Wellow Hip Hip Hooray, an alpaca from the Isle of Wight, has emerged as the National Supreme Champion Suri alpaca at the prestigious British Alpaca Society National Show.
Taking place at the Telford International Centre over near the end of last month, with more than 600 alpacas from across the country in attendance, the competition was fierce.
Humble beginnings
Wellow Hip Hip Hooray, a junior brown Suri female born on 4th August 2023, began her journey to the top at a farm in Wellow.
She initially won her class against six other brown juniors, showcasing her exceptional qualities early on. But her triumphs didn’t end there. She went on to compete against all age groups of brown female Suris, securing the overall brown championship.
An historic victory
This victory is particularly noteworthy because awards at the show are generally dominated by white or light-coloured alpacas. For a darker colour like brown to take the Supreme Champion title is almost unprecedented.
The judges brought back fourteen champions from various colour classes to select the best British-bred Suri and the overall Supreme Suri champion of the show.
Among the four finalists, Wellow Hip Hip Hooray was chosen for both prestigious titles.
The farm’s delight in this achievement is immense. They commented,
“To say we are delighted would be an understatement.”
Rosie’s alpaca
This victory holds a special place in their hearts as Wellow Hip Hip Hooray was a gift to their daughter, Rosie, making the win even more special. The farm has been dedicated to its breeding programme for 14 years, focusing on achieving excellence.
While they have previously won two supreme championships in fleece, this is their first victory in halter, indicating their breeding programme’s significant progress.
A team effort
The success of Wellow Hip Hip Hooray at the British Alpaca Society National Show is a testament to teamwork and dedication.
The farm acknowledged the invaluable support of their farm manager, Kate Ryan, and Laura Jones, highlighting that breeding and showing these magnificent animals is a collaborative endeavour.
This victory not only marks a milestone for the farm but also sets a high standard for alpaca breeding and showing in the UK.
