March 7: Southern Select Alpaca Show
Attendees of the two-day event can get to know more about the animal and its owners, and shop in an alpaca store filled with yarn, fiber and garments from ranches around the Southeast.
The Alpaca Show runs from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. daily and admission is free. Alpaca halter, performance and fleece shows, educational seminars on health care of alpacas conducted by veterinarians, and demonstrations in spinning, weaving and felting the fiber of alpacas are features of the event.
Alpacas originated in the Andean regions of South America, including Chile, Bolivia and Peru. Smaller cousins of llamas and camels, alpaca fiber is soft like cashmere yet insulated like wool.
Alpacas were first imported to the United States in 1984, though now U.S. breeders rely on animals bred here.
North American alpacas have become an investment opportunity for small farms because they require smaller acreage than other livestock.
The Southeast Alpaca Association (SeAA) is comprised of more than 90 alpaca ranches in the seven southeastern states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
The Southern Select Alpaca Show is an annual spring event and is nationally certified by the Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association.
For more information, visit the SeAA Web site at www.sealpaca.org/southernselect.