IAO Show Rules

 

Click here to download the 2012 IAO Show Rules.

 

Preamble:

The International Alpaca Odyssey show was originally created to bring the International Show Rules to North American Alpaca breeders in an active setting. The founding members of the IAO committee believed that the International Show Rules needed to be utilized in such a way that the North American Alpaca Industry could see and experience those rules first hand and then adopt those facets of the International Rules that made sense for our industry moving forward. At the heart of the IAO managing committee’s motivation was to be an idea house and proving ground for new innovative show rules that could possibly benefit the North American Alpaca Industry as a whole. Moving forward, now that a majority of the facets of the International Rules have been adopted into the North American Alpaca Judging Systems, the IAO managing committee will continue to showcase new innovative Alpaca Judging Rules for the North American Industry to experience first hand.

As an industry we acknowledge that while it is important for continued improvement in our national herd in pursuit of a commercial fiber market, there needs to be equal recognition for the alpaca that is serving the existing small processor market today and into the future. The basis for these rules is the idea that the current North American Alpaca herd can be seen as two sectors. One sector is focused on breeding goals whose outcome is the best possible alpaca for large-scale fleece production to a commercial mill. The other sector is focused on our current cottage industry model where it is the value of today’s fleece to the cottage industry processor [hand spinner to the mini-mill].

There exist in the world alpaca industry a number of quality breed standards. Each year the show will choose a set of established breed standards to judge to. The choice of breed standard will be published with the exhibitor entry forms. Ranking of traits in the IAO rules will supercede any rankings listed in the breed standards.

Commercial [Large Processor]: The Commercial Show Division is focused on those attributes of the sound alpaca, which will be of benefit to a future commercial grower supplying alpaca fiber to a North American commercial mill industry. This division shall be judged on fleece traits valued in commercial fleece processing with emphasis on fineness and uniformity. Fineness is important because the most elite products are made from the finest fleece and thus command the highest $ per kilo. Uniformity, for the North American herd is paramount, to reduce the cost of sorting the fleece as North American labor costs are higher. Conformational structure will remain a significant emphasis, as the fiber producer cannot afford ill health and ill thrift in a commercial herd. The color divisions within this judging system are based on the projected color groups that commercial fleeces will be sorted into.

Cottage [Small Processor]: The Small Processor Division is focused on those attributes of a sound alpaca whose fleece will be valued in our Cottage/Craft Market, as it exists today. This division shall be judged on fleece characteristics that are valued by hand spinners, hand processors and small scale mill operators, with no judgment on uniformity of color. Emphasis is placed on fine fleeces with excellent handle, absence of guard hair, and uniformity of micron, length and style. Since all colors are valued equally in the Small Processor marketplace, the color divisions will not be yarn based but base fleece coat color, with smaller lots being processed they will produce one of a kind end products which will promote higher revenues.

Rules for the Commercial [Large Processor] Division:

HALTER SHOW Commercial

JUDGING Halter Show Commercial

  • Multiple judge panel
  • Consensus judging
  • All Judges will be accredited in a nationally recognized judging system And chosen for the best judging skills and highest ethical standards

Fiber Attributes

The fiber attributes are ranked as follows:

Huacaya

  • Fineness
  • Uniformity/Consistency of micron
  • Primary to Secondary Ratio (no halo)
  • Density
  • Uniformity of Crimp (Huacaya)
  • Brightness
  • Uniformity/Consistency of color
  • Uniformity of staple length

Suri

  • Luster
  • Uniformity/Consistency of micron
  • Primary to Secondary Ratio
  • Fineness
  • Uniformity/Consistency of color
  • Uniformity of Lock Style (Suri)
  • Density
  • Uniformity of staple length

CLASS FORMATION Halter Show Commercial

All classes shall be organized by Color GROUP, Breed, Gender and then Age.
* The Mitchell Color Chart is used for color checking.

