Alpacas scoop pool

By Kath Gannaway
FORMER Yarra Glen alpaca breeders Dianne and Ron Condon, owners of Shanbrooke Alpaca Stud, scooped the pool at the recent Sydney Easter Royal Show.
Shanbrooke alpacas returned home with two championships and three reserve championships, with 27 of their 30 animals winning ribbons. They were also awarded most successful exhibitor award for the second year in a row.
The Condons have been successfully breeding alpacas for 20 years but Mrs Condon said these awards had special significance.
Two and a half years ago their alpacas were attacked by dogs on the Yea property. Four of their stud males were killed and another three were severely mauled by local hunting dogs.
“These awards are very special to us as the Supreme Champion who was only six months old at the time of the attack, was sired by the male Shanbrooke Haynacho, one of the extremely badly mauled males,” Mrs Condon said.
“He was not expected to live and if he did there was only a small chance of him being fertile as his injuries were so severe but he has defied all odds and has gone on to produce many show winners.”
The sire’s progeny group one of the most prestigious events to win was sired by a full brother of their top stud sire, Shanbrooke Tradition who sadly lost his life in the attack.
Mrs Condon said the effect of dog attacks on valuable stud stock could not be underestimated.
“The loss of top genetics takes years to replace and the financial loss is in the hundreds of thousand of dollars. This should be a warning to careless landowners who cannot control their dogs,” she said.
The show successes ( Shanbrook also did exceptionally well in the 2008 Easter Show) for the Condons have resulted in a lot of national and overseas interest and Mrs Condon said they had sold the Supreme Champion and several other prize winners overseas.