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Remember this is a competition! You want to win! Just as you do showing animals in the ring when you enter your fleece you are showing off your stud and breeding programme.

Really this is what our alpaca industry is all about, producing high quality fleece and should be the aim of all our alpaca breeding programmes.

We all should be aiming to produce high quality fleeces that will meet the demands of a commercial industry. A fleece show is an excellent place to show-case our industry to the public.

Advantages of Showing Fleeces

• Gives you the flexibility to show your fleeces all over Australia and in fact the world.
• Like the show ring you are comparing your fleeces to those produced by other breeders. This helps you see the results of your breeding programme.
• Much easier than taking animals, just post off your box of fleece.
• It is ideal to show fleeces in summer shows when your animals have all been shorn.
• You can show animals that are not perfect. i.e. have a coloured spot or poor conformation. They may well have a superior fleece but would otherwise be dismissed in the show ring. This does not mean they are not a value to your herd.
• A judge will evaluate your fleece. All fleeces are given the same attention and scored.

Preparation of Your Fleece

• By taking time to prepare your fleece, as you would do for your animals not only are you showing respect for the judge you have asked to assess your fleece but also you can increase the points you score. You cannot turn a poor fleece into a blue ribbon winner but you can gain the winning edge over an unprepared or poorly prepared fleece.
• Prior to shearing, select out the animals which you consider will have fleeces worthy of showing if in doubt do a mid- side sample to confirm you choices. (Some shows will actually test fleeces and points will be allocated accordingly)
• If they are your show animals, then shear them while you have them is top show condition, don't be tempted to put them back into the paddock. They are sure to roll in the dirt and this could cost you valuable points. Take advantage of shearing demonstrations held at shows and do them straight after showing.
• If animals are a little dirty take the time to pick out the straw and the odd bit of grass while the fleece is still on the alpaca. Concentrate on the saddle area. Do not blow the fleece with any type of blower as this destroys the natural structure of the fleece.
• Do tell the shearer that you intend to show the fleece and ask him to take extra care to avoid second cuts.
• Shear the skirtings off first and remove from the area or place pegs on fleece where you think the best fleece extends (be generous) and then shear the saddle first.

However if you are like most of us, you have already shorn your alpacas and then decide to show the fleece. Then you are starting with a bag of fleece straight from the shearing floor. Hopefully with the saddle already separated from the neck.

It is imperative that you keep in mind the point-scoring card that is the judging criteria. This is how the judge will access your fleece handful by handful!!! Point by point. You cannot change the quality and structure of your fleece but you can gain those extra winning points.

Fleece Classes
Classes for fleeces are different than for animals in the show ring. Fleece classes are for both huacaya and suri alpaca. Colour classes are mandatory at National Shows and optional at Royals, Regional and smaller shows.
Huacaya Fleece Classes
6-9 months (optional for regional and smaller shows) Minimum weight 400 grams. No weight score. Marked out of 80.
Fleeces not eligible for Champion Fleece.
9-18 months
18-30 months
Over 30 months
For National, Royal or Major Fleece Shows additional classes as follows
30-48
48-60 months
Over 60 months
Suri Classes
9-18months
18-30 months
Over 30 months

These are calculated on the age on the day of shearing.

"Most Valuable Fleece" is awarded at the National, Royal Shows and at special Fleece Shows. This class is the true commercial value of a fleece. The two considerations being the weight and the commercial value of the fleece. The commercial value is based on its micron (tested ), length and yield including VM content e.g. <20 microns, A length (80-120mm) is worth $30 per kg clean weight. A 3kg fleece with a 90% yield is worth $81 unless penalized by condition, mineral or vegetable matter
Note
Only one fleece that has been shorn in the 18 months prior to the show may be entered from the one animal.

ENTRY FORMS
Please read form carefully. You will need to give full animal details including your shearing date and the age of the animal at shearing (this determines the class) Most importantly is the age of the fleece, e.g. if the animal was shorn at 3 months and then again at 15 months the age of your fleece is 12 months entered in the 9-18 month class.
If you are posting your fleece, don't forget to give stewards posting instructions for its return.