Color Groups

  • Bright White Bale
    • Bright White - Fleece color: Bright White 100(B)
  • Cremello Bale
    • Cremello - Fleece colors: White 100(B), Solid Beige 101(BMC), 102(BMN), & all shades lighter than 201
  • Fawn Bale
    • Light Fawn - (any fleece that is colored on the top line, but white mid-side is classed as Cremello) – Fleece colors 201(LFX), 202(LF2) all colors lighter than 203.
    • Medium Fawn - Fleece color 203(LFY) and shades lighter than 204.
    • Dark Fawn - Fleece colors 204(LF4), 205(LFZ) and shades lighter than 209.
  • Brown Bale
    • Light Brown - Fleece colors 209(GCC) and shades lighter than 301
    • Medium Brown - Fleece colors 301(CC) and 302(COM) and shades lighter than 410.
  • Dark Bale
    • Dark Brown - Fleece colors 410(G) and shades lighter than 350.
    • Bay Black - Fleece colors 350(COM/N) and 360(CON) and all shades not true black.
  • Black Bale
    • True Black - Fleece color: True Black 500(N)& 501(NM)
  • Grey Bale
    • Fawn Grey – Fleece colors 207 267 206.
    • Rose Grey – Fleece colors 408 326 306 700 489 211 208.
    • Silver Grey – Fleece colors 401 402 403 510 404 409.

*Any alpaca who is deemed to be not solid colored may move to the Cottage division OR may remain in the Commercial division with the knowledge that the alpaca will be disadvantaged, at the judge’s discretion. The entire alpaca is evaluated for consistency of color, the exception is GREY, any alpaca who is in the GREY BALE color class may or may not have white markings on the extremities.

Compliance checking will be at the discretion of the exhibitor. Color checking shall conform to the Mitchell color chart except for Bright White. There will be trained compliance checkers available for use at exhibitor request. Exhibitor is solely responsible for exhibiting their alpaca in the correct class AND the correct Show Division. Any alpaca in the incorrect color class will be disadvantaged, at the judge’s discretion. Any alpaca not meeting the fleece minimums or over the fleece maximums will be disadvantaged, at the judge’s discretion.

BREED

  • Huacaya
  • Suri

GENDER

  • Male
  • Female

AGE

  • Weanling: Age 6.5 mo to 13 mo
  • Yearling: Age 14 mo to 24 mo
  • Prime: Age 24 mo to 36
  • Mature: Age 36 + (females must have registered offspring)

Suri Fleece Length

  • Suri only: Yearling, Prime & Mature only: Previously shorn suris shall show in a suri commercial processing length class – alpaca must have been shorn within 380 days of first day of show. Never shorn or shorn more than 380 days of the first day of the show suris shall show in a long style class.

 

HALTER CLASS RULES Commercial

  • Classes will be organized by Fleece Color.
  • Classes may be combined within a COLOR BALE when there are less than 5 entries in a Fleece Color.
  • Championships will be organized by Color Bale.
  • Class sizes will be a maximum of 20; When class size exceeds the maximum 20 it shall be split equally by birth-date – oldest to youngest.
  • Classes of 15 or more shall be awarded ribbons to 8th place, less than 15 shall be awarded ribbons to 6th place.
  • Alpacas may be judged 70% fleece & 30% conformation or judged 60% fleece & 40% conformation.
  • All classes are full fleece and must have a min of 2.5 ” of staple length

Color Championships

  • One Championship class per Breed, Gender, Color Bale.
  • Championship awards shall state Commercial Color Champion and Commercial Reserve Color Champion.
  • Minimum number to award color championship in a Color Bale shall be 20 Huacayas or 12 Suris per Color Bale/Gender.
  • All first and second place alpacas in their respective breed, gender and Color Bale shall reenter the ring to compete for the color championship

Suri Commercial Processing Length Champion

  • One Championship per Gender.
  • All first and second place alpacas in their respective gender from the Commercial Processing Length classes shall reenter the ring to compete for the Commercial Processing Length Championship. Championship awards shall state Suri Commercial Processing Length Champion and Suri Commercial Processing Length Reserve Champion

Supreme Champion

All entries that place Color Champion or Suri Commercial Length Champion shall be eligible for the Supreme Champion award. In the case where a championship was not awarded in a color bale group, all first place winners in that color bale group may compete. One Award per Gender/Breed. .

Production Classes

  • Get of Sire: 3 progeny from at least 2 different dams. One group per sire. Class will be divided by Light and Dark (color of herdsire based on registration certificate) Where Light is Bright White/Cremello/Fawn and Dark is Brown/Dark/Black/Grey. Progeny must be entered in their respective Commercial halter classes
  • Produce of Dam: 2 progeny. Progeny must be entered in their respective Commercial halter classes
  • Breeders Production Best: 4 entries – most consistent in all attributes, conformation & fleece. Any sire, any dam. Progeny must be entered in their respective Commercial halter classes.

