8th Annual
2012 Judges
MIAS is proud to have the following Judges for our 2012 show! For Bios, see below.
HALTER - MALE CLASSES / SURI OPTIONAL CLASSES
ALL FLEECES
- Sharon Loner
Sharon Loner and her husband, Frank, purchased their first alpacas in 1993
and are the owners of Mile High Alpacas located in Parker, Colorado. Sharon
soon learned that raising these beautiful animals was her calling and within
three years she left her professional career as a property and casualty
insurance broker to become an alpaca rancher full time.
Sharon is both AOBA and Internationally Certified to judge fleece, halter
and performance alpaca shows. In 2004 she completed her international
judging training through the International Alpaca Judging School (IAJS)
located in Peru by Maggie Krieger and Dr. Julio Sumar and that same year
became AOBA certified. Sharon remains an active farm member with the Alpaca
Owners and Breeders Association (AOBA), her local affiliate, the Alpaca
Breeders of the Rockies, (ABR) and has served as a director for the Alpaca
Fiber Cooperative of North America (AFCNA).
Sharon graduated from North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, with a
Bachelors Degree in Secondary Education and Textiles. Sharon and Frank have
two daughters. Carly graduated in 2010 from the University of Colorado in
Boulder, CO, she now attends medical school at the University of WI,
Madison, in the MD-PHD program. Jaclyn graduated from CU Boulder in 2011
with a major in Integrated Physiology. She is currently working full time
as a medical assistant for a dermatologist. Sharon's husband Frank recently
retired after 33 years of operating a Chick-Fil-A quick service restaurant
in Aurora, Colorado. Frank is now full time alpaca ranch hand, maintenance,
and "honey doer".
Sharon's goal while in the show ring is to see that every exhibitor and
their alpaca are comfortable, relaxed, while at the same time having an
enjoyable experience. She makes sure each and every alpaca is evaluated
consistently and fairly on a comparative basis within their individual
classes.
HALTER - FEMALE CLASSES / HUACAYA OPTIONAL CLASSES
- Amanda VandenBosch
Amanda VandenBosch is a Senior AOBA Halter and Fleece Judge and an Alpaca Judge Trainer and Instructor in the USA. Amanda qualified as an International Alpaca Judge trained in Peru at the International Alpaca Judging School (IAJS) in 2000. She has judged shows in the USA, Canada, United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia.
Amanda travels worldwide judging alpacas and giving presentations and workshops on alpacas and showing. Her 'hands-on' workshops are well sort after. She has spent many hours volunteering at AOBA National Conferences and has participated on numerous committees over the years. She is a past Chair of the AOBA Judges Advisory Committee (JAC).
Amanda is a native of the United Kingdom, traveling and working in South Australia with
Thoroughbred horses before settling in the USA in 1991. With her husband Vince and
their two sons Cody (4) and Hunter (6 months) they operate Flying Dutchman Alpacas,
LLC in California and Oregon, raising both huacaya and suri alpacas.
SPIN-OFF COMPETITION - Michelle Boyd
Michelle Boyd is a Master Spinner and Fibre Artist who lives in Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada. Combining a background in graphic art and anthropology with an extensive Fibre Arts education, Michelle teaches for the Olds College Master Spinner Program in Olds, Alberta, Canada, as well as for local guilds and at Fibre Arts festivals across North America. She is a recent recipient of the Spin-Off Autumn Retreat’s prestigious scholarship, and will be returning to SOAR as a mentor in 2011. A passionate advocate for all Fibre Arts, Michelle has served on the Board of Directors of the Handweavers, Spinners, and Dyers of Alberta and is currently the Fibre Arts Program Coordinator for Fibre Week, hosted by Olds College. Along with her spinning, Michelle knits, weaves, and dyes and her work is exhibited at Frames and More Gallery in Fort McMurray. To learn more about Michelle’s workshops, visit michelleboydspins.com or follow her spinning and teaching adventures on her blog at whorlspins.blogspot.com.
FIBER ARTS/SKEIN COMPETITION – Sally Brandon
Twenty-two years ago, Sally Brandon learned to weave in Finland as an International 4-H Youth Exchange student. She came home from that trip with such a love for weaving that she built her loom from a kit and hasn’t stopped weaving since. She discovered Alpaca fiber 10 years ago and the discovery has led her into a career that envelops her whole family. She and her husband, Jay, own and operate The Shepherd’s Mill in Phillipsburg, Kansas. From alpaca to yak, they produce exquisite yarns and fabrics from the nation’s finest natural fibers. Sally continues to teach classes in spinning, weaving and other fiber arts as well as sell retail fiber arts supplies and equipment with her mother and sister. Visit Sally’s website at www.KansasFiber.com.
PHOTO CONTEST - Susan Sans of Sans Photography
Starting out on the other side of the camera, as a child, my mother would have me pose our dairy goats for the monthly ad in Dairy Goat Journal. In this, I learned that a good photo sells animals.
I have been photographing animals for many years and just as I was about to take my hobby and make it into a business, I met a few alpaca owners in Missouri. They introduced and educated me on these curious and adorable creatures…and at that, I began photographing alpacas.
In 2009, I was the photographer’s assistant at the MOPACA Invitational Alpaca Show. In 2010 and 2011, I was invited to be the photographer, and this year I’m so honored to be chosen again as your Official Show Photographer and now as the show’s Photo Contest Judge. I look forward to seeing all the wonderful entries for this competition. I also am excited again to see familiar faces and meeting new ones and photographing those award winning alpacas for you! For a view of my work, please visit www.sansphoto.com. Best of luck to you all. See you there!
