My husband Paul and I moved to our 72 acre farm just north of Kingston in 1985. After renting the land out for beef cattle and having a small herd of cattle myself, I decided to switch to alpaca farming. The first alpacas arrived in 1998 and I continued to buy alpacas to upgrade and to ensure a diversity of genetics. I was a founding member of Alpaca Ontario and served on the Board of Directors for the first three years, in charge of education as well as being on the show committee. I semi-retired from my family medicine practice in 1999, and the majority of my time is now spent looking after the alpacas, dealing with the fleece end of the business, and volunteering for Alpaca Ontario.

The herd is almost all double registered and has bloodlines from some of the best known studs in Canada: Alpamayo, Coyo Destini, Pauco, Ivano and Bolivian Ice Man. The focus is to breed for elite fleece while maintaining excellent conformation; to have a nutrition programme that results in good health, optimum reproduction and beautiful fleece, and to raise alpacas that are a pleasure to spend time with.

Silver Cloud Alpacas has consistently done well in the show ring.

2006 Alpaca Ontario Show Results:

SCA Macario (owned by Blood Moon Alpacas): Reserve Grand Champion Male

SCA Magnolia (owned by Pride Rock Alpacas): 2nd juvenile white females

SCA Maristela: 3rd juvenile fawn females

SCA Jacinta: 2nd juvenile black females

SCA Artemus: 3rd junior white males

SCA Mariabella (owned by Mary Anne Mounce): 2nd junior fawn females

SCA Damita (owned by Mary Anne Mounce): 2nd junior dark females

Also sired by our studs:

MHA Pembroke (sired by AH Patronne): 1st juvenile fawn males.

Victory’s Camille (sired by WRA Dano, dam is SCA Carmen): 1st juvenile brown females

SVA Helya (sired by WRA Peruvian Sancho): 1st junior white females and Reserve Junior Female

SVA Clover (sired by WRA Peruvian Sancho): 3rd junior fawn females

In Sire’s Progeny, our AH Patronne won second, and our Silver Cloud Armani won third, with 10 groups entered.