WillowBank Prime Contender

Hi All,

Well after a kick up the rear from an email.....you know who you are!! we have finally managed to find time to update the blog. I really need to put more time aside to keep this updated, it's no excuse but with the commitments of my full time job and longer hours being required from me the blog has been the last thing on our minds. However we are going to try and get back in the flow of blogging and catch up again of whats going on with you all.

No saying that, I have actually had a week off from work this last week and have managed to get so many jobs completed around the farm. Lisa has been a star and has kept the farm running whilst I continue with my other work commitments, it's a good job she is as understanding as she is. We have finally completed fencing off the rest of the land and created more paddocks allowing us to manage the land better and rotate the alpacas onto fresh grass every few weeks, it's so satisfying to finally see the land completely fenced how we originally had planned, a good job done and ticked off.




We have know separated another up and coming stud "WillowBank Prime Contender". WillowBank Prime Contender is sired by Wellground Close Encounter and his dam is Wellground Beyond Compare. We are really excited with the young potential stud, his fleece is perfect in every way he really has taken traits from both parents and is possessing a fleece to die for, you really have to see this fleece to believe it.

We will be getting a sample of fleece sent away and will keep you posted of the results, I will try and get some pictures of his fleece but as we all know getting those pictures to come out is a challenge in it's self.

Talking of fleeces we have just received our bags from the Natural Fibre Company, so we will be sending off our next batch of fleeces for processing and our knitter is keen to get cracking on some fantastic designs we have.

The website is about to undergo some major changes and become a more user friendly and funky site with various extras, so keep an eye out for the news of this when completed.

Well that's all for tonight, but watch this space for more news from the WillowBank Alpaca Crew.

Snow And Jumping Alpacas

Hi All

Well the snow started falling at around 15.00 yesterday and continued well in to the night, I was expecting things to be a lot worse than they were this morning when we woke, even though, we have still had around 5" of snow fall overnight.

Lily was really excited and couldn't wait to get outside and start playing in the snow, we decided to let the alpacas out for a short while so that we could muck out the barns and thought that it would be a fantastic photo opportunity to see some of the alpacas experience snow for the first time.


Here is one of the groups taking advantage of the crisp snow, they were not that bothered to start of with, they were more interested in breakfast.

Then the younger one realised that the grass was a little colder than usual and the wrong colour and that's when the fun began.


The jumping and skipping around was fantastic to watch and I am glad I had the camera with me. I hope you enjoy these pictures as they make us smile when we look at them. All the alpacas are now all took up in the barns to keep warm and Lisa and Lily are outside making a snowman.

So that's all for now, be back soon with more pictures. Keep warm all.

Computer Repaired!

Hi All,

Well it's been such a long time since my last blog which has partly due to having major computer problems, hopefully this is all sorted out now and we are back online.

We hope you all had a lovely Christmas and New Year, a little belated I know but with our computer issues this is our first time in wishing you all the best and a successful 2012.

Wellground Relentless our stud male is due to become a dad this year, so we are really excited to see what his influence has been with the cria's being born this year. Relentless is a true gentleman with the ladies and can't wait to show them a bit of loving. We will keep you posted with the new arrivals when they happen.

The rest of the alpacas are all coming along nicely, we are going to be releasing some of the alpacas for sale this year and we are currently updating our website with these details and will publish these very shortly.

The winds of late have been playing tricks on our minds as we have been convinced that we are going to get blown away in the caravan, although it is very well secured down it has been a little bit scary at times and kind of feels like we are on a small boat during a hurricane storm out at sea.

Well it's great to be back online again and to be able to see what you all have been up to, it's very surprising how much we depend on computers these days, it's only when they are not working that we realise how much they form part of our daily routine.

That's all for now, back soon.

It's Been A Long Time!

Hi All,

Well I can't believe we have not blogged for so long, no excuses we have just been so busy with another part of our business. We are not complaining, it just took us a bit by surprise the interest it created and the work it brought along, all good though.

Our alpacas are all doing really well and this years cria's are growing up just perfectly. The grass is still just about growing here with this mild weather we have been spoilt with, although we have been bringing the alpacas in overnight now for the last few weeks, we can't help it as we can sit looking out of the window directly onto the alpacas in the barn, it's just fantastic.

