2008-04-03

Thar’s gold in them thar fleeces

By David Arny

A wild and woolly event took place Monday, March 24, when a small army of professional shearers set up their base of operations at the Hill Country Alpaca Ranch near Medina.

Owners Leigh and Chuck Thomas’ wards are gentle, handsome creatures that live on the 33-acre ranch and are protected by Luke, a Maremma sheepdog. The couple’s herd of huacaya alpacas makes their pastoral surroundings resemble a little piece of the Peruvian Andes.

The owner of Show Quality Custom Shearing in Ohio, John Gunther, lists more than 40 alpaca ranches as references on his website, www.shearingalpaca.com. The successful 20-year-old entrepreneur and his crew are in heavy demand during the spring shearing season. In 2007, they processed over 4,000 alpacas, earning between $25 to $35 per head. Gunther and five of his co-workers handled the Thomas’ 23 alpacas in a little over four hours.
During the procedure, the alpacas are also vaccinated, given “pedicures” and any needed dental work. It was a labor-intensive process, and each person performed their duties with military-like precision.

Chuck Roberts was impressed with the way Gunther and his employees carried out their tasks. “Those guys got it done quickly and efficiently. They just did a beautiful job,” he said.
“It’s definitely a high-anxiety day for us,” added Leigh Roberts. “We have to be in about five places at once. Six of our females are pregnant – three of them are almost due – so we had to make sure they weren’t overstressed by all the activity. John and his crew were wonderful.”

After the docile animals were relieved of their thick winter coats, the shorn fiber was painstakingly divided into five categories of quality by certified fiber sorters Troy Ogilve of Kaufman and Julie Plummer of Cedar Park. Kaufman and Plummer are registered members of the North American Alpaca Fiber Producers organization, based in Sand Point, Idaho.

Alpacas were first imported into the United States in 1984. Current numbers indicate over 60,000 registered alpacas in the U.S., according to www.hillcountyralpacas.com.

Close cousins of llamas, alpacas’ soft, fine fiber is considered superior to wool and cashmere in many categories, including warmth. Its excellent thermal insulation is due to the fiber’s unique hollow core. Chuck Thomas noted that the annual spring harvest is the beginning of the production of wearable goods made from alpaca fiber.

“Sweaters, caps, gloves, scarves – this is where they all start,” he said.