Farm and Fleece Alpaca 4-H Group in Grand Traverse County

4-H Objectives:

• 4-H members enjoy alpacas as they learn their history, care, and training as they become responsible for the alpaca's physical, nutritional, and mental health needs.
• 4-H youth develop life skills such as communication, citizenship, decision-makin~ leadership, interpersonal relations, and community and global awareness.
• 4-H youth become the best they can be through sharing, learning, and growing.

How Non-Alpaca Owners Can Still Participate:

• An alpaca may be owned or leased by a 4-H'er, and owned alpacas kept at the 4- H member's farm or ranch.
• If available, alpacas may be borrowed or leased from the leaders or other farms willing to lend them but kept on the leader's farm during the 4-H season.
• Two 4-H members in different age divisions may share an alpaca for the 4-H season.
• The 4-H'er is expected to respect the dignity and personality of the alpaca and treat it with gentle kindness.
• Club meetings should generally be held monthly from September through June and increase to weekly from June until the 4-H fair.
• All 4-H members need to allocate extra time the week before and during their fair for the preparation and display of their alpacas.
• Fees that will cover the material cost (books, tack, feed, etc.) will be decided upon yearly by the leaders and are due at the first meeting of each year. These are not to be confused with club dues which are voted on by the members.
• All youth members are required to sign a 4-H Code of Conduct.

Obligations of Participating Youth Members:

• Read and sign a participation contract.
• Participate in fundraising activities to help support our group and the cost of care for the animals used by the 4-H group.
• Participate in monthly meetings.
• Proactively educate yourself on alpaca care, behavior, and how you can positively influence your relationship with the 4-H alpaca herd.
• Participate in weekly training sessions (in months leading up to the fair) to build trust with your alpaca and to work on preparing your alpaca for the 4-H fair and activities.
• Perform daily barn duties at the fair so that our alpacas have a clean and healthy fair environment, receive exercise, and they are supervision at all times the barn is open to the public.

Considerations for Parent and Youth:

• We have a waiting list of families who would like to participate in our group. Our objective is to support as many youths as possible so that everyone has a chance to participate. If you or your child wishes to participate, you must adhere to the obligations set forth by the group leader and listed above.
• While the 4-h fair is a summer activity, we will have fundraising activities that take place throughout the year. Participation will require you to be active in these events.

Jason Gill
Farm and Fleece 4-H Club Leader
[email protected]
231-631-2341

Kathy Easter
Llama and Alpaca Specie Chair
[email protected]
231-499-7434

Renee Hobbins
Llama and Alpaca Assistant Specie Chair
[email protected]
231-835-0441

Cotton Creek Farms
Rental of Alpacas for 4-H Participation
www.CottonCreekFarms.com

Northwestern Michigan Fair Livestock Council
www.northwestmichiganlivestockcouncil.org

The following age requirements have been established for the 4-H Program in the five counties in our area that participate in the NW MI Fair.

• 4-H Market & Showmanship – To participate youth must be between eight (8) and nineteen (19) years of age on or before January 1st of that calendar year. For safety reasons, to participate in the 4-H market steer and/or heifer project, youth must attain the age of thirteen (13) or older on or before January 1 st of that calendar year.
• Cloverbud Showman – To participate in the 4-H Cloverbud program, the youth must be between five (5) and seven (7) years of age on or before January 1st of that calendar year.
• Super Senior Showman - Super Senior is a term used with the 4-H Livestock Council for youth who have graduated from high school and in 4-H age they are still eligible to participate in our local fair with an animal project a year after graduation. Super Seniors may not be able to participate in select species due to overcrowding in the barns.
• Differently Abled - Members of the Differently Abled 4-H Program may take part in 4-H activities through the age of 26.

No youth or adult will be discriminated against, excluded from, nor denied benefits of any MSU Extension program or activity on the grounds of race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status or veteran status.