We have a local craft fair that we are attending in December so our knitter is working her fingers to the bone and my workshop is buzzing with crafts that have been made ready for the Christmas craft fair. We are currently in the process of update our website with an online shop that we are hoping to go live with soon, so watch the space for announcements of that but in the meantime here is a couple of pictures of the woodworking I have been creating, sorry we don't have any pictures of our garments, I forgot to take the pictures and now that we have sold out of everything I will have to take some when they are next available and before they get posted off again......this being in demand caper is just great.

If anyone has any questions about our craft's then please feel free to contact us. We can create almost anything from a picture, so if you have that favourite picture that you would like re-creating in wood then give us a call to discuss your requirements. WillowBank Alpacas & Crafts 01455 888646 or 07912 579041 if we do not answer please leave us a message and we will return your call as soon as we can.

Well that's all for tonight, be back soon.

Another Full Australian Birth

Hi All,

Well the weekend brought us a new cria from another one of our Australian girls. Wellground Cyan was really making us wait for this cria, she decided to hang on for another 3 weeks past her due date before letting her secret out. Saturday morning at 07.30 Wellgroung Cyan gave birth to a beautiful Solid Light Fawn Female that we have called WillowBank Adelaide.

WillowBank Adelaide has some cracking genetics in her pedigree, her sire Eringa Park Lionheart ET has certainly put his stamp on this geurgoeus cria, WillowBank Adelaide is also made up from the likes of, Cambridge Buckingham, Jolimont Commisario, NWA Ltd Ruffo, Eringa Park Show Time, Jolimont Gianmarco, Jolimont Sculptor, EP Cambridge Peruvian Spartacus to name but a few, so we are very excited about WillowBank Adelaide.

Well that's all for this morning, we have lots to be getting on with around the farm so must crack on, back soon with hopefully more news of some more births.

Bye To Wellground Close Encounter

Hi Folks,

Well not allot has been happening since my last blog. We are still waiting for our next cria's to be born and after an earlier influx's of cria's things have slowed down. Cyan one of our Australians is no coming up to 3 weeks ever her due date, which is frustrating as we are very keen to see what she gives us, I'm sure she will have her cria when she is ready, we will just have to be patient.......

We are really desperate for rain and as we can't remember the last time we actually had a decent amount, the weather men/woman forecast heavy rain over the last couple of days but we had a quick shower and that was that.

Our fleeces have gone down south ready for the GWR Show and we are keeping our fingers crossed for this years show to see how we get on.

I returned Wellground Close Encounter to Rob and Les at Wellground Alpacas the other Sunday which was a pleasure. Wellground Close Encounter had been with us for a mating and he worked his magic like a true professional. Wellground Close Encounter sure is an outstanding stud and certainly puts his stamp on his offspring. Rob and Les looked after me with their kind hospitality as always, even if Les took the mickey out of me for having a thick moment with loading the truck full of things, rather than the ease of putting it in the now empty trailer......I blame that on being dumb struck by the quality of their up and coming cria's, Thanks Rob and Les.

I will get out this weekend and get some pictures of the alpacas, they are looking really well and the cria's are growing fast, oh we also have two new mouse catchers to introduce to you, so I will be back soon.

More Births And Pictures

Hi All

Well I was going to blog last night as I had previously mentioned in my last blog one thing led to another and before I knew it, it was time for bed. So without delay here is the blog that we are trying to catch up on.

So here we have WillowBank Unknown!

WillowBank Unknown is not it's real name if you hadn't already guessed it, we are undecided what to call this fella so unknown is his nickname. I'm not going to go to much into the genetics tonight as I gave you your fill of genetics in the last blog, so pictures today and more genetics another day.

Next up WillowBank Scooby a Light Fawn Male

WillowBank Scooby has a fantastic presence in the herd already, he is not camera shy either as he stands here proud as punch watching for the birdie on the camera.

Following on we had another birth yesterday of another female cria, unfortunately we have not got any pictures of her yet so her picture will come soon, so for now a quick look back over the last few weeks and pictures of the cria's born.

Well that's all for tonight back again soon.