FLEECE SHOW Commercial

JUDGING Fleece Show Commercial

  • 1 judge panel
  • Judge will be accredited in a nationally recognized judging system. And chosen for the best judging skills and highest ethical standards

The fiber scorecard is as follows:

Huacaya

  • Fineness 15
  • Uniformity/Consistency of micron 15
  • Primary to Secondary Ratio (no halo) 15
  • Fleece Weight 15
  • Uniformity of Crimp 10
  • Brightness 10
  • Uniformity/Consistency of color 10
  • Uniformity/Consistency of staple length 5
  • Impurites, stain and tip damage 5

Suri

  • Luster 15
  • Uniformity/Consistency of micron 15
  • Primary to Secondary Ratio 15
  • Fineness 15
  • Uniformity/Consistency of color 10
  • Uniformity of Lock Style 10
  • Fleece Weight 10
  • Uniformity of staple length 5
  • Impurites, stain and tip damage 5

CLASS FORMATION Fleece Show Commercial

All classes shall be organized by Color GROUP, Breed and then Age. ** Gender is not considered in the fleece classes.

Color Groups

  • Bright White Bale
    • Bright White - Fleece color: Bright White
  • Cremello Bale
    • Cremello -Fleece colors: White 100(B), Solid Beige 101(BMC), 102(BMN), & all shades lighter than 201
  • Fawn Bale
    • Light Fawn - (any fleece that is colored on the top line, but white mid-side is classed as Cremello) – Fleece colors 201(LFX), 202(LF2) all colors lighter than 203.
    • Medium Fawn -Fleece color 203(LFY) and shades lighter than 204.
    • Dark Fawn - Fleece colors 204(LF4), 205(LFZ) and shades lighter than 209..
  • Brown Bale
    • Light Brown - Fleece colors 209 and shades lighter than 301.
    • Medium Brown - Fleece colors 301 and 302 and shades lighter than 410.
  • Dark Bale
    • Dark Brown - Fleece colors 410 and 302 and shades lighter than 350.
    • Bay Black - Fleece colors 350 and 360 and all shades not true black.
  • Black Bale
    • True Black - Fleece color: True Black 501.
  • Grey Bale
    • Fawn Grey – Fleece colors 20,7 267, 206.
    • Rose Grey – Fleece colors 408, 326, 306, 700, 489, 211, 208.
    • Silver Grey – Fleece colors 40,1 402, 403, 510, 404, 409.

Breed

  • Huacaya
  • Suri

Age

  • Weanling: Age 6 mo to 12 mo
  • Yearling: Age 12 mo to 24 mo
  • Prime: Age 24 mo to 36 mo
  • Mature: Age 36 mo +

FLEECE CLASS RULES Commercial

  • No Maximum class size for Commercial Fleece Show.
  • Classes will be organized by Fleece Color.
  • Classes may be combined within a Fleece Color Bale.
  • Championships will be organized by Fleece Color Bale.
  • In order for a fleece to achieve a first place award in a class the judge must award a MINIMUM score of 60 points. If no fleece in a class accumulates the minimum of 60 points, the class shall begin with a second place award.
  • The exhibitor shall be solely responsible for claiming their fleeces at the end of the show.
  • Fleece must be from the most recent shearing of the alpaca.
  • Fleeces with less than 2.5 inches staple length shall be disqualified.
  • Fleeces older than 14 months since shorn shall be disqualified.
  • Maximum fleece length:
    Weanling Class: There is no maximum staple length for this age category.
    ALL OTHER AGE CATEGORIES - maximum of 6.5 inches Any fleece that exceeds maximum staple length will be disqualified.

Color Championships

  • No minimum number competing in order to be awarded color or reserve champion.
  • One Championship class per Breed, Color Bale. These fleeces will have to have achieved the minimum score of 65 to compete for color champion.
  • All first and second place alpacas in their respective breed and color bale shall compete for the color championship highest score wins.
  • Championship awards shall state Commercial Color Fleece Champion and Commercial Reserve Color Fleece Champion.

Longevity of Fineness Champion

  • One Champion per Gender/Breed
  • All 1st and 2nd placing fleeces in the Senior Classes will compete. Highest fineness score wins Champion, next highest is Reserve Champion. Award will state Commercial Longevity of Fineness Champion and Commercial Longevity of Fineness Reserve Champion. Ties will be broken by age, oldest entry will win.

Supreme Champion

All entries that place Champion shall be eligible for the Supreme Champion award. One award per Breed. These fleeces will have to have achieved the minimum score of 70 to compete for supreme. There must have been 30 fleeces competing in Huacaya and 20 fleeces in Suri to award a Supreme.

