Message to all Suri breeders

Rule 56:  Fleece lengths for showing

A decision was made by the AAA Board in December 2017 to progressively reduce the maximum fleece length in Suri halter show classes from “up to 24 months” to “up to 14 months”.  The final stage of this rule change was to become effective on 1 January 2021.

Rule 56 was recently reviewed by the Showing and Judging Committee as part of their review of the AAA Showing Rules Manual. As a result of the review and with input from the Board, a moratorium on the 2021 change to Rule 56 will be upheld for the following reasons:

• Insufficient consultation with Suri breeders at the time of the decision in 2017.  
• The subsequent trial announced by the Board in response to the debate on the rule change was not conducted.

In announcing the trial, the Board stated “The reduced fleece length trial will commence in January 2019, with a reduction to 18 months for a first fleece and 14 months for all fleeces thereafter.  If this proves successful by January 2021, we will move to a 14-month fleece age for all Suri classes”.  Unfortunately, this fleece trial was not conducted in 2019.

The SJC and AAA Board believe that all Suri breeders should have input and drive such a decision.  The SJC, with oversight from the Board, will develop a mechanism to ensure full consultation with all AAA members that own Suri.

As a result of this moratorium, the current Rule 56: Fleece lengths for showing as outlined below will apply until further notice:

Alpacas should be shorn annually.  Halter class entry must have a minimum fleece length of 50 millimetres for Huacaya and Suri and a maximum fleece age:

• For Huacaya of under 14 months
• For Suri in a first fleece of under 18 months, and
• For a Suri in a second or subsequent fleece of under 14 months.

Short Fleece shows:  Shows held between January and the end of March, (excluding Royals, unless special dispensation is given in writing beforehand), have the option to elect which fleece length show they wish to run.  Normal (lengths as above) or Short with a minimum fleece length of 30 millimetres for Huacaya and a minimum length of 50 millimetres for Suri.

The SJC and AAA Board fully understand the range of member concerns around this issue.  Our aim is to ensure the process to resolve the Suri fleece length in shows is open, transparent, fair, and driven by those who are impacted.

The AAA understands the importance of this decision given the shearing season is underway, hence this being sent as a separate communication. Further amendments to the AAA Showing Rules Manual effective 1 January 2021, will be circulated to members through the Member newsletter.

Michelle Malt,  Chair                                                          Prue Walduck, Interim President

Showing and Judging Committee                                     AAA Board.