Four weeks ago, we separated the weanlings with their chaperones, and also started halter training. After the usual slow but steady progress, and struggles with trying to walk on saturated, slippery ground, they have settled down, and are walking steadily.
Having sold our stud males at the end of last year, our thoughts turned to this year's mating plans, and after looking at the For Sale ads, and making some discrete specific enquiries, we found Popham Augustus, an excellent male ready to start work this year.
Sired by 2015 BAS National Show, Supereme Champion, Popham Havengore, and with the dam of 2019 BAS National Show Supreme Champion (Popham Gabine) as his grand-dam on his dam's side, he has distinction in his immediate ancestry, while his pedigree as great grand-sires or great-great grand-sires includes Accoyo Remarque, ILR Alpine Fibre's Brutus, Peruvian Spartacus, Cambridge Navigator, Perumbete Inti, and Jolimont Warrior.
Naturally he has a fabulous fleece and conformation, and a gentle temperament.
We gave him a welcome of warm Somerset rain, served horizontally, and he came wearing a 'grey Cornish coat', understandably given the recent weather - in the coming week(s) he will lose that and become his natural white, (probablywith a tint of pink Somerset soil!).
He has settled-in well with his paddock mate, and has shown a keen eye for the ladies - we have a few open females for him, and once this years cria have landed, we will have more selections to make to keep him busy.
Our thanks to Gary and Felicia of Popham Alpacas for entrusting us with this lovely boy.