Have you ever wondered where your money goes when you enter an alpaca show? I have to admit I never did until I became a board member of CALPACA. We are tasked with making sure our shows come in or are under budget. And what a task that is.

These days it seems with people looking at tightening their budgets the entries are dwindling. So let me take you through a rundown of where your money goes when you send in those entry fees.

How about being a “Sponsor”? Depending on how many alpacas you are bringing a sponsorship could be the most logical way to spend your money. The more sponsors you have at a show the more perks can come your way. Some shows give sponsors pen placement, free pens, free wine tasting, free parking, banner placement advertising in the show ring, head of the line vet checking and your ranch name announced in the showring. Talk about great marketing.
You can be a large sponsor or a small sponsor but know this, you are an important part of our shows and we need you.

Donating to silent auctions. Got a fantastic extra new cria coat or a couple of bottles of wine hanging around the house? Why not donate it! What your trash is could be someone’s treasures. And the money the shows get for your items usually fund much needed scholarships.

Donating your Herdsire. Many people do not know that the money for halter entries, sponsorships and herdsire auctions directly go to funding your show. Meaning renting the venue, parking, electricity, pens, security, judges, ribbons, veternarians, show programs,bedding and more. So when you are asked to donate your amazing herdsire use it as a marketing tool for you and an appreciated and much needed donation to the welfare of the show.


The Event Managers are always trying to come up with new ways to make your shows more value added to the participants. And in return you can do them a much needed favor and volunteer. The more volunteers the shows have the closer they can come to making their budget. If you have never volunteered before it is a great way to learn about what it takes to run a show. Working in the fleece room will get you up close and personal with fleece and how fleece is judged. Ever been a gate keeper? If you have you know that is one of the most important jobs at the entire show. Keeping the ribbons in order….who knew? Or just the task of putting up pens and taking them down….what would a show do without volunteers? Well…our entry fees would be much higher.

So when you are looking over your herd to decide who to take, maybe take an extra alpaca, or donate an auction item, or your herdsire, or become a sponsor. Help us keep our shows going. We have fun and we know you do too.