Blenheim Alpacas - Our History Having originally decided during 1997 to buy a few alpacas, Mike Coghlan set about acquiring some knowledge by visiting breeders in England, Australia and Peru. "Everyone was enthusiastic and helpful, and amongst all the advice I received, two impressions still remain. One was that breeding alpacas could offer a genuine business opportunity if it was done well. The other followed naturally: if done well, huge enjoyment and satisfaction would result." Recognising that their first handful of Chilean breeding-stock would need help from other sources if their progeny were to reach the quality sought, Mike and Kate agreed to buy in a further batch of quality Peruvians from Canada. As it transpired, these seventeen alpacas became the very first Peruvians to reach the U.K. It may have been an omen, but they were unloaded at Heathrow at the very moment of the Sun's eclipse in August 1999! The Blenheim herd now has several successful breeding seasons behind it and already the effects of the pursuit of quality are clearly visible. The progeny from the Peruvian stud males are improving year on year, and particularly striking are the cria from Chilean dams sired by the Peruvian males. Many fellow breeders have already taken advantage of the stud services offered by herdsires 'Don Carlos' and 'Don Camillo', and as a crowning glory to date, Blenheim-bred Peruvian 'Caleb', bought three weeks earlier by Philippa Wills of Great House Alpacas, was adjudged Supreme Champion at the 2000 National Show of the British Alpaca Society. The loss of the 2001 British Alpaca Society Show due to the foot and mouth crisis was deeply disappointing to all alpaca breeders. However, at the BAS show held in June 2002 Blenheim Huacaya alpacas won two Champion ribbons, two Reserve Champion ribbons and seven 1st placings. The startling increase in quality made possible by putting really superb Stud Males to quite average Chilean females can be seen clearly in many of the cria now being raised at Blenheim Alpacas and elsewhere. The most obvious signs are increased coverage and much greater crimp and density of fleece. These are invariably accompanied by significantly improved figures when the fleece is analysed. The effect of this improved quality has been most clearly seen in the show ring. At the BAS National Show in June 2000, Blenheim stock won more than half of the prizes in the classes for white alpacas, and repeated their success at the 2002 show. At the International Conference in Staffordshire in the autumn of 2001, fleeces from our alpacas won several prizes, and in particular ‘Don Camillo’ won the ‘Best Fawn Fleece’ class, whilst our Chilean stud male ‘Bartholomew’ carried off the special ‘Spinner’s Choice’ award judged against all fleeces in the show. In 1997 Mike Coghlan met the legendary Don Julio Barreda at the 3rd International Festival of the South American Camelid in Arequipa, Peru. Since seeing the quality of alpacas in Peru, particularly those from the Accoyo herd of Don Julio Barreda, our intention has been to breed young alpacas of the highest quality; and to improve our own breeding stock by acquiring new genetics whenever we feel that they will enhance those we already own. Undoubtedly, the keeping of these beautiful animals, huacaya alpacas, has proved to be one of the most rewarding experiences of my working life. It is an extraordinary fact that the alpaca must be the most trouble free of all farmed animals.