Fleece Judges

Amanda VandenBosch

Amanda VandenBosch is a Senior AOA Halter and Fleece Judge and an Alpaca Judge Trainer and Instructor in the United States. Amanda qualified as an International Alpaca Judge trained in Peru at the International Alpaca Judging School (IAJS ) in 2000. She has judged shows in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, and Peru gaining an international perspective and true love for the art and science of alpaca judging.

Amanda is also a co-author of the book “The Art & Science of Alpaca Judging” published by AOBA and used as a training tool.

Cheryl Gehly                                                    

Cheryl Gehly became an AOBA Certified Fleece Judge in 2002. 

Cheryl has shared her knowledge with judges 

and apprentices as an AOA Certified Instructor

at JTCC sponsored Judge Training Clinics, as well as by being a Senior AOA Fleece Judge and an AOA Certified Fleece   Judge Trainer. Cheryl has volunteered with AOA as a member and chairperson of the Judge Training and Certification Committee and the AOA Judge Advisory Committee. She is also the fleece judge liaison to the Show Rules Committee. Cheryl teaches at breeder seminars around the country as well as judging multiple AOA Certified Fleece Shows annually. Cheryl serves as the Lead Classifier for the Suri Network’s Suri Herd Improvement Program (SHIP).

Spin-Off and Fiber Arts and Skeins Judge

Gabrielle Menn

In 1996, Gabrielle came home one day with a spinning wheeland told her mother, “I want

to get 4 sheep: a black one, a white one, a brown one, and a gray one.” Her mother enthusiastically responded, “No, no, no! You want to get alpacas!” “Al-a-what?” Within a few months, Gabrielle was bottle raising her first lamb and her mother bought her first alpacas. After raising a menagerie of fiber-producing animals over the years, Gabrielle settled her focus on breeding naturally colored merinos and French Angora rabbits. Her mother, Cheryl Woods of Fanfare Farms, continued with alpacas.

Raising the animals and spinning a variety of fibers has given Gabrielle a unique perspective on what is desirable in a fleece and which yarns are best suited for specific end uses. This knowledge and experience has resulted in her earning top awards in both local and national fiber arts competitions, as a sought-after instructor, and alpaca Spin-Off Judge. Spin, weave, knit, crochet, felt, dye – she does it all.

Gabrielle has served on the Board of Directors of the Northern California Angora Guild and for the National Angora Rabbit Breeders Club. She is also a past-President of the Lambtown USA Festival. In 2007, she attended the Camelid Fiber Sorting and Grading Certification course, and completed the Camelid Fiber Classer Course in 2011 through Olds College in Alberta, Canada. She owned and operated FiberWise Mill doing custom fiber processing, and now focuses her time on raising her two daughters and caring for her autistic son.

Dr. Signe Balch

I am a large animal veterinarian who has worked along the Front Range south of Denver as a mobile solo practitioner for the last seven years.  I work primarily with small ruminants. I graduated with my degree in veterinary medicine from Kansas State University in 2001 after completing a doctorate in immunology at Oxford University.  I am a member of the American Association of Small Ruminant Practitioners and currently serve as an alternate member to the American Veterinary Medical Association Food Safety Advisory Committee.  When I am not on the road being a veterinarian I enjoy spending as much time as I can with my husband and two children. In my elusive free time I also enjoy reading, knitting, baking and working with my own crew of animals that include alpacas, sheep and horses.

Dr. Christopher Cebra

Dr. Cebra is the Glen Pfefferkorn and Morris Wendorf Endowed Professor in Camelid Medicine, Professor of Medicine, and Chair, Department of Clinical Sciences. College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University where he has been for almost 20 years. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, completed an internship at Cornell and a residency in Food Animal Medicine and Surgery at Colorado State. His major interests are energy metabolism and gastrointestinal function and the disorders related to them, in both ruminants and camelids, but he is better known for his camelid work. His interest in camelids stems out of curiosity regarding their unique qualities and a determination to provide them with high quality health care. He has authored over 50 scientific publications and a number of book chapters on these subjects, including serving as lead editor and primary contributor to a recent textbook.

Mike DeSorbo

Mike is a true entrepreneur, having owned and operated several independent and franchised businesses throughout his career. Mike is currently President of DCG Services, a consulting company that focuses on helping the independent business owner define their brand by creating a strategy that differentiates their business in the marketplace.

Mike’s enthusiasm and high-energy presentations have brought him across North America conducting hundreds of seminars and workshops on branding, marketing, sales, and leadership to small business owners and large corporations, both public and private. Mike has been invited to speak at The Ohio State University Fisher School of Business and at Northwood University’s DeVos Graduate School of Management. 

He has been involved in many industry associations serving on several Boards. Mike is extremely proud to have served as Executive Chairman for Wheels-4-Hope for several years, a nonprofit organization that provides vehicles to low income families throughout North Carolina. 

Cheryl Gehly

Please see Cheryl's bio in our Judges section.

Dr. Ruthanne McCaslin

Dr. Ruthanne McCaslin is a diplomate of Michigan State University.  She and her family own Promised Land Alpacas in Chardon, OH and have been raising alpacas since 1995.  A longtime veterinarian, Dr. McCaslin and her husband Dr. Ed are experts in alpaca parasitology, and share their knowledge freely with other alpaca breeders.  Teaching and learning are her twin passions.

Gabrielle Menn

Please see Gabrielle's bio in our Judges section.

Dr. Ahmed Tibary

Dr. Tibary graduated in 1980 with a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from the Institut 

Agronomique et Vétérinaire in Morocco.  He earned his MS (1984) and PhD (1989) in 

Theriogenology (animal reproductive medicine, obstetrics and artificial breeding)  from the University of Minnesota and was certified as a Diplomate of the American College of Theriogenologists in 1991. 

Dr. Tibary worked as a clinician at the University of Minnesota from 1990-1992, then as the Scientific Director of the Veterinary Research Center in the United Arab Emirates. He has served as a consultant to several equine stud farms, cattle operations, and small ruminant and camelid projects. 

He joined the College of Veterinary Medicine at Washington State in 1998, where he is now a professor of the Comparative Theriogenology service providing clinical service and conducting research in equine, ruminant and camelid reproductive medicine and surgery. 

Dr. Tibary has received several awards recognizing his excellence in teaching and clinical practice including the Norden Distinguished Teacher Award, the faculty member award by the Washington State Veterinary Medical Association, and the North African Veterinary Achievement award for contributions to equine practice. He was named 2011 Theriogenologist of the Year by the American College of Theriogenologists.

 

Dr Tibary is the author of more than 150 peer-reviewed publications and scientific abstracts, five books and 113 book chapters on equine, bovine, sheep and goat and camelid medicine. He has provided continuing education program to veterinarians and breeders in several countries. 

Dr. Robert Van Saun

Robert Van Saun has earned his DVM, MS, and PhD (ruminant nutrition) degrees and is a board certified diplomate in the American College of Theriogenologists (reproduction) and the American College of Veterinary Nutrition.  He joined the Penn State faculty as an extension veterinarian and is currently a Professor of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences. 

His professional activities include teaching, research and providing extension programs across species on various nutrition, animal health and reproductive topics regionally, nationally and internationally. Research interests include the role of nutrition in animal health and performance, especially nutrition during pregnancy, and improving diagnostic tests to evaluate nutritional status. 

Completed research projects in llamas and alpacas have dealt with vitamin D, hepatic lipidosis, and trace mineral nutrition. He has recently published articles describing llama and alpaca nutritional requirements that are incorporated into the new NRC small ruminant nutrient requirements publication.

Amanda VandenBosch

Please see Amanda's bio in our Judges section.