| Suri Network News |
Winter 2017
|
Are you interested in serving on the 2017 Nominating Committee? The Board will expand from five seats to seven this year, and we want to find a stellar slate of candidates to fill them! Or perhaps you are interested in running for the Board? In either case, the Suri Network needs you! Please contact Sue King at sue@bigtimberalpacas.com if you are interested in serving on the Nominating Committee or in running for an opening on the Board.  The Suri Network needs your help to find new members!The Network is currently working to find suri breeders who may not be aware of the resources and camaraderie that come with a Suri Network membership. If you know of a breeder with suris that is not yet a member, send us their contact information and we'll send them a copy of PurelySuri as well as a list of member benefits. And don't forget that if you sell suris to a first time suri owner, you may gift them with a year's membership in the Network, absolutely free. Simply print out the certificate, fill in the relevant portion, and present it to your buyers. http://www.surinetwork.org/ Resources/Documents/ membership%20gift%20certv3.pdf |
President's Letter Happy New Year to all our members! I hope everyone had an enjoyable holiday season and is ready to tackle a new year. As hard as it may be to believe with cold weather and snow on the ground, shearing, cria and spring shows are right around the corner. The Board has been busy planning the 2017 Summer Symposium, lining up articles for our next issue of PurelySuri, and wrapping up our first electronic vote on the Suri Breed Standard. We'd like to do more with online educational resources for our members - if you are experienced with YouTube and would like to help us better develop our existing channel, please let us know. We'd also love volunteers to help revitalize our online library. Please contact myself or any Board member if you have some time or expertise to dedicate to the Network and your fellow members. Sincerely, Jill McElderry-Maxwell President, Suri Network Breed Standard Vote Results As previously announced via email, the proposed 2016 Suri Breed Standard was overwhelmingly approved by the membership. In our first electronic referendum, roughly 60% of the membership cast a vote - and of those that voted, over 95% voted to approve the proposed 2016 Suri Breed Standard. This standard now becomes our industry's guideline for Suri fleece and conformation. You can read the 2016 Suri Breed Standard here: http://www.surinetwork.org/Breed-Standard The Board thanks everyone that voted and offers a heartfelt thank you to the Breed Standard Committee that worked so tirelessly to compose the 2016 Suri Breed Standard: Tim Sheets, Linda Kondris, Amanda Vandenbosch, Cheryl Gehly, Gail Campbell, Karl Heinrich, and our board liaisons. There's still time to have a Suri Herd Improvement Program (SHIP) evaluation scheduled for spring of 2017! SHIP provides you with an unbiased evaluation of every alpaca in your herd older than six months, often for less than the cost of attending a single show. As the SHIP website notes, "If you feel that there is value in having an independent assessment of each and every one of your animals to see if your evaluation of them is close to reality then the cost of this event is well worth it." To begin the process, fill out an online application form here http://www.suriship.org/forms. If you have any questions about the program, please contact Linda Kondris, the Program Director, who will be happy to walk you through the process and benefits of a SHIP screening at your farm. For more information, please visit the SHIP website. 2017 Summer Symposium Update  The Board is already hard at work planning the 2017 Suri Summer Symposium, which will be held August 3-5 at the beautiful Embassy Suites Hotel, Spa & Conference Center in Loveland, CO. Mark your calendars now to attend this three day educational event and the All Suri Fleece Show, the largest and most prestigious show of suri fleeces in the country.Look for updates regarding speakers, workshops and some potentially exciting changes in the Cottage Fleece category as we confirm our schedule!
PDC Update I recently visited Baker Beach in San Francisco with my family. Each time I visit, there is something new that I observe. This visit I was mesmerized by the flow of the tide and the creation of a breaking wave. The large breaking waves are fantastic, powerful, and beautiful. These crashing waves were so large and loud that they caught my attention first, then my attention began to shift. It began as I watched a body surfer study the flow of the ocean as he attempted to catch a wave and ride it in to the shore. Watching him catch the swell at the right time was a picture of joining nature for a synergistic ride. There were times when the surfer caught the wave at the wrong moment and was shoved to the ocean floor. I watched him study the horizon to make his decisions. The large breaking waves had a teaser off in the horizon. I didn't always catch it, the hint was subtle. I lost time as I fixated on catching the oceans hint that something magnificent was coming towards me. A subtle ripple has potential to become a magnificent wave. I think as Suri owners we are in a unique position right now to watch our industry evolve and grow. Watching and listening to the "ripples on the horizon' the fiber discussion needs to continue to evolve. Some of the questions that are surfacing about how to capitalize on this valuable resource we have include: "Where should we be marketing our Suri fiber?" "How do we effectively market Suri fiber?", "What is our national annual fiber harvest by grade and color?", "Are we producing enough fiber to begin to evolve this facet of our industry?" "As Suri Network members, would we like to begin to develop a path towards a commercial industry?" The SNPDC has spent some time discussing these questions and many more. Much like my time sitting on the shore at Baker Beach, our SNPDC has been watching the horizon of our industry looking for hints and ripples that will poise us for our next big wave. The discussions have been energizing and thought provoking. Over the course of this next year we will be inviting you to join us in this discussion through a variety of platforms. We look forward to hearing your thoughts and with your help plotting a course towards improved industry energy and potential. Cari Corley Alta Vida Alpacas |
|||||||||||||