PRODUCTION FLEECE CLASSES Commercial

Fleece must have shown in the commercial division fleece show.

  • Get of Sire: 3 individual progeny from at least 2 different dams. One group per sire.

    • Get of Sire Score Card
    Average of the 3 progeny scores for:
    • Fineness
    • Uniformity/Consistency of micron
    • Uniformity/Consistency of color
    • Uniformity/Consistency of staple length
    • Primary to Secondary Ratio (Huacaya/Suri)
    • Brightness(Huacaya)/Luster(Suri)
    • Fleece Weight
    • Consistency of Character(Huacaya)/Style(Suri) across 3 Progeny 15 points
  • Produce of Dam: 2 individual progeny from different sires. One group per dam.
    Same score card as Get of Sire, with the avg of the 2 progeny.
  • Most Uniform Breeding Program: 4 entries. For each of the 4 entries, total the Fineness, and the 3 Uniformity Scores. Then average the totals from the 4 entries. Highest average total score wins. Ties broken in Fleece Attribute order.

Small Processor[Cottage]

HALTER SHOW Cottage

JUDGING Halter Show Cottage

  • 1 or 2 judge panel
  • Judges can be accredited in a nationally recognized judging system OR a recognized expert in the Alpaca Textile Industry. And, chosen for the best judging skills and highest ethical standards.

The Fiber Attributes

The fiber attributes are ranked as follows:

Huacaya

  • Uniformity/Consistency of micron
  • Uniformity of staple length
  • Fineness
  • Primary to Secondary Ratio (no halo)
  • Brightness
  • Uniform crimp expression within its style
  • Density

Suri

  • Luster
  • Uniformity/Consistency of micron
  • Uniformity staple length
  • Fineness
  • Primary to Secondary Ratio
  • Uniform lock expression within its style
  • Density

All classes shall be organized Color Groups, Breed, Gender and then Age.

Color Groups

  • Light: hue of the overall blanket fleece is light colored, or white based (based on a mid-side fleece view where the sample is beige or lighter on the ARI color chart)
  • Medium: hue of the overall blanket fleece is medium colored or fawn based (based on a mid-side fleece view where the sample is light brown or lighter, light fawn or darker on the ARI color chart)
  • Dark: hue of the overall blanket fleece is dark colored or brown/black based (based on a mid-side fleece view where the sample is black or lighter, medium brown or darker on the ARI color chart)
  • Grey/Variegated: hue of the overall blanket is grey (matches any of the ARI color chart grey colors) – or a mix of colors that does not match a single color on the ARI color chart

Compliance checking will be at the discretion of the exhibitor. There will be trained compliance checkers available for use at exhibitor request. Exhibitor is solely responsible for exhibiting their alpaca in the correct class AND Show Division. Any alpaca in the incorrect color class will be disadvantaged, at the judge’s discretion. Any alpaca not meeting the fleece minimum rules will be disadvantaged, at the judge’s discretion.

Breed

  • Huacaya
  • Suri

Gender

  • Male
  • Female

AGE

  • Weanling: Age 6.5 mo to 13 mo
  • Yearling: Age 14 mo to 24 mo
  • Prime: Age 24 mo to 36
  • Mature: Age 36 + (females must have registered offspring)

Suri Fleece Length

  • Suri only: Yearling, Prime & Mature only: Previously shorn suris shall show in a suri processing length class – alpaca must have been shorn within 380 days of first day of show. Never shorn or shorn more than 380 days of the first day of the show, shall show in a long style class

 

HALTER CLASS RULES Cottage

  • Class sizes will be a maximum of 16; when class size exceeds the maximum 16 it shall be split equally by birth-date – oldest to youngest. Gender may be combined to meet a minimum for Color Championship
  • Ribbons shall be awarded to 6th place.
  • Alpacas will be judged 60% fleece & 40% conformation.
  • All classes are full fleece and must have a min of 2.5 ” of staple length

Color Championships

  • Minimum of 5 to award color championships.
  • One championship class per Breed, Gender, Color Group.
  • All first and second place alpacas in their respective breed, gender and color group shall reenter the ring to compete for the championship
  • Championship awards shall state Small Processor Color Champion and Small Processor Reserve Color Champion.

Suri Processing Length Champion

  • One Championship per Gender.
  • All first and second place alpacas in their respective gender from Suri Processing Length classes shall reenter the ring to compete for the Suri Processing Length Champion.
  • Championship awards shall state Cottage Suri Processing Length Champion and Cottage Suri Processing Length Reserve Champion.

