Just like sheep and cattle, winning the Supreme Champion section at your regional show can increase the value of your alpaca, especially if he is a male.
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And win Supreme Champion at a national show can skyrocket the alpaca's value to the $100k mark.
If you're at the 2024 Boorowa Show on March 2 you'll have the opportunity to see around 70 alpacas and their breeders from throughout the state competing for age group and the show's supreme champion award.
While arguably home to some of Australia's best merino studs Boorowa also has a reputation as home of some of our best alpacas, hence Boorowa being one of the smallest centres in Australia to host alpaca judging at its annual show.
Overseeing the alpaca classes at Boorowa will be Lillyfield Alpacas owner Carolyn Austin who has been taking part in the Boorowa Show for at least 20 years.
So what makes a champion alpaca and does it increase the animal's value?
According to Carolyn alpacas are judged much like some of the nation's top sheep and their value increases with each success as is the case with other rural animals which also hold pride of place at the Boorowa Show each year.
"It's exactly the same, particularly for a male or if his progeny win ribbons."
Judging, Ms Austin said, is conducted under much the same guidelines as sheep.
"It's based on confirmation of the animal obviously, its fleece qualities - its length, density even its micron, exactly like you'd judge a merino.
"The judges are looking for an animal that has a robust frame but also has the capacity to produce a worthwhile fibre.
"The alpaca is a fibre animal just like a merino," Ms McCauley said.
Breeders are expected to travel statewide for the Boorowa event with Ms McCauley expecting "quite a few locals from Canberra and Murrumbateman".
"Some are coming from Mudgee and further north," she said.
Ms McCauley is the show convenor again this year after also holding the position in previous years.
Last year she was a competitor, taking out the Supreme Champion award with one of her animals.
While champions of the breed can sell into the five and even six figures Ms McCauley says breeders and hobbyists can "pick up a nice animal for $1500 that will still be healthy, productive and give you good fleece qualities".
If you want a commercial flock she adds "you don't make any money out of 200 but you do out of 2000. There are quite a few breeders around the country who have that number".