CCNF Juneaux x CCNF Privateer) – 1st Place, Brown Yearling Huacaya Females

CCNF Clairvoyant (CCNF Clair de Lune x CCNF Magnar) – 1st Place, Dark Fawn Yearling Huacaya Females

CCNF The-Alchemy (CCNF Alabanza Majesty x Majestic Peruvian Bell Ringer) – 1st Place, Light Fawn Juvenile Huacaya Males

CCNF Amador (CCNF Amalthea x Irish Meadow’s Elite Max) – 1st Place, Light 2-Year Old+ Huacaya Males

CCNF Amusia (CCNF Amadea x CCNF Angiolo) – 1st Place, Light Yearling Huacaya Females

CCNF Mjolnir (CCNF Electra x CCNF Idris) – 1st Place, White Yearling Huacaya Males

CCNF Prince of Wales (CCNF Elizabeth x CCNF Bataclan) – 1st Place, White 2-Year Old+ Huacaya Males

CCNF Oriflamme’s Polly (CCNF Oriflamme x CCNF Snow King) – 1st Place, White Yearling Huacaya Females

Empire Alpaca Association Spring Show, 4/6/25

CCNF Amador (CCNF Amalthea x Irish Meadow’s Elite Max) – Judge’s Choice Huacaya Male

CCNF Janelle (CCNF Juneaux x CCNF Privateer) – Champion Brown Huacaya Female

CCNF Neytiri (CCNF Luna Majesty x CCNF Elixir) – Champion Fawn Huacaya Female

CCNF Amador (CCNF Amalthea x Irish Meadow’s Elite Max) – Champion Light Huacaya Male

CCNF Mjolnir (CCNF Electra x CCNF Idris) – Champion White Huacaya Male

CCNF Oriflamme’s Polly (CCNF Oriflamme x CCNF Snow King) – Champion White Huacaya Female

CCNF Citadel (CCNF Capuchin x CCNF Reign Dancer) – Reserve Champion Brown Huacaya Male