Below are blog entries...

Tuesday May 6th, 2008

Attended the Ozark show and auction this past weekend, had a great time, a must show to try and attend. Cosa Bella Took a grand and reserve, before going to her new home. Her sisther Fanny Bryce and Baroness will be living in Ok. The girls along with De Los did their last Get of Sire together and winning their 8th or 9th along with being Reserve Grand at Nationals. I have been asked why I was running for the board,how I felt about all kinds of issues.I feel the most important place is at the top of the association. when a board works within the rules and by-laws that govern ALSA. the rest will fall in place. got to go for now meeting in Chgo,to be continued

Wednesday April 23rd, 2008

April 23, 2008 Dear Fellow Members: My name is Bob LaMorte, and I知 running for the Board of Directors of the Alpaca and Llama Show Association (ALSA). I致e been involved in the Llama community for the last six years. At my farm in Sawyer, MI, I have 70-plus llamas, including several Halter Champions, two National Grand Champion Llamas and last year痴 Reserve Grand Get of Sire Champion. Currently, my business partner and I are promoting the llama community with a billboard that reaches well over 12 million people. Additionally, I致e supported over 20 llama shows a year, since joining you. My investment is as important me as yours is to you, and I壇 like to see us all grow and thrive together. While I greatly enjoy our industry, I知 concerned by the lack of inclusiveness and outreach by this and previous ALSA Boards. I believe it痴 time for a Board that works actively and aggressively with the appropriate committees, on behalf of the members, to do its part in promoting and growing our organization. If elected, promise to work collectively with the Board on your葉he members behalf. Your input is very important to me, so I can represent you in the best possible way, and return ALSA to the hands of the membership�nd all vital decision making to the membership. Here are my proposals: 1. Starting in 2009, elect one Board member from each of the eight regions, with a two-term limit. 2. Starting 2009, establish East Coast and West Coast Grand Nationals. Over 80-percent of show attendees at the Nationals are from farms west of the Mississippi. This means more than half the country is not being represented. With today痴 economy and rising fuel costs, East and West Coast Nationals would give many small farms the opportunity to attend and participate. 3. All major decisions that affect the membership should be put forth to the members, in a referendum to be voted on. These three proposals could and should be put forth on the upcoming election ballet. In talking to members across the country, I致e discovered these issues are on the minds of many of you. Representation from all regions would ensure inclusiveness for the whole country, and as terms expire, regions would move toward equal representation. I believe as you do, that voting on major issues should always be in the hands of the members. For example: Any decision to give any or all of ALSA to another competing organization belongs in the members hands and should have been presented to the members in a referendum form. I hope you値l join with me in these worthy goals, which will further our interests. Here are Boards I致e served on and projects that my four, Chicago-area Robert Jeffrey Salons with their 100-plus employees are working on: Y-Me Breast Cancer National Support Organization Board Member: Introduced Breast Cancer Awareness campaign to the hair dressing community with great success across the country. Chicago Cosmologist Association Board Member: Brought the International Alternative Hair Show to Chicago, to support Children with Leukemia research. Intercoiffure America/Canada Board Member: Introduced the organization to the United Nations Foundation on Global AIDS. We are currently working with Proctor and Gamble to coordinate industry support of Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans. Additionally, our company has been selected to be one of fifty salons across the country to be a Flagship Salons for P&G痴 premiere product line, Sebastian International. When we all work together with respect for differences, ALSA cannot lose. Sincerely, Robert LaMorte

Monday January 28th, 2008

Things are going as well as can be for January, which has us wanting April! Today is pretty mild- near 40 degrees, but it is supposed to rain! Can't have one without the other, and I guess it is better than more snow! The animals are doing well, and quite a few love playing in the snow. Especially the young ones. We had some extreme cold here with strong winds, and they pretty much stayed in the barn. When it warmed up a bit, they came out to check things out. Olivia's babysitter was quite shocked to see llamas in jackets! She thought that was a riot.

