I am of the opinion that when you look at any single Alpaca, concerning that animal’s level of “quality”, 51% comes from their inherited genes and 49% comes from their environment. (Or 51% from environment and 49% from genetic makeup, whichever you prefer.) You can take the best Alpaca on the planet, give them poor quality forage, marginal water, exposure to parasites, etc. and their quality (body score, fiber quality, density, staple length, general health, etc.) will most certainly decline. Conversely, if you begin with “unimproved” Alpacas (with coarse fiber, excessive guard hair, low density, poor fiber coverage, etc.), even the most pristine Alpaca Heaven-like environment and exceptional care is not going to result in the production of pounds and pounds of Royal grade fiber with micron tests in the teens.
For that reason, the lineage of our Alpaca breeding stock at Alpine Ranch is given the highest priority in our breeding strategy and is of critical importance to our business model. Hundreds of hours went into this research.
I am often asked which are the best Alpaca herdsires in the United States, the information provided below is meant to help answer that question. Back in 2004 when I first began this research, some of these sires were still working so it was unclear what their true potential would ultimately become. This list is based on my personal research and experience, I have tried to not allow folklore or rumors to influence any decisions and please remember, I only began piecing this together in 2004, a decade or more after some of these things occurred. If you happen to be reading this, have first hand knowledge of something I've mentioned and know I've got it incorrect, by all means, please contact me so I can make the appropriate correction(s).
RULES FOR THIS LIST: the purpose of this list is to help those new to the business get an idea which Alpaca herdsires have produced the best results, this list is not an advertisement to benefit the farms and ranches that owned these males. For that reason only herdsires born in Peru and imported to the United States between 1993 and 1998 will be considered for this list, as by 2016 they are all now either deceased or retired.
Because these sires, for the most part were owned by competing farms, this information has not been put in one place before. I know laying this down in black and white has the potential to ruffle some feathers, but in all reality, I feel safe making these claims because eight of these twelve herdsires are an absolute must to make the list, they are "givens" and they cannot be denied. Any experienced North American Alpaca breeder can and will tell you that this is indeed the case. As for the remaining four, they can make the list or not, depending on what you as an Alpaca breeder decide what criteria is most important to you. Throughout this article I have mentioned the sires that have come close to making this list but for one reason or another they did not, in many cases they are interchangeable with any of the "remaining four", I leave that up to you to decide.
CRITERIA FOR PLACEMENT: the number of registered offspring is a factor for inclusion on this list. Although that can be influenced by the size and location of the owner, in all cases, exceptional sires are sought out by savvy breeders, thus increasing the number of registered offspring. The quality of offspring is also a factor; if a certain sire's offspring did exceptionally well in shows or if that sire had a large number of sons that became highly prolific herdsires in their own right, that would improve a stud's chances to make the list. EPD data, fleece micron tests, fleece shearing weights, sales prices and any notes on importation records are all considered, where/if available. And finally, as a nod to reproductive longevity, how old the stud was when he impregnated (settled) his last known female is also determined and noted as a determining criteria.
The very first ten Alpacas were imported from South America to the United States in 1980. The first large-scale (several hundred) importation came from Bolivia and Chile in 1984. By the late 1980s demand for higher quality Alpacas from South America was increasing but the Peruvian Government would still not allow any Alpacas to be exported from Peru. By the early 1990s, Peruvian Alpaca breeders were sneaking livestock over the boarders into Bolivia and Chile for inclusion and sale in the lucrative Alpaca export trade. Finally in 1993, an agreement was reached with the Peruvian Government and the first Peruvian Alpacas were imported into the U.S.