Spinners Dream, Breed

  • All entries, regardless of Gender, that place, as Champion shall compete for Spinners Dream.
  • Judge may choose from among all the color champions in breed.

Display Halter Classes

These classes are for display only and as such are not held under a particular division, any alpaca entered in either the Commercial Division or the Cottage Division may compete in these classes.

Best Head: One award per Breed/Gender.

FLEECE SHOW Cottage

JUDGING Fleece Show Cottage

  • 1 judge panel
  • Judge can be accredited in a nationally recognized judging system OR a recognized expert in the Alpaca Textile Industry. And, chosen for the best judging skills and highest ethical standards

The fiber scorecard is as follows: A 1 oz portion of the fleece will be spun beforehand and scored.

Huacaya

  • Uniformity/Consistency of micron 15
  • Fineness 15
  • Uniformity of staple length 10
  • Primary to Secondary Ratio(no halo) 15
  • Brightness(Huacaya) 10
  • Fleece Weight 5
  • Uniform crimp expression within its style 5
  • *Spinning Score 25

Huacaya Spinning Score Card 25

  • Ease of Preparation: (5)
    • Cleanliness
    • Lack of second cuts
    • Lack of guard hair
  • Ease of Spinning (10)
    • Fineness
    • Handle
    • Uniformity of staple length
  • Hand feel, softness & appearance of resulting yarn (10)
    • Handle
    • Brightness
    • Uniformity/Consistency of micron

Suri

  • Luster 20
  • Uniformity/Consistency of micron 15
  • Uniformity of staple length 10
  • Fineness 10
  • Primary to Secondary Ratio 10
  • Uniform lock expression within its style 5
  • Fleece Weight 5
  • Spinning Score 25

Suri Spinning Score Card 25

  • Ease of Preparation: (5)
    • Cleanliness
    • Lack of second cuts
    • Lack of guard hair
  • Ease of Spinning (10)
    • Fineness
    • Handle
    • Uniformity of staple length
  • Hand feel, softness & appearance of resulting yarn (10)
    • Handle
    • Brightness
    • Uniformity/Consistency of micron

CLASS FORMATION Fleece Show Cottage

All classes shall be organized by Color Groups, Breed and then Age. ** Gender is not considered in the fleece classes.

Color Groups

  • Light: hue of the overall blanket fleece is light colored, or white based (based on a mid-side fleece view where the sample is beige or lighter on the ARI color chart)
  • Medium: hue of the overall blanket fleece is medium colored or fawn based (based on a mid-side fleece view where the sample is light brown or lighter, light fawn or darker on the ARI color chart)
  • Dark: hue of the overall blanket fleece is dark colored or brown/black based (based on a mid-side fleece view where the sample is black or lighter, medium brown or darker on the ARI color chart)
  • Grey/Variegated: hue of the overall blanket is grey (matches any of the ARI color chart grey colors) – or a mix of colors that does not match a single color on the ARI color chart.

Breed

  • Huacaya
  • Suri

Age

  • Weanling: Age 6 mo to 12 mo
  • Yearling: Age 12 mo to 24 mo
  • Prime: Age 24 mo to 36 mo
  • Mature: Age 36 mo +

FLEECE CLASS RULES Cottage

  • Fleeces with less than 2.5 inches staple length shall be disqualified.
  • Fleeces older than 14 months since shorn shall be disqualified.
  • Maximum fleece length: - No Maximum
  • Class sizes will be a maximum of 16; when class size exceeds the maximum 16 it shall be split equally by birth-date – oldest to youngest.
  • In order for a fleece to achieve a first place award in a class the judge must award a MINIMUM score of 60 points. If no fleece in a class accumulates the minimum of 60 points, the class shall begin with a second place award.
  • Ribbons shall be awarded to 6th place.

Color Championships

  • No minimum to award color championships.
  • One championship class per Breed, Color Bale
  • Color champion minimum score 65
  • All first and second place alpacas in their respective breed, gender and color group shall compete for the championship – highest score wins.
  • Championship awards shall state Cottage Fleece Color Champion and Cottage Fleece Reserve Color Champion.

Fleece ~ Spinners Dream Breed

  • All entries that place Color Champion shall be eligible for the Cottage Fleece ~ Spinners Dream Breed award. One award per Breed. These fleeces will have to have achieved the minimum score of 70 to compete. Judge may choose from among all the color champions in breed.