Fleece Weight

Points for fleece weight are calculated according to each class. This is done by the stewards prior to the judging. The score is calculated using a scale set by the AAA.
See following table.
Each fleece is weighed and the weight is then calculated to 12 months so your fleece of say 9 months growth is not at disadvantaged to those with 15 months growth. This is 20% of the total score so it is important that you aim to have the maximum amount of fleece.

Now to winning those points

Tip your fleece out onto a large work surface. A skirting table is ideal but I found a trampoline is OK as the dust and dirt will fall through) if not available then the floor or a large table. Although we usually turn our fleeces down I prefer to start with the shorn end up helping me to see any second cuts of fleece or skirtings, which should be discarded and I am able to see changes in fleece character more easily.

Consider each of the points on the score sheet to try and gain maximum points. There are some that you cannot change but others you can certainly improve. It is no good aiming for full points in fleece weight if you loose vital points e.g. in uniformity of length or evenness of micron.

The following are some score ranges that judges may use in each section. Basically an absolute method is used whereby fleeces are compared and scored in the ranges of very good, good, average and poor. Of course this is where individual judges scoring will vary according to their own opinions.

Fineness - 15 points & Handle - 5 points

There are two options here:

1. If the fleeces have been tested (done by the stewards some time before the show) then the score is given according to the chart. Alternatively the judge will estimate the micron and then use the table to give the appropriate score. Each age group has a different scale for the 15 marks.
2. The judge can identify the finest and coarsest fleece and award the points relative to these two e.g. a very fine fleece should score 13-14 points a coarse fleece 2-3 points. This is why you may get two different scores for the same fleece from different judges.

Calculating handle (5 points)

Uniformity of Micron - 8 points

Search your fleece for bits of coarse fibre not removed.

Uniformity of Length - 7 points

I like to select 5 random staples

Uniformity of Colour - 5 points

Some fawn animals may score poorly few judges will award 5 points. Make sure you remove spots of black or dark brown in grey fleeces.

Character and Style -15 points:

Staple Type / Density - 5 points

This will be reflected in the weight of your fleece

Brightness (Huacaya) -10 points

Light refraction - dust will affect this greatly

Suri called Lustre -15 points

This is one of the most important attributes of Suri. In Suri classes the points would be distributed in similar ranges of good, average and poor over the 15 points.

Impurities -Stain /Tip Damage/ Soundness -5 points

Penalty is given for vegetable matter, staining and excessive tip damage. Judges will check for tenderness and breaking in the staple.

Lack of Medullation

Huacaya -10 points Suri - 5 points

The judge is looking for those straight courser fibres - often visible when the fleece is held up to the light.

Clean fleece weight - 20 points

Calculated as per the A.A.A. chart.
This is a particularly tricky bit, if you are heavy handed. Look carefully at the neck fleece, by including this you may gain more points for weight and only loose a point for evenness of length.

Finally

Place your prepared fleece in either a strong plastic bag with air holes or preferably a satin or tafetta bag with a loose drawstring. The fleece will slip out easily for the steward to place in the show satin lined box thus disturbing the fleece as little as possible.

Please make sure you label your fleece well. Use the fleece identification form provided and pin to the outside of the bag. Alternatively pin a cardboard tag inside your bag. You can have your stud name on the bag and re-use them as the judge does not see them and this helps the stewards.

REMEMBER

Don't over handle your fleece, and destroy its natural appearance and staple/lock formation.

Before sending your fleece put it out in the sun to air. This will freshen it up if it has been store.

Do have your fleece to the show on time and don't forget to give the steward instructions for its return! Remember all fleeces have a show life - usually two shows will see it ready for the Co-op.

Do look at the judge's scores; you may even be able to improve your fleece for another show. Look at the results of the prizewinners and see where your fleece was superior or inferior. Make every show be a learning exercise.

GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY FLEECE SHOWING