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***)1993 PERUVIAN IMPORT: All the Alpacas from the first Peruvian import in 1993 were from the rural Allianza co-op but no distinction was made on the import records as to which one of Allianza's six member ranches the Alpaca originated. The Allianza co-op is Peru's largest surviving Alpaca co-op with a total of some 40,000 Alpacas; it is recognized as Peru's volume producer of the highest quality Alpaca fiber available. It is my personal belief that due to the build-up of demand for more than a decade, when it finally became legal to export in 1993, some of the highest quality Alpacas were released to "set the bar" with the hopes they could increase demand in future years. In that first Peruvian importation, four sires stood out:
Peruvian Don Julio G159 - ARI# 117880
Peruvian Hemingway G171 - ARI# 117888
Peruvian Bueno G173 - ARI# 117889
Peruvian Drambuie G220 - ARI# 117931
Drambuie (46 registered offspring) and Don Julio (74) were sold to farms outside the U.S. in 1996 and although good enough to be mentioned, neither was here long enough to make a large impression. Hemingway and Bueno stayed to make their mark on the North American Alpaca herd and deservedly receive spots among the top twelve.
Peruvian Hemingway G171 has the third most registered offspring in the ARI database with 410, he was owned by a combo of Northwest Alpacas, Pacific Crest Alpacas, Morning Sun Alpacas and Timberland Alpacas, all of Hillsboro, OR. Imported in 1993, Hemingway was thought to have been a 1991 birth, his last registered offspring was born 8/9/09, he completed his last breeding at age 17. At the 1996 show in Estes Park, Colorado and the AOBA National in Denver, Colorado, Hemingway’s progeny were awarded first place in the white weanling classes, both male and female, each up against 25 others in their class. Hemingway's fleece at five years of age was, on average, 17.8 microns, 3.7 standard deviation, 20% coefficient of variation, and 1% of microns over 30. At 16 years, it measured 23.7 microns. The thing I like about the Hemingway line is they all have "tight" fleeces; what I mean by that is their standard deviations and their coefficient of variations are all low, meaning more than usual of the fibers in their fleeces are closer in measurement to the average fiber diameter; and this is something they commonly pass on to their own offspring. In 2005, I went to great lengths to acquire a Hemingway daughter, her sixth fleece, as a breeding, lactating mom measured 22.2 mic / 3.4 sd / 15.3 cv / 1.4 %+30.
Peruvian Bueno G173 retired eighth on the "Prolific Breeders of All Time" list with 267 registered offspring, he was predominately owned by Maple Brook Alpacas of Westfield, MA. Imported in 1993, Bueno was also thought to have been a 1991 birth, his last registered offspring was born 6/30/11, he completed his last breeding at age 19. Bueno was the high seller at the 1994 Spring Celebrity Sale.
1994 PERUVIAN IMPORT: 1994 was the first year Alpacas began to be imported from Estancia Accoyo and notes were added to the importation records as to which one of the Allianza co-op ranches the Alpaca originated: Antacalla, Alianza-Macusani, Huaripina, Warapina, Nunoa, Cconchatanca or Machaccoyo.
Don Julio Barreda, founder and owner of Accoyo who by then, nearing 80 years of age and having bred Alpacas for over 50 years, personally selected the males to be included in the 1994 import. Asked years later why he chose to send some of his best studs to America, Barreda is quoted as replying, "They were my business card, I didn't want anybody to forget Accoyo."
The second Peruvian import was dominated by eight outstanding males, all from Accoyo:
PPeruvian Leon G4560 - ARI# 123056
PPeruvian Camilio G4561 - ARI# 123057
PPeruvian Felix G4562 - ARI# 123058
PPeruvian Victor G4563 - ARI# 123059
PPeruvian Timoteo G4565 - ARI# 123060
PPeruvian Vengador G4568 - ARI# 123063
PPeruvian Pluro G4571 - ARI# 123066
PPeruvian Caligula G4572 - ARI# 123067
Although outstanding, Pluro was sold to a farm outside the U.S. in 1996, so with 59 registered offspring, he was not around long enough to make a large enough impression to make the list.
