Young Paraders

Young Paraders is an alpaca/rural skills-building program with workshops, training camps, and show competition events that showcase alpaca activities, designed specifically and exclusively for young people between seven and 26 years of age.

The program is set up for young people to have fun, learn about and enjoy alpacas and to transition interested youth through various stages of learning. It is designed to demonstrate the bond that develops between alpacas and their handlers, and the skills required for their management.

Objectives 

• Offer inexperienced youth the opportunity to compete in an alpaca-related event.
• Offer experienced youth the opportunity to showcase their expertise and knowledge in handling alpacas in a public arena.
• Engage the interested public in a way which will both entertain and educate them about the Australian alpaca industry.
• Provide a platform on which young people can enter and then progress within the industry.
• Promote integrity between competitors, handlers and their animals

Young Paraders competitions incorporate two distinct areas, with three levels of experience (Introductory, Preliminary, Open), and provides for several age groups. The two elements/sections of the competition are showmanship and stockmanship.

Showmanship

For our Preliminary youth, showmanship is based around basic husbandry and fleece knowledge and alpaca handling.

For our Open competitors, showmanship aims to simulate skills needed in a halter showring.

Stockmanship

Our competitors are required to lead their nominated alpaca through a series of challenges across a course. These challenges simulate day-to-day handling of alpacas on farm, school or public settings. They must show safe handling skills and a good relationship with their alpaca.

Master Trainers

Within the open section of paraders there are awards given to competitors who choose to train an alpaca.

The AAA has a team of parader judges with an ongoing commitment to the alpaca industry

Level 1 Parader Judges

• Jillian Elwers
• Taryan Mathews
• Cheryl Cochrane
• Louise Charman

Level 2 Parader Judges

• Rachel Burnett

Level 3 Parader Judges

• Courtney Gordon (INACTIVE)
• Adrienne Clarke
• Jonee Phillips
• Janelle Jago
• Katelyn Holznagel
• Caitlyn Armson-Graham

Apprentices

• Casey Sulman
• Imogen Boughey
• Helen Phillips
• Rubey Williams
• Christie Hayward

Parader Judge Process