Publisher's Page

From the Editor -Auctions and Opportunities

Live auctions are a good place for farms to not only buy or sell alpacas, but market their animals and their farms as well. You can and should take advantage of the event to “show and tell.”Competition has dictated that auction givers become more and more innovative, and besides the usual pre-auction review of animals, refreshments, meals, and entertainment that are usually offered, venues have become bigger and more elaborate, and the auction becomes a three day event – quite necessary in many cases, to accommodate people who have driven and flown from all over the country to attend the event. Many auctions now include shows, vendors, herd sire breeding auctions, seminars and more! Many give some of the proceeds, or the entire proceeds from a specially chosen lot, to worthy charities.

Some auctions are restricted to animals owned by the host, while many will accept consignments. Terms and conditions vary, but, if you have never consigned an animal to auction, look at the many opportunities available, and consider this option for showing off and selling (yes!) some of your better animals. This is a place to let folks know you will part with quality animals, and should not be used as a “dumping ground.” Savvy auction givers will do their best to weed out animals not of good quality. But there is more to making the most of the opportunity than picking out an animal you are proud to offer, andletting things take their course. Auction givers provide pre-auction publicity, in the form of printed and online catalogs.

You will be asked to provide photos and descriptions of your alpaca. Send in the absolute BEST photos you can. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words. Don’t send a six-month cria photo when selling your 18 month old animal! If you don’t already have a stunning photo of your alpacas - make the effort and go take one! If you are selling a show-placing alpaca, hopefully you will have had a picture taken at a show. If you haven’t shown the animal, you can take an attention-getting photo yourself. Most people have digital cameras capable of taking very nice photos - just make sure your camera is set for high resolution photos. If your budget allows, consider hiring a professional photographer to take photos of a number of your animals. You will then have an arsenal of great photos for future advertising. You may also be able to place an ad in the auction catalog. Plan ahead so you are not scrambling at the last minute for good pictures or an ad layout. For your shoot, make sure your animal is cleaned of hay and other debris. Set up the shot in an area that will show an attractive background, or at least one that does not include other alpacas, vehicles, or distractions. Also, as you might stand around all day waiting for your subject to strike the perfect pose, put a nice halter and lead on your alpaca, and encourage him to “show off.” You could have someone out of camera range helping to encourage an alert presence.

Write a unique description, include important show wins, impressive bloodlines and offspring. If you are the person handling the alpaca at the auction - dress nicely! And, make sure your alpaca looks its best, both upon arrival at the site, and when it is ready to be led on stage. Details count!

Lori J. Pheil, publisher

Fall 2006