PPeruvian Caligula G4572 only has 205 registered offspring, but with an estimated birth date in 1988, he was already in his sixth year when imported in 1994, if he were younger he would have certainly had many more registered offspring. Caligula was owned for most of his career by Greg Mecklem of Pacific Crest Alpacas (Hillsboro, OR) and Mary Goodman of Mary’s Alpacas (The Plains, Virginia, near Wash D.C.). Thought of by Don Julio as one of the best three sires to have left Accoyo. Caligula's offspring have won 12 get of sire competitions, two of those at AOBA National shows. Once he placed 2nd in the get of sire class at the Nationals, losing only to his son Accoyo’s El Nino first place win. His sons and daughters have won 17 championships at the largest shows in the U.S., not counting the breeder’s best awards. Today Caligula’s offspring are working in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and England.
With 344, PPeruvian Felix G4562 has the fourth most registered offspring in the ARI database. Depending on where you look, Felix is listed as either a light or medium fawn. Either way he was the darkest sire to be imported from Accoyo in 1994 so many attempts were made to get dark offspring out of him. In 2000 all that effort paid off when he sired a true black female that would go on to sell for $100,000 at the 2006 AOBA Auction. In addition to passing color, Felix was well known for improving density and producing offspring with correct conformation and stature. He was predominately owned by Mike Harnett of Heart’s Desire Farm. It is thought that Felix was born in 1992 and his last registered offspring was born 12/3/2007 so he was still breeding into his 15th year.
PPeruvian Vengador G4568 was thought to have been a 1991 birth and he passed away 5/14/2009, with his last registered offspring having been born 6/12/2009; he was still impregnating females up until 10 months before his death in his 18th year. It is said Don Julio Barreda's most favorite herdsire at Accoyo is Shere Khan, Don Julio Barreda himself directed numerous reworks of the painting of Shere Khan (shown in the picts), and Accoyo Vengador is said to be a son of Shere Khan.
Accoyo Victor has a very respectable 238 registered offspring and a number twelve finish on the "prolific breeders" list while PPeruvian Timoteo G4565 only has 78 registered offspring. However, Timoteo tragically passed in his 9th year due to injuries he sustained when his farm was hit by a tornado, had this natural disaster not occurred, Timoteo certainly would have had many additional registered offspring. Due to what I've read and heard of Don Julio Barreda's own memoirs, I believe Don Julio himself thought very highly of Timoteo (pictured with Don Julio himself) and referred to him as one of the best three sires to ever leave Accoyo. Timoteo was owned by Double Play Alpacas of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
1995 PERUVIAN IMPORT: If you are new to Alpacas, you may be wondering who is this Don Julio of Accoyo and was his stock really all that good? Don Julio began his rigorous genetic selection process in 1946 and proof of his efforts was demonstrated when the Alpacas were shorn prior to entering quarantine for the 1995 Peruvian Alpaca Import Sale. Of the 462 huacayas, 92 were from Accoyo. The Accoyo fleeces averaged 8.61 pounds, the other fleeces from six other farms averaged 6.31 pounds; a difference of 2.3 pounds, or 36% per Alpaca. The fleece of the Accoyo huacayas averaged 22.13 microns and some had micron counts as low as 17. The average standard deviation was 4.82 microns and the co-efficient of variation averaged was 22.91%. The others in the import had about the same fineness with a higher standard deviation, however the average Accoyo animal sampled was 18 months older than the other imports.
The third Peruvian import in 1995 produced seven very respectable herdsires, all from Accoyo:
PPPeruvian El Moustachio 6003 - ARI# 139276
PPPeruvian Don Juan 6005 - ARI# 139278
PPPeruvian Mr President 6006 - ARI# 139279
PPPeruvian Augusto 6009 - ARI# 139282
PPPeruvian Royal Fawn 6014 - ARI# 139287
PPPeruvian Dracula 6016 - ARI# 139289
PPPeruvian Grand Master 6019 - ARI# 139292
In Peru, Augusto's registered name was "Kansas, son of Killahuasi", one of the best studs to serve at Majada de Selectas which features Alpacas characterized by their fine wool. In a letter from Don Julio Barreda in 1995 he writes, "I am positive that whoever buys Kansas will be satisfied". In 1995, PPPeruvian Augusto 6009 was imported to the U.S.; in his importation record he received a score of 9 points out of 10, with two pluses each listed for uniformity, density and head. In 2000 he was sold at the Breeder's Choice Auction for a then record price of $226,000 to Five Star Alpacas of LaPorte, IN.
