Why Should I Attend An Auction?

Some people hear the word ‘auction’ and think, ‘I can’t afford to go, auctions are for the rich—like art auctions’.  Some people hear the word ‘auction’ and think, ‘I will never go to an auction because they are cheap and it is where people dump what they don’t want anymore—like liquidation auctions’.

Both these statements under certain circumstances can be true, but alpaca auctions are entirely different.  An alpaca auction is where you find quality animals brought forward from farms that want to showcase their breeding programs.  It is the ideal location for every rookie and veteran owner,  as well as those who say “we are thinking about owning alpacas”.  Alpaca auctions bring many animals together under one roof for you to evaluate, study, ask the owner questions, review genetics and compare.

One of the biggest mistakes you can make as an alpaca owner is to not attend auctions.  It is at auctions that you will have a fantastic opportunity to study confirmation and get your hands on the fleece of more animals than you can find on most farms.  The animals are all lined up in their stall and waiting for you to evaluate them.  It is at auctions that you will begin to learn more about confirmation, fleece characteristics and get a pulse on the alpaca industry like nowhere else.  Shows are wonderful, but busy places.  Most breeders find themselves packing up after a long weekend at a show and realizing they never found the time to talk to a particular farm they had intended to speak with.  It is a great place to show, but not always the best place to network, to gain knowledge and to get an opportunity to find the perfect alpaca to fit your breeding program.     

If you see alpaca ownership in your future then you can’t afford to miss an auction—great deals can be found at auctions and farm recognition can be discovered immediately. 

Attending the Alpaca Breeders’ Cup Auction will be well worth your time, but don’t forget to register!  

Photo by: Josh Wuerfel

Photo by: Josh  Wuerfel

Photo by: Tonya Wuerfel