Wednesday October 10th, 2007

Ooooh, it is chilly here!........ and the llamas love it! Especially the crias, they haven't stopped running and playing! What a nice break from that 90 degree humid stuff we've had. Now it is fall! Olivia, Bob and I are going to go to a pumpkin patch soon to pick out some Jack-O-Lanterns for our steps, and of coarse, to roast those seeds! I'll have to get the instructions from my sister Midge ;) so I don't burn them again! Gotta start these traditions with a young one!

Tuesday October 9th, 2007

Bob and David got back from a successful Regionals in Georgia! De Los Dios got a Grand Suri Male! Summer got a Reserve Med. Wool, and we also got a second, three thirds and a Grand for our Rainman Get of Sire! We couldn't be happier! We have three girls due within the next month, all of these to Rainman. We are going to have a really cool Get of Sire for Twenty-One next year. All have great conformation, two are black and white and one is all jet black and super lustous! And being a 21 kid, they all have great tailsets and toplines. One female is Calvin Kleins sister, a top 10 placer in the Nationals. Same dam! It is looking like fall, and feeling like it, too! I woke up and had to put a sweater on when I went outside. Brr! I do like fall though... but winter is next! This year we don't have any due past November, so it should be a lot less worry this year!

Monday October 1st, 2007

Well, the end of September couldn't have been any better! Half and Half had her cria- a black suri GC's Chock Full O Nuts boy! Very nice looking, high luster, beautiful suri pencil locks. Half and half didn't have a dud yet! Her first cria is owned by Superior Farms, her second cria is owned by us (She's nice!) and now this little guy! Came back from visiting my sister and family in Wisconsin. My sister is moving to Australia soon for a period of at least two years. Lucky girl! I wish her and her boyfriend a bon voyage! Divinity had a suri female by Twenty-One, her second suri and second offspring by Twenty-One. Her first is WHirling Dervish. She looks like she is going to be a tall one, and very frisky! Fall is in the air- the leaves are changing, and the days are warm and the evenings are cool. That means winter is next, our big time of the year to deworm! Yippee!! Still waiting on a couple more girls to have their babies, then that is it till next year!

Wednesday September 12th, 2007

Fall is in the air! It is a crisp morning, and Olivia and I have already been out in the pasture with the expectant moms and new babies. Olivia has a cria that is in love with her- I think it is because Olivia helped blow dry her! She comes up and gives Olivia gentle nudges and lets her pet her. So cute! Olivia calls her Baybay, which is her word for baby! We also drew in the sandy dirt with sticks while the llamas looked on. It is amazing to me that Olivia can walk right up to a cushed 400 lb. llama and pet it and the llama just looks on and sniffs her! These truly are the best animals one can own.

Monday September 3rd, 2007

Happy Labor Day! Got back from Lamafest in E.Lansing, Mi. yesterday. De Los got a first and grand in the ALSA show, giving him a total of two grands and four reserves to date! He's taking over his dad's place in the showring! Dream had an exquisite female Rainman cria. She is so pretty. Olivia helped dry her off,and she was very gentle with the new one. She is white and a little silver with fine silky/suri fiber. Just have a I believe three left for September- can't wait to see what lays ahead!

Saturday August 25th, 2007

We are swimming here! Lots and lots of rain means lots and lots of water in our pastures! Not really swimming, but the dust bowls are now little swimming pools! And I always thought sand made for good drainage. Live and learn! It is beautiful outside now- cool and a good breeze. We are waiting on two gorgeous females to have their babies soon- a very large Chilean Dream, and also Cassiopia is due soon. Next month Divinity, who had Dervish last year, is due, and is Maiden Peru. Fun times, fun times....!

Wednesday August 15th, 2007

Well well well, Madeleine had her cria! It is suri and a boy by Rainman. She is consigned to the Lamafest sale, as well as this cria,so it will be a great buy for someone! We didn't name him,as that will be to the pleasure of their new owners. He is quite frisky, tearing it up with the older crias! Mom had so much milk she leaked! He will grow up to be a pretty decent size, too. Venti Latte had a very handsome 21 cria. He is black and white and FLASHY! We don't think of it as a bad thing if we get a boy that is handsome and show quality. And you are always looking for that next generation...!