News from the Barn
NEWS RELEASE
TO: THE MEDIA
CONTACT: RUSS AND JOANIE POND
WINTERBERRY FARM ALPACAS, HANOVER, VA
804-752-2442
FOR RELEASE: IMMEDIATE
-----------------------------------------------
WINTERBERRY FARM ALPACAS TO PARTICIPATE IN VAOBA ALPACA EXPO
OCTOBER 18th & 19th, 2008
VIRGINIA HORSE CENTER, LEXINGTON, VIRGINIA
Hanover, VA -- Winterberry Farm Alpacas will be participating in the VAOBA ALPACA EXPO on
Saturday and Sunday, October 18th and 19th, 2008. This premiere alpaca event is sponsored by the
Virginia Alpaca Owners & Breeders Association. For information about raising alpacas and the alpaca
lifestyle, go to the VAOBA website: www.vaobaexpo.com.
Russ and Joanie Pond said, “We will be showing two award winning huacaya alpacas, Miss
Cotton and Killian’s Peruvian Edge, our first two alpacas born on the farm. With a first and second
place on the board from the Virginia Classic, Miss Cotton placed first in her fleece class at MAPACA;
while Edge took a second place ribbon. “We are looking forward to seeing how these animals compete
as yearlings,” said Mr. Pond.
Located just north of Richmond, VA, Winterberry Farm was established in the 1870’s. The Ponds
started Winterberry Farm Alpacas in late 2006. According to the Ponds, “Our breeding program is
designed around a genetic mix from Snowmass Alpacas, Virginia Alpaca Farm, Double “O” Good
Alpacas, All About Alpacas, and Rivanna River Farm. By standing on the shoulders of these fine
breeders, we’ll continue in their tradition of breeding exceptional alpacas. Winterberry is a 15 acre farm,
located just east of I95, heading towards the Hanover Courthouse area. The Ponds also plan to sell
alpaca apparel manufactured in Virginia and in the USA, as well as imported from South America.
After two decades in the high-tech industry, the Ponds moved to Hanover in search of more land
and the new ruralist lifestyle. After settling on a local landmark, Winterberry Farm, the Ponds are
committed to preserving the character of their historic homesite and find their new alpaca herd perfectly
suited to Winterberry. After a few farm visits, the horses were sent to another farm and the alpacas
moved in. Both agree that Alpaca breeding is ambitious and rewarding.
To contact the Ponds to set up a farm visit, please contact them.
Miss Cotton and Edge to Compete at VAOBA Expo is Lexington
October 18 - 19th, 2008
Killi-Ann Places 4th at the National Alpaca Show in Indiana,
with her bright, crimpy and very soft fleece
Russ and Joanie Pond of Winterberry Farm Alpacas are pleased to announce that Killi-Ann, their 8 month-old female huacaya, placed 4th in the fleece class of white alpacas at the National Alpaca Show held in Indianapolis, IN.
Just prior to receiving the news about the competition, Killi-Ann’s fiber test results returned from the lab with some surprisingly good news. Her average fleece diameter, compared to a national sample, scored in the top 5%; her curvature (a measure of the depth of the crimp) is 47 degrees per mm, well ahead of the average herd measurement of 38 degrees per mm (in huacaya females over 9 months of age).
Confirmed by the fiber test, Killi-Ann can boast of having the highest rated fleece of Winterberry’s second generation; her brother, Killian’s Edge, second best. Always striving to improve the genetics of the herd, Killi-Ann is already scheduled to breed with Sheer Galaxy out of A.L. Pacas and Dreamland Alpacas. Sheer is a multi-time Get-of-Sire Champion.
Winterberry Farm Alpacas recently joined the Ideal Alpaca Community, a group of Alpaca Breeders committed to improving their herds according to strict standards that they believe will raise genetically superior animals. Furthermore, we believe that the combination of a science-based, breed improvement program and our Internet marketing strategy will give our members the maximum opportunity for success.
