LEXINGTON, Ky., March 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — The Kentucky Alpaca Association (KAA) is pleased to announce the 13th Annual Kentucky Classic Alpaca Show held April 13-14 at the Fasig-Tipton Auction Complex located at 2400 Newtown Pike in Lexington.
The show is open to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 13 and Sunday, April 14 from 8:30 a.m. until the completion of show classes mid-afternoon. The public and press are invited to attend the show, which is free to everyone. This is a great event for the whole family to attend, with something for everyone to enjoy and learn.
Hundreds of beautiful alpacas will be judged in competitions that determine the finest overall fleece and physical conformation.
A fiber festival will be a part of this year's show with felting and weaving classes and a fiber arts competition. The public is encouraged to participate. For more information about class offerings and the competition, including dates, times, and registration information, visit kentuckyclassicalpacashow.com. Free demonstrations include fleece skirting, fiber washing, fiber dyeing, needle felting, and carding art batts.
A "cousin" to the llama and a member of the camelid species, alpacas are native to the Andes Mountains of Peru, Chile, and Bolivia. There are two types of alpacas. Huacayas have a teddy bear appearance and are fluffy with fine, crimpy fiber. Suris are known for their fine, long, lustrous locks.
Alpacas produce one of the world's finest and most luxurious fibers, which comes in 22 natural colors and is as soft as cashmere and warmer, lighter, and stronger than wool. They are "green," environmentally-friendly animals whose fiber is hypoallergenic, making it a fiber everyone can wear.
Gentle and relatively easy to handle and care for, alpacas are becoming increasingly popular with those seeking a business opportunity that can involve every member of the family. Retirees also find alpaca farming a good fit for a second career or hobby.
For more information about the upcoming Kentucky Classic Alpaca Show, visit kentuckyclassicalpacashow.com. To learn more about alpacas in Kentucky and farms in your area, please visit kentuckyalpacaassociation.org.