Judge Cathy Merkley Biography - International Alpaca Odyssey

Cathy Merkley is a full partner in T'n'C Farms along with Trudy McCall, based near Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, Canada. They purchased three huacaya alpacas in 1996 and their herd now numbers over 40 huacayas and 6 suris.

Cathy attended the International Alpaca Judging School in the Altiplano of Peru in 2000 and has been certified as a halter and fleece judge for both huacaya and suri alpacas through that system. Since then, she has added certification for judging under AOBA show division. Cathy has judged across Canada, in the United States and in Germany. She is also certified as a sorter and classer of Camelid fibre through the Natural Fibre Centre at Olds College in Alberta and does custom classing both on-farm and at the Co-op collection depot. She is a sorter, classer, knitter, felter and hand spinner and loves nothing better than a day spent with her hands in alpaca fibre.

Cathy is lucky enough to be a full time alpaca breeder and all that that involves including judging and speaking and those hours of volunteering. She is currently an organizer of the Alpaca Showcase in Lloydminster, on Alpaca Canada's Communications Committee and is the Co-op Education Co-ordinator and has previously served on several committees and boards. She and Trudy are very involved in the Canadian National Alpaca Sale and Futurity held in Red Deer, AB every April.

Cathy is a firm believer in the alpaca industry and in its untapped and unlimited potential.