With 456* registered offspring Royal Fawn takes the top spot on the most "Prolific Breeders of All Time" list and therefore a spot on this list, the top dozen Peruvian imported huacaya Alpaca herdsires. Royal Fawn's 1995 import record gives him 8.5 points out of 10, with two pluses for both uniformity and leg and an outstanding three pluses listed for head. (* Please note these are legitimate male-female contact breedings. If you happen to be more familiar with cattle or horses for example, 456 offspring may not be all that impressive as many breedings completed by artificial means can result in thousands of offspring. However, artificial insemination is not an option when it comes to Alpaca females and males for the most part are limited to only one breeding each day, thus making 456 registered offspring an all-the-more of an impressive number.) Royal Fawn was purchased from Camelids of Delaware for a then record price of $600,000 by Barbara and Ernest Kellogg of Double O Good Alpacas (Gainesville, VA) and Mike and Robin Tierney of Maple Brook Alpacas (Westfield, MA).
1996 PERUVIAN IMPORT: The fourth Peruvian import in 1996, the choices are clear:
4Peruvian Pachacuti 6011 - ARI# 166556
4Peruvian Legacy 6016 - ARI# 166559
Mike Safley, owner of Northwest Alpacas, was a large contributing factor to the inclusion of Don Julio Barreda's outstanding Accoyo Alpacas in the 1994 Peruvian import and when Don Julio came to visit America, he stayed at Mike's place in Hillsboro, OR. My point being that Don Julio became a close personal friend of Mike's and in 1996 it is said, Pachacuti was imported from Accoyo, chosen by Don Julio personally as a gift for Mike Safley. So I think we can be quite positive 4Peruvian Pachacuti is a quality herdsire deserving of a spot on this list, the top dozen Peruvian imported huacaya Alpaca herdsires.
In 2005, one-half interest in 4Peruvian Legacy 6016 was purchased by Virginia Alpaca Farm and Breeding Co. of Leesburg, VA for an outstanding $750,000, thus making Legacy's market price $1.5 million and crowning him with the title of most expensive Alpaca herdsire in North America. Legacy was the 2002 Futurity Herdsire of the Year and the Reserve Light Herdsire of the Year in both 2005 and 2007. With 419 registered offspring, Legacy has the second largest number of progeny in the ARI database, only falling behind Royal Fawn with 456.
1997 PERUVIAN IMPORT: In 1997 5Peruvian Chaccu 9063 was imported from Illapujio. It was estimated that he was born in 1992, so at age 5 scoring a histogram micron test on his import record of 19 mic / 4.2 sd / 22 cv / 1.7% +30 is very impressive. Combine that with the fact he was light fawn in color and add a blurb by a very prominent long-time Alpaca breeder saying that Chaccu was one of the most dense Alpacas that she had ever had her hands on, and now you've really got something. Chaccu passed away in January of 2011 with 109 registered offspring, his last being born 5/30/2011, settled at age 18. Truth be told, Chaccu also scores a few extra points by being the only Alpaca herdsire to make the list to NOT have originated from Accoyo or Allianza. Chaccu was owned by Joe and Diane Nelson and Jerry Dunne of Crescent Moon Ranch of Terrebonne, OR. From the Crescent Moon website: "We were blessed to have owned the great Chaccu for a good number of years and he left us with some incredible offspring and memories. His incredible disposition was second only to his superior production and his genetics remain in demand today. Those genetics were rare (even in Peru) and coveted here. Chaccu consistently sponsored offspring with superior density, fineness, brightness and high frequency crimp along with beautiful phenotype."