Showmanship

• Showmanship is about the handler.
• Demonstrates the 4-H youth’s knowledge of their animal and general llama/alpaca facts, based on age categories, and the handler’s ability to show his/her animal to its best advantage.
• Judged on basic skills in fitting, grooming, following directions, and style of presenting the llama/alpaca to the judge.
• Handler:
  • Should be neat, clean, properly dressed, prompt, alert, confident, and courteous
  • Black or khaki pants or skirt
  • White top
  • Boots or solid shoes
  • No open-toes shoes or tennis shoes
  • Tips:
    • Be courteous of other showman
    • Listen and always keep your eyes and ears on the judge
    • Always know where the judge is in relation to you
    • Research the proper position of where you are supposed to be, relative to where the judge is in each quadrant
    • Never cross behind your animal
• Animal & Equipment:
  • Animal should be clean, brushed out, and in good condition with the toenails trimmed
  • Worming needs to be done one month before fair
  • Halter and lead should be properly fit, not distract from the animal, be in good repair and be safe
  • Tips:
    • Color coordinate your halter and lead or use a non-distracting color such as black
    • Avoid looping or wrapping leads around your hand
• Showing the Animal:
  • Following what the judge or ringmaster instruct the handler to do
  • If asked to move out of line, move in a straight line forward, turn to the right, go back through your space in line clear of the line, then turn to the right and enter your new place in line
  • Demonstrate change of pace from walking to trotting
  • Backing and leading forward a requested number of steps
  • Lead your animal from the left side, hold lead in right hand at least 8 inches from the halter
  • When changing positions in line, or when lining up, stand or set your animal’s legs squarely and position yourself at a 45 degree angle off your animal’s left shoulder, using the quadrants to switch sides smoothly as the judge moves
  • Position or pose your animal to increase its positive qualities and decrease its faults
  • Controlling the animal on the lead and in place with other handlers: Allow a safe distance between animals; do not crowd others
  • Pay attention to the line-up
  • Answer questions on general llama/alpaca knowledge or confirmation such as where animals originated from, animal classifications, animal parts, health risks to animal, uses of animals, etc
  • Tips:
    • Practice often
    • Frequent practice will help the animal feel less nervous and you can show it to the best of your ability
    • Practice backing and changing pace
    • Practice standing in one position with you by your animal’s head, smoothly change sides in front of your animal
    • Be patient and remember the animal may not like standing and waiting attached to the lead
    • Develop a relationship with the animal you are working with so that it learns to trust you
    • Handlers should encourage the animal to walk into the ring at a brisk pace and should never drag the animal into the ring
    • Be natural and don’t over-fussing with your animal or continually moving and repositioning may be counted against you
    • Always allow the judge to have a clear view of your animal
    • Have fun! Your animal can sense if you are nervous and uptight
    • Learn from your mistakes
    • Do your best
    • Ask questions if you don’t know

Obstacle Class

• Llama/alpaca is required to follow and complete a trail or course, possibly including bridges, ramps, jumps, stairs, walking in water or on other types of ground material, loading and unloading from a trailer, weaving, going under or over obstacles, change of pace, going through a gate or doorway, backing, flexibility and maneuvering, picking up animal’s foot, showing teeth, meeting other people and/or animals, tolerating touching or having something touch the animal, unexpected noises or distractions, narrow passages, etc
• Handlers are judged on their ability to work with their animal as well as the animal completing the obstacle
• Novice and Advanced classes:
  • Novice consists of an animal shown in no more than 3 shows without taking a 1st place
  • Novice will have fewer obstacles
• Tips:
  • Practice performing various obstacles so the animal is less likely to balk or refuse
  • Wear neat, clean clothes and sturdy shoes or boots
  • Not having appropriate footwear will be a disqualification
  • Pay attention to the judge who do a run-through of the obstacle requirements and the order of obstacles
  • Listen to the judge, always know where the judge is, and what the judge is saying
  • Your animal may try or refuse an obstacle 3 times, then you are required to move on to the next obstacle
  • A llama/alpaca will not be allowed to be in both novice and advanced obstacle class
  • Do your best and have fun!

