Meet the judges

Peter successfully attended the International Alpaca Judging School (IAJS) in the Peruvian altiplano in 2004 and subsequently certified as a judge in the following jurisdictions; Australia, New Zealand and the USA. He has since qualified as a senior judge in Australia for the AAA (Australian Alpaca Association) judge and in New Zealand for AANZ (Alpaca Association of New Zealand). He is also qualified in the USA for AOA (Alpaca Owners Association), where he is also certified as a Judge Trainer. Peter has designed and presented training clinics for judges in New Zealand and Australia. He has presented training clinics for breeders in Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada and Europe.

Since qualifying as a judge, Peter has judged shows internationally in Canada, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Europe, the USA and throughout Australia. Highlights have been judging the National shows in Australia, New Zealand, Britain and the USA, as well as the American, British and Canadian Futurity Shows.

Peter has been involved in alpacas since 1998 and a full-time alpaca breeder since 2003.

Natasha has had extensive experience with Suri and Huacaya running a herd of over 450  huacaya and suri alpacas of all colours in Victoria under the Kurrawa Prefix.

Natasha has been a full-time alpaca breeder since 1991 and qualified as an AAA (Australian Alpaca Association) judge in 2000. Since that time, she has continued to develop her skills to become a senior Judge and a AAA Judges Trainer. In 2004 Natasha successfully qualified as an International Judge at the IAJS School in Peru and has judged in New Zealand, UK, Europe and all over Australia including all of our major shows. In 2008, 2012, 2014 & 2019 she had the privilege of judging The Australian Alpaca Association National Show. In 2015, 2023 judged the British National Show, 2016, 2022 judged the New Zealand National Show, The Alpaca Association Benelux Harpet Show in 2016. In 2019 judged Bayreuth Germany Show, Boekel Netherland Show, Norwegian National Show, Swedish National Show and The Finish National Show.

Natasha continually gives her time to give seminars, mentor and train breeders, aspiring judges and qualified judges.

Natasha has a background in equine and was a competitive horse show rider and an active Welsh Pony & cob society judge. Having given away the horse riding at a high competitive level Natasha is heavily involved in showing pointer and Griffon Bruxellois dogs.

Shane owns and manages a herd of over 450 huacaya and suri alpacas of all colours in Victoria. Shane has been breeding alpacas since 1996 and has had a keen interest in showing since the onset and the quality of his herd is regularly recognised in the show ring, both at state and national level. Since 2004, the utilisation of embryo transfer has been used within the herd and now have had over 400 embryo transfer cria born on the farm.

Shane qualified as a AAA judge in 2011 and has since judged in all states of Australia and thoroughly enjoys judging both fleece and animals and seeing the advancement of the national alpaca herd.

Alongside her husband, Alan Cousill, Jude has been breeding alpacas since 1991, initially in Victoria, and from 2004 in Oregon USA. They returned permanently to Australia in January 2021. They still own a small herd of suris in the USA.

In 1998 Jude qualified as an AAA Alpaca Judge. Amongst many other AAA shows, she has judged the AAA National show three times, as well as the Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, and Adelaide Royal shows. Jude certified at the 2000 International Alpaca Judging School in Peru. And in 2002, she certified as an alpaca judge in USA, going on to achieve AOA Senior Judge and Instructor/Trainer status in 2005. Since then, she has been heavily involved in both apprentice judge training and certification, as well as judge re-certification and calibration clinics in both halter and fleece in the AOA Show System. Jude currently serves as Chair of the AOA Judges’ Advisory Committee and is the halter liaison to the AOA Show Rules Committee.

Jude has judged many alpaca halter and fleece shows including Australia, USA, New Zealand, Canada, UK, The Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Peru. By invitation she conducted a British Alpaca Society judges’ clinic as well as judging both the National fleece and halter shows in the UK in 2016. Jude has also judged the National Alpaca Shows in New Zealand, the UK, Sweden and Norway, and many times in the USA, as well as Futurities in USA, Canada and the UK. She has also spoken at various alpaca conferences and breeder gatherings in New Zealand, USA, Canada, and the UK.

Jude co-authored The Art & Science of Alpaca Judging, a comprehensive judge training text also used extensively by alpaca judges and breeders alike worldwide.

Since returning to Australia, Jude has very much enjoyed judging and being part of the AAA show system once again.

