Fall 2015

It really was a fabulous learning opportunity for alpaca farmers with all levels of experience. 

The Board offers a sincere thank you to all who helped make the Symposium a success - our sponsors, speakers, auction item donors and auction bidders and winners, design competition participants, and Suri Strut designers. 

The Suri Network Board of Trustees election results were announced at the symposium. Alvina Maynard and Andrew Reed are your new board members. A big thank you to outgoing board members Tim Sheets and Joyce White. Tim served on the Board for four years, and as president for the past two years. He has also spearheaded our new website, webinars, and served as the Board liaison for the SHIP program. Joyce served on the Board for two years, and took the lead in planning the 2015 Symposium. Hats off to Tim and Joyce!

The Board has elected officers and has assigned primary areas of responsibility as follows:

• Patty Hasselbring, President (Membership, Marketing)
  
• Jill McElderry-Maxwell, Vice President (PurelySuri)
  
• Andrew Reed, Treasurer (Symposium)
  
• Alvina Maynard, Secretary (PDC Liaison, Funding)
  
• Randy Coleman, Trustee (Communication, Breed Standard Liaison)
  

The Jim Barker Suri Network Ambassador Award recognizes a Suri Network member who exemplifies Jim’s commitment to and enthusiasm toward the Suri alpaca industry and shares the Suri Network’s mission of promoting and preserving the Suri alpaca in North America.
 
The selection process involves SN members submitting nominations based on criteria that represented Jim’s commitment and contributions. We received eight nomination letters and after review by the Board of Trustees, this year’s recipient was selected: Dr. Norm Evans.

Dr. Norm Evans’ contributions to the Suri Network and the entire alpaca industry are well known to people who have any history with alpacas, and those who are new to alpacas, will benefit from many of the contributions he has made over the years. In 1968, Norm Evans graduated from Auburn University with a Doctor of Veterinarian Medicine degree and joined an established practice in his home town in Kentucky where he predominantly treated large animals. When the importation of alpacas began, Dr Evans had the opportunity to work with several hundred alpacas in Kentucky and in 1986 he established a mobile camelid practice that has served clients in 40 plus states, Canada, Japan, and the UK. Today, Norm is widely well known and respected among alpaca breeders and his willingness to share his extensive knowledge of camelid nutrition and medicine has had a positive impact on the Suri industry.

Perhaps you have seen Dr. Evan’s name as author and editor of the Alpaca Field Manual; considered by many to be the “bible” of alpaca care. You might have heard Norm speak about alpaca nutrition, health care, or neonatal care at one of the many programs he has offered across the country. Maybe you have had the opportunity to hear him explain about skin biopsies and his groundbreaking work in determining fleece density. And, you may have had him conduct skin biopsies and provide his thorough analysis of your alpacas’ fleece characteristics.

Norm’s expertise in camelid nutrition is well known; his nutritional recommendations for alpacas are followed by many feed companies. In his non-assuming and humble manner, Dr. Evans shares his expertise willingly. Norm has always supported the Suri Network and Suri owners and breeders through his involvement at Suri Network Summer Symposiums, his fiber research, and availability to answer questions and provide guidance. Dr. Evans is an unsung hero in many ways. He never hesitates to provide one-on-one veterinary consultation. Who would expect that someone of Norm’s stature would drop everything to drive across the state to do a transfusion, spending hours on a difficult situation and literally saving the life of an alpaca? Norm is truly a constant ambassador for what is positive in our industry. Dr. Norm Evans is a consummate professional in every sense and most deserving of the Jim Barker Suri Network Ambassador Award.

Unfortunately, Norm was unable to be in attendance at the Symposium as he was recovering from surgery. He did send remarks, which President Tim Sheets read during the award ceremony, and we share with you here:

TO:  Suri Network Trustees; Jim Barker Award Selection Committee; Suri Network Members

I am very appreciative and humbled to be selected for the Jim Barker Suri Network Ambassador Award. Unfortunately due to some necessary surgeries, I am not able to attend the 2015 symposium for the first time in many years.

Jim Barker was a longtime client as well as a good friend. I visited Jim and Gini’s Sweetbriar Suri Farm on several occasions and even spent a few nights there. I think I must have looked at the analysis of every batch of hay prior to purchase, as Jim wanted the best for what he felt were the best suris in the country. He was hooked on Suris and was excited that every new offspring was a future champion for the industry.  As I attended many shows I saw that Jim, in his green jacket, was often smiling or chuckling at producing these champions and promoting the suri industry.

The year was 1986 when I started to learn about camelids and since 1996 my veterinary practice has been 100 per cent alpacas. I totally enjoyed the challenge of attempting to restore reproductive fertility in female alpacas. I was even blessed to travel to several states to do so. I believe it was many years ago at this Suri Symposium that mouth overloaded my brain and I said I enjoy traveling around the country trying to get females pregnant. (I meant alpacas of course.)

Large animal work takes a toll on a body and while I can no longer make ranch calls, I stay very busy looking at biopsies and being amazed at how some genetic fleece traits are maintained or lost at different levels due to the alpaca’s nutrition and environment. I hope someday that more breeders will lend an ear to management ideas that can maximize fleece quality as well as production of the magnificent animals.

I still enjoy conversing with two or three vets per day as well as many alpaca owners on their challenging cases. I graduated from veterinary school at Auburn University in 1968 and have worked with camelids for nearly 30 years. I have been involved in my profession, even serving as president elect of the KVMA, yet I have never been honored with an award like this. I am very cognizant of its meaning based on Jim’s mission for the suri industry which makes it even more special. I am usually not an emotional person but the complete surprise when I was notified of this award gave me a great lift at a difficult time.  I know for a fact I would be choked up if I were reading this in front of you now. I appreciate the efforts of all involved and wish for continued success to all suri breeders. I look forward to future service with the suri industry. Thank you again for this most special honor.

Sincerely,

Norm Evans

You will notice that Suri owners take a special pride in a ribbon from the Suri Network All-Suri Fleece Show. Why? Because the Suri Network Fleece Show is the largest Suri fleece show in the United States, and perhaps the world! With nearly 200 fleeces entered in the 2015 show, competition was fierce. Our fleece judges were Jude Anderson and Cheryl Gehly, and Wini Labrecque judged Spin-Off, Fiber Arts and Skeins.

Congratulations to the winners, and to everyone who entered this wonderful and highly competitive show!

See all the 2015 fleece awards here.

Suri Strut  

The 2015 Suri Strut showcased fabulous designs by cutting edge designers in North America. On the runway were designs by Beth Brown for Odelia and Odelia Baby, Holly Henderson & New Era Fiber for Simply Natural Clothing, Liz Vahlkamp for Salt River Mills, Cathy Hinze for Handmade Fashions by Cathy, Sue Simonton and Margaret Long for Little Gidding Yarns, and Lanette Freitag for Felt Loom. The designs demonstrated the beautiful luster and drape of Suri!

Great Lakes Ranch featured on CNBC’s “Blue Collar Millionaires”

If you were at the AOA Nationals alpaca show in Grand Island, Nebraska, in March, you might have been wondering what was going on with the camera crew and all the equipment that appeared to be following Brad and Jandy Sprouse from Great Lakes Ranch around in the Suri ring.  The mystery is solved! It was a production crew for a prime time/business hour TV show that starts airing this summer.

The crew visited Great Lakes Ranch in the middle of winter and filmed for three days, following the Sprouses a week later to Nationals to document what happens at an alpaca show.  They filmed everything from chores being done to animal care, showing the alpacas, halter training and also a visit to Great Lakes fiber store.