Putting our faith in the next generation.
Some big news here. We are pleased to announce that after 2 1/2 years of co-owning Snowmass Elite Legend in partnership with both Snowmass Alpacas and Tripping Gnome Farm, that we have recently traded our interest in Elite Legend back to Snowmass in return for their remaining interest in Snowmass Matrix Majesty (of whom we already owned half), the 2010 Futurity Champion Fawn Huacaya Male and the 2011 Futurity Reserve Herdsire of the Year. This means that starting in 2013 not only will Majesty be here full time but we also have plans to open him up for some limited outside breedings. If you have any doubts about the quality that Matrix Majesty is capable of creating, we of course offer an open invitation to anyone to come by the farm and check out the 2012 birth class, 2/3rds of whom are a walking advertisement for him. More on those kids in the months ahead though, that chapter is just beginning.
As they say in professional sports trades: you must always give something up to get something in return. Walking away from our stake in EL, an animal we have come to have a great personal affinity for, is not without its risks. It’s not like one can just stroll down the street and find another Herdsire of that potency chilling nearby. So what would cause us to think that parting with our interest in the 3-time Futurity Herdsire of the Year was a good idea? It is a testament to EL’s prepotency that in his first two birth classes here alone he produced not 1, not 2, but 3 sons, any one of which we feel is capable of legitimately stepping into their sire’s place in the CCNF Stud Barn. That’s not always an easy thing to do. Though most of our other major Herdsires have eventually made a son capable of filling their shoes (see Archangel, Cameron, and Ring of Fire as some key examples of that model), it often takes some time and persistence. Some times the buggers also insist on producing most of their high end progeny in female form, which while nice in the moment — and admittedly a wonderful dilemma to have — can get to be a little worrisome when you’re hunting for that next prototypical would-be Herdsire. Yet in this case with CCNF Elixir, CCNF Defiance, and CCNF Hyperion all turning 2 some time in the next 12 months (Defiance is the baby of the trio still at just a year of age), we feel as confident as we ever have when letting go of a big time Herdsire.
Elixir, whom we co own with the good folks at A Paca Fun Farm, is the maternal son of one of our top Archangel daughters and probably needs no introduction to anyone that’s followed his progress on the show circuit over the past 8 months. His paternal brothers are equally intriguing though. Hyperion comes out of one of our best proven SuperNova daughters, BellaNova, who as her name suggests carries in her the blood of her famous great-great (Hyperion’s 3 x great) granddam, PPPeruvian Pachelbel. Probably not by chance that the same maternal line also produced TKO’s King of the Ladies, there’s good stuff in there. Defiance for his part may be the EL son that ultimately excites us the most though, if for no other reason than by virtue of the fact that he is unrelated to well over 90% of our adult female foundation herd. Of course the fact that he grew a 5″ staple in 6 months this year and his dam, Cadenza, is still shearing a 5 lb. blanket at almost 4 years of age (and after having had two crias) are legitimate reasons to feel a bit giddy as well. Granted, nothing is guaranteed of course and now in our 16th year of breeding these critters we know that as well as anyone. All things being equal though, these three young Herdsires and a small host of their sisters give us ample reason to think that things will probably work out just fine.
A final word on the departing Herdsire. As the person on this farm who physically manages and facilitates virtually all of the breedings here, it has been quite wonderful to work with Elite Legend over the last few years, an animal who — genetics aside — is of such pure class and calm. I am quite literally going to miss EL, the individual. He was always willing to be haltered with a minimum of fuss at any hour of the day, then either hop on the trailer or, if his handler wasn’t feeling lazy, march all the way uphill to the Arena on a completely slack lead to go to work. Many thanks to Snowmass for having shared this incredible alpaca with us and with TGF. There is no denying the powerful effect that Snowmass Elite Legend’s genetics have had on our breeding program and his sons in the picture above are a living, breathing testament to that. Those boys have some awfully big shoes to fill and 2013 will be their time to start proving that they can.