Wendy has involved in the alpaca industry since 1989. She has traveled overseas to Peru and USA on the quest for highest quality genetics. Several visits to the altiplano, Peru, in the early 1990s gave her insight into what could be achieved with selective and conscientious breeding. Wendy’s passion for quality, commercially viable alpacas was truly born in Peru.

Over the years Wendy’s business has emphasised an uncompromising attention to fibre qualities on older males leading the way toward finer and heavier fleeces. Wendy actively participates as an exhibitor with excellent success. She has been judging for 20 years. including Germany, Belgium, Holland and NZ. Wendy has judged at all major shows in Australia. She considers it a privilege to be asked to assess, critique, and give valuable input into judging so the breeder leaves the show with knowledge. Comparative, it is nonetheless informative, and always driving our industry towards higher breeding standards.

Adrienne Clarke AFSM OAM

Adrienne has passionately bred alpacas for over 30 years.  With her family, she runs Ambersun Alpacas in Mount Compass, South Australia, a large herd of over 1,200 huacaya alpacas.

Adrienne enjoys the challenge of herd improvement, based upon trait quantification and using her tertiary background in statistics and genetics.  Adrienne’s principle goal for the alpacas is the commercial production of ultrafine fleece. After many years of refinement of their herd, they are now producing alpacas with fleeces as ultrafine as 11 microns.  Ambersun has seen its very finest fleeces exported and in demand across the world.

While the alpaca herd is predominantly white and light fawn in colour, she maintains colour diversity, and has focussed on a very successful appaloosa breeding program for over 20 years.  She has studied the genetics behind the inheritance of the appaloosa coat colour to improve predictability.  Worldwide, many of the appaloosa herds have been developed using the Ambersun appaloosa genetics.

Adrienne is a dedicated member of the SA Region.  She takes a keen interest in education, and both nationally and internationally, has conducted training programs to assist breeders with alpaca birthing complications. She is a recipient of the Alpaca Association’s Certificate of Appreciation for service to the alpaca industry.

Alongside of her alpaca interests, Adrienne is employed fulltime as an officer with the SA Metropolitan Fire Service and was South Australia’s first female professional firefighter.  She has been awarded a National Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for service to the community and women’s affairs, and the Australian Fire Service Medal.  In 2018, she was also acknowledged as one of 125 trailblazing women of South Australia.  She includes amongst her most memorable achievements, both in 2019, her participation in The Amazing Race and being a member of the first Australian team to climb a 6,200 metre peak in Nepal (Tengcoma).

Molly lives at Le Bons Bay on Banks Peninsula, in the South Island of NZ. She runs Angus lowlines and Suri alpaca on her 60 hectare farm together with her sister and mother.  Her focus is on producing the highest quality fleece in black and coloured suri. Their breeding program is designed to encourage the positive fleece traits required for high-end product made from suri.

Molly is passionate about alpaca fibre and the luxurious product that can be made from it. She has been involved in numerous fibre projects and continues to champion suri fleece around the world. She has been a keynote speaker at many events in America and Europe, running hands-on workshops at home and internationally.

Molly is also an accredited Level 1 judge in NZ. She has been judging since 2009 in NZ, Australia and Europe.

Jillian, hailing from a small town just 12km North of Kyneton in central Victoria. With 40 acres in Langley, she’s been captivated by alpacas since 1998, starting her journey with just 2. Over the years, her herd has flourished to around 200 alpacas, at times, of various types and colours.

Jillian delved into alpaca judging in 2012, achieving level 2 status by 2014, and has since judged numerous shows across Australia and New Zealand, including prestigious events like the National Fleece Show.

Beyond her alpaca endeavours, Jillian has a diverse background in breeding British Bulldogs, Bengal cats, and now Pygmy goats. With 25 years of experience, she’s also a qualified all breeds dog groomer, and she’s gearing up for her next challenge: the study of dog behaviour and training.

Chris diverted his professional attention to alpacas in 1992, excited by the opportunities and business potential of the industry. With an interest in the vertical integration of his alpaca business, the desire to expand his alpaca expertise and participate in the development of the Australian and international alpaca industry, Chris has developed his diverse alpaca portfolio for more than 20 years.

He is a passionate and highly successful breeder of white and coloured alpacas, with a herd of around 1200 alpacas based in South Australia. Chris has also exported alpacas to China and Europe and owns herds in Norway, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, and Italy.

