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World Environment DayALPACAS - CLEAN GREEN & FRIENDLY, PARTICIPATE IN WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY - 2011 On the 16th June, alpacas Yuki, Teddy and Blackliner from Pitchinnga Ridge Alpacas travelled to Rosebud Secondary College to participate in their World Environment Day festival. The day had been organised by the Rosebud Secondary College Environment group, 'Planet Pals', to promote student awareness in sustainability, recycling and all things environmentally friendly. There were stalls ranging from secondhand books, face painting and organic chocolates to Melbourne Water, paper recycling and Clean Ocean demonstrations and displays. With the theme of the day being the colours blue or green, we were greeted by our colourful 'Planet Pal' helpers Zoe & Cassie - one of which was painted blue from head to toe. They had made a poster to attach to the pen and the students and teachers alike were both inquisitive and interested in touching and learning more about the alpacas and their environmental attributes. Our display showing fleece in its raw state, on the spinning wheel and through to finished products was very popular. Article by Robyn Collett - Pero Alpacas
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Red Hill Show 2011by Claire Chandler - Venara Alpaca Stud The Alpaca Pavilion (shed) enjoyed more space as the hard working and scarcely acknowledged helpers had erected a marquee this year for the fleeces and a record 40 were presented.
There were also a pleasing number of alpaca entries - 131, despite the counter attraction of Lardner Farm World.
Sadly I had no entries as the constant rain caused great delay in getting my downsized little mob of females shorn, so their fleece was too short for this show. Twenty years I have been breeding alpacas at Red Hill. I had purchased three from the first 20th century imports by Alan Hamilton and Roger Haldane. These alpacas were quarantined 12 Kms from Keith S.A., toward Tintinara. Brian Worcester was there that day to begin his Acheron Stud. The quarantine lasted 19 months until I believed I had paid for mythical beasts! My two brown girls eventually arrived plus one white male cria I named Venara Leonardo. He was my first champion male at the second Royal Melbourne Show that invited alpaca entries. The same year ('93 I believe) he was champion at Lilydale. On arrival the alpacas stepped down from the float and with admirable manners walked to the fence to introduce themselves to the horses. The horses went crazy and exhibited vulgar behaviour - snorting and galloping around the paddock. To return to the Red Hill Show, several people commented to me that the 2011 exhibition was splendid. The Bendigo Bank folk said that the motor bike riding was daring, dangerous and spectacular. Was this a first for Red Hill? The addition of a talking robot I think was a "first", and engaged both the children and adults. The latter could not work out how it was constructed. In the alpaca shed there appeared to be more onlookers during judging than in earlier years. I also did not witness any ardent males vaulting fences to get to the females, so perhaps males are becoming more circumspect in their behavior. The wonderful people who gave the whole day to offer welcome, assistance and courtesy made the alpaca pavilion a good place to be.
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