Pack Class

• Pack has all the same possibilities as Obstacle, but requires your animal to perform while wearing a pack which may or may not contain items
• Course will usually vary slightly from Obstacle and will generally be obstacles that your animal might encounter in actual packing experiences
• Consists of 2 classes, novice and advanced
• Novice is for animals trying a pack course for the first time or shown in no more than 3 shows without taking a 1st place
• Tips:
  • All of the tips for Obstacle are equally true for Pack classes
  • Practice applying and removing a pack from your animal
  • This can be challenging if your animal has never felt anything on its back before
  • Start training by laying a towel across your animal’s back and gradually move into laying a pack across their back before you actually strap it on

Costume Class

• A performance class o Entertaining for the public and the handler
• Involves dressing the handler and the animal in a costume
• 4-H’er must have a written story which you make up
• Competition is judged on:
  • Coverage of the animal
  • How much it is asked to tolerate
  • How well it tolerates it
  • Originality

Thursday

• Meet at fairgrounds for tour of barn and orientation
• Pen decorations

Saturday

• Llamas and alpacas arrive, you must be present to help unload and settle animals in
• Mandatory barn beeting at 5:00 pm in the Llama and Alpaca barn
• Mandatory 4-H meeting at 7:30 pm in the Grand Stands for all 4-H members, parents and leaders

Note: Each handler (Open and 4-H) will be responsible for 4 (two hour) shifts of barn duty. These are required.

Sunday

• Walk and feed your animals and clean your pen by 9:00 am
• Clean pen area throughout the day
• Check your animals periodically for water and/or signs of stress
• Walk with your animal at 6:00 pm (depending on heat index)

Monday

• Walk and feed your animals and clean your pen by 9:00 am
• Clean pen area throughout the day
• Check your animals periodically for water and/or signs of stress
• Walk with your animal at 6:00 pm (depending on heat index)

Tuesday

• Walk and feed your animals and clean your pen by 9:00 am
• Clean pen area throughout the day
• Check your animals periodically for water and/or signs of stress
• 4-H and Open Llama and Alpaca Showmanship and Halter classes begin at 6:00 pm
• Have animals groomed, be in show attire (black or khaki pants with coordinating collared shirt and closed shoes)
• Be ready for a brief meeting with the judge at 5:45 pm

Wednesday

• Walk and feed your animals and clean your pen by 9:00 am
• Clean pen area throughout the day
• Check your animals periodically for water and/or signs of stress
• 4-H and Open Llama and Alpaca Costume, Obstacle Course and Pack classes begin at 4:00 pm
• Have animals groomed, be in show attire (presentable comfortable attire and closed shoes)
• Be ready for a brief meeting with the judge at 3:45 pm

Thursday

• Walk and feed your animals and clean your pen by 9:00 am
• Clean pen area throughout the day
• Check your animals periodically for water and/or signs of stress
• Walk with your animal at 6:00 pm (depending on heat index)

Friday

• Walk and feed your animals and clean your pen by 9:00 am
• Clean pen area throughout the day
• Check your animals periodically for water and/or signs of stress
• Walk with your animal at 6:00 pm (depending on heat index)
• Club potluck at campers after last walk

Saturday

• Walk and feed your animals and clean your pen by 8:00 am
• Fair awards ceremony at 9:00 am
• 4-H Grand Champion Showman Round Robin at 10:00 am.
• 4-H Parade of Champions (for all 1st Place, Grand and Reserve Placings) Nat 12:00 pm
• Clean pen area throughout the day
• Check your animals periodically for water and/or signs of stress
• Walk with your animal at 6:00 pm (depending on heat index)

Sunday

• Barn opens at 7:00 am (earliest animals can be removed)
• Animal move out in late morning
• Stalls cleaned by 2:00 pm

March – Applications due to Cotton Creek Farms for participating in Farm and Fleece 4-H club

May – Official registration with 4-H due by no later than midnight on the first Monday of May

June – Education credits must be completed to participate in shows (ages 8-19)

July – Participate in two hours of Work Bee fairgrounds clean up

August – Northwestern Michigan Fair

September – Record books due. Failure to submit results in suspension from participation in the following year.

Northwest Michigan 4-H Livestock Council Guidebook
http://www.northwestmichiganlivestockcouncil.org/uploads/7/0/2/6/70268013/2023_general_policies___procedures.pdf

Llama & Alpaca Project Policies and Procedures
http://www.northwestmichiganlivestockcouncil.org/uploads/7/0/2/6/70268013/llama-alpaca_-_final.pdf

Record Books
http://www.northwestmichiganlivestockcouncil.org/uploads/7/0/2/6/70268013/llama-alpaca_record_book.pdf