His commitment to the alpaca industry has also included the manufacture and retail of alpaca clothing, the manufacture and export of alpaca quilts and blankets, the promotion and sales of alpaca meat, and the international export of both alpacas and alpaca fleece. Chris shears around 3,500 alpacas each year in Australia and 14 other countries.

Rubey has been around alpacas for her entire life. Based in the Central West of NSW, her family run a herd of over 1,500 alpacas. They breed both huacaya and suri, focusing predominantly on white and light fawn. Her family stud focuses on the long-term viability of alpacas. To this end they have immersed themselves in everything the industry has to offer – from fleece, to live export, international herd management, the show movement and reproductive technologies.

In 2006, Rubey was introduced to the show ring through Junior Handling. She has since been involved in both Young Paraders and Young Judges – as a competitor and a mentor. In 2019, she was awarded the inaugural Agricultural Shows Australia (ASA) National Champion Young Alpaca Judge. She has a true love and passion for the show ring. Her family are active participants in the show circuit; with their animals and fleeces receiving impressive results at every show they enter.

She has a Bachelor of Agricultural Business Management from Charles Sturt University – a degree which has equiped her with a unique mix of business and agricultural skills. She is a proud third generation farmer – who runs various livestock enterprises including alpacas, llamas and meat sheep.

Kurtis has been surrounded by alpacas from a very young age, rarely missing an opportunity to get hands on with the alpacas. He has recently acquired his own stud where he hopes to breed alpacas with high quality fleece.

Within the industry he has always looked to expand his knowledge about alpacas and fleece characteristics from various experts in the industry. As an apprentice judge Kurtis hopes to continue to build on his understanding of desirable animal and fleece qualities and characteristics as he progresses towards becoming an alpaca judge.

Ariana has been involved with alpacas since 1997. Together with her parents, they run their stud of 100 head on the NSW Central Coast.

With a focus on breeding coloured alpacas, Ariana enjoys the challenge and science of coloured genetics, and balancing this with advanced fibre characteristics.

Ariana is excited about the future of the alpaca industry and her enduring participation in the showing arena is a testament to her love for alpacas. She is passionate about continually educating the community, young and old, about all aspects of alpacas.

Outside of alpacas, Ariana is a pharmacist specialising in clinical research and enjoys painting, drawing and playing squash.

Lee Sadler has been involved in the alpaca industry for over 20 years.  During this time, the Australian alpaca industry has developed from a livestock and breeding focus to a fibre focus.  Lee and her family run their stud on the Fleurieu Peninsula in South Australia, where they focus on white huacaya alpaca, with about 300 in their herd.  They also have an olive grove and extensive scrub and biodiversity projects on their property.

Lee is a pharmacist by training.  Her science background has been useful when assessing health and husbandry matters on farm.  She has been involved in her profession and the alpaca industry in a range of representative roles, contributing on Boards, committees and Councils across both sectors.

Lee’s involvement with the Australia College of Pharmacy and the University of South Australia, have also provided the opportunity to be develop skills and knowledge in the field of adult education.

Taryan, alongside her family, run a stud of 600 head alpacas in Victoria culminating many years and two generations of alpaca breeding and experience.

Taryan has dedicated herself to the alpaca industry, working with members across the country to help ensure a robust and vibrant future for alpacas in Australia. She has a passion for breeding the highest quality fibre and strongly conformed alpacas in all colours, with a view to produce colours consistently as advanced in their fibre traits as their white counterparts.

She also has a love for medical and veterinary sciences and hopes to one day complete alpaca-specific research into health issues affecting Australian alpacas.

Jonathon has been involved in the alpaca industry since 2012 and has garnered a strong passion for the animals and industry in that time. He started his alpaca journey with his mother Sallyanne, with his first show experience being at the Ballarat Sheep and Wool Show in 2013. He and Sallyanne bred alpacas together for a number of years before he joined forces with his Fiancée, Madelayne Bissels, in 2019.

Jonathon successfully completed his first Young Judges competition at the 2018 Royal Melbourne Show, having achieved Champion. His interest in judging on grew from there.

He quickly broadened his skills by becoming an alpaca shearer in 2014 and has now become a mentor and advocate for alpaca shearing, having been involved in multiple education sessions related to shearing.

He has been very active within the Australian Alpaca Association and the industry by holding positions on the Melbourne Royal Show Alpaca Committee (2018 to present), Victorian Central Region Committee (2017-2023), 2019 Victorian Alpaca Colourbration Convenor, and recently stepping into the Convenor role for the 2023 AAA National Alpaca Show.