The Southeast Colorado Alpaca Breeders sponsored the annual holiday Alpaca Extravaganza, held at the Black Forest Community Center in November. This year, all 14 alpaca breeders were present to display and sell their wares and show off their alpacas.Patrons could peruse and purchase a variety of items made from alpaca yarn such as sweaters, coats, hats, mittens, scarves and socks, as well as the alpaca yarn, toys, home accessories, gifts and more. A few of the breeders were spinning wool, and one spinner said she likes to spin while watching football.Claudia Swenson from Buzz & Humm Farms in Monument, Colorado, said they have had up to 1,000 people a day come through the event in the past, depending on the weather. Swenson said, ìAlpacas have only been in the United States for about 25 years and were considered a ërich manís hobbyí because they originally cost on the average, $15,000 apiece; now they are around $3-to-$5,000,î she said. Alpacas are herd animals, so they do better when there is more than one of them. Swenson has nine alpacas; she said they are curious, smart and calming to work with ó and they communicate by humming.Peter and Barbara Ziek own Wild Hair Alpacas LLC in the Black Forest area. ìWe started to think about what we were going to do when we retired to stay active and healthy, and we came across these animals at an exotic animal show in Denver,î Ziek said. They thought the alpacas were ìcute and soft Ö we were hooked.îThey started with two alpacas 19 years ago and now own 110. Ziek said they work with schools to show the alpacas and educate the students about them. ìWe have been asked to bring our alpacas to weddings, retirement and birthday parties,î he said. Three of his alpacas were at the extravaganza.Christiann Schade from C Squared Alpacas in Calhan said she and her husband started breeding alpacas in 2003 and now have 35. They were at a county state fair when they first came upon them, and they fell in love, Schade said.There are ìpet qualityî and ìbreeding qualityî alpacas, she said. Pet alpacas are great as pets and might only cost $300 to $500 but donít necessarily produce the quality of yarn breeding alpacas do.Schade said alpaca breeders are constantly trying to improve the quality of fiber and are conscientious about which alpacas are bred together. Not only is alpaca wool great for people with allergies because they donít have dander, but they also do not have lanolin in the wool, unlike sheep wool.ìAlpacas are awesome animals; they are intuitive, curious and great with children and people who are disabled or have special needs,î Schade said. ìWe have worked a lot with 4H groups, Scout troops, people who are disabled and have special needs because of that.îThe Holiday Alpaca Extravaganza is held annually and is free and open to the public.