1998 PERUVIAN IMPORT: In 1998, the sixth and final Peruvian import, 6Peruvian Accoyo Elite 5057 was imported into the United States from Estancia Accoyo. It was estimated that he was born in June 1996 and with his last registered offspring having been born on 9/18/2013 (settled roughly 3 months after his 16th birthday). With 216 registered offspring, why must you ask, should Elite sit higher on the list than Mr. President (218), Victor (238), El Moustachio (253), Matador (256), Titan (261) and even Camilio (264)? The answer is simply his EPDs. Please visit the Alpaca Registry and see for yourself, his numbers are remarkable. For 2013, Elite scored in the top 1% in SIX categories (Average Fiber Diameter (or AFD), Standard Deviation of Average Fiber Diameter (SDAFD), Spin Fineness (SF), Percentage of Fibers greater than 30 microns (%F>30), Standard Deviation of Curvature (SDMC) and Percent Medullated Fibers (%M)). Elite was owned by Joe and Diane Nelson and Jerry Dunne of Crescent Moon Ranch of Terrebonne, OR. From the Crescent Moon website: "With only 16 registered offspring when we purchased him, Elite represents Accoyo genetics barely seen in the US. Displaying a fineness that is newsworthy (18.2 micron at 6 years of age!) his fleece is the brightest we've ever seen."
On August 13, 2012, a male Alpaca was born in Sandpoint, Idaho, they named him Snowmass Loro Piana (ARI# 32606492). His pedigree contains the likes of Hemingway, Don Julio, Drambuie, Caligula, Legacy and Accoyo Elite. At one week less than 9 months of age, Snowmass Loro Piana's histogram micron test returned the finest result I have ever seen in an Alpaca fleece. 10.8 mic / 2.8 sd / 25.5 cv / 0.3% +30.
Nearly 12,000 Alpacas were imported into the United States from Peru in the six years from 1993 through 1998, these are the top twelve, or the top one-tenth of the top one percent.
THE TOP DOZEN PERUVIAN IMPORTED HUACAYA ALPACAS (listed in ascending chronological order of ARI Registry numbers):
1.) Peruvian Hemingway G171 - ARI# 117888 (imported 1993) - Allianza (Cconchatanca)
2.) Peruvian Bueno G173 - ARI# 117889 (imported 1993) - Allianza (unknown)
3.) PPeruvian Felix G4562 - ARI# 123058 (imported 1994) - Estancia Accoyo
4.) PPeruvian Timoteo G4565 - ARI# 123060 (imported 1994) - Estancia Accoyo
5.) PPeruvian Vengador G4568 - ARI# 123063 (imported 1994) - Estancia Accoyo
6.) PPeruvian Caligula G4572 - ARI# 123067 (imported 1994) - Estancia Accoyo
7.) PPPeruvian Augusto 6009 - ARI# 139282 (imported 1995) - Estancia Accoyo
8.) PPPeruvian Royal Fawn 6014 - ARI# 139287 (imported 1995) - Estancia Accoyo
9.) 4Peruvian Pachacuti 6011 - ARI# 166556 (imported 1996) - Estancia Accoyo
10.) 4Peruvian Legacy 6016 - ARI# 166559 (imported 1996) - Estancia Accoyo
11.) 5Peruvian Chaccu 9063 - ARI# 800680 (imported 1997) - Illapujio
12.) 6Peruvian Accoyo Elite 5057 - ARI# 808094 (imported 1998) - Estancia Accoyo
Please Visit Additional Alpine Ranch blog posts:
Superfine Natural FibersThe Making of a Cornerstone Foundation Female, A 12 Year JourneyTop 10 Reasons to Get Started with Alpacas in ColoradoThe Best Natural FiberAlpacas at Alpine Ranch is the home to 30+ huacayas. Breeding quality Alpacas since 2004, we specialize in Foundation Females, Starter Packages & Stud Services for sale. 27 miles S/E of Denver, 32 miles N/E of Colorado Springs, due east of Castle Rock off Hwy 86, located in Elizabeth, Colorado.
(A lot of the information concerning the early importations, Estancia Accoyo and Don Julio Barreda was learned from Mike Safley's Northwest Alpacas website (formerly at alpacas.com) and/or from Mike Safley's three books: "Alpacas - Synthesis of a Miracle", "The Alpaca Shepherd" and "Ideal Alpacas: from Myth to Reality".)