Fall 2022- Congratulations to Mary Miller of Aspen Alpacas on her purchase of FTAF Privateer. At age 10, Privateer is as handsome as ever and going strong. We are ever so grateful for what he has added to our herd over the years. He has blessed Rare Gem Alpacas and our clients with many amazing champions and foundation offspring. We will miss this sweet dispositioned boy, but happy that he is going to such a great home and program. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Privateer's offspring made their first show appearance March 2019. RG Privateer's First Mate took two 1 firsts and Grey Color Champion in both Halter (out of 17) and Walking Fleece (out of 33). RG Harley's Davidson took first of 13 in his Walking Fleece class and then Reserve Color Champion Walking Fleece (25 total). We can now add "Producer of Champions" to Privateer's list of fine qualities. Privateer’s grey, 3X color champion son sold at 2020 Amber Autumn Auction. Congratulations Jamey Haney on her purchase of this beautiful Privateer offspring. Privateer's 2017 skin biopsy at 5yrs old by Dr. Norm Evans shows a density of 71 follicles/sqmm. SP ratio is 12.1 to 1 with level 4 of 4 gland presence which correlates with what senior judges are referring to as “well-nourished fleeces”. Secondary fibers average 21.9 microns and primary fibers averaging 30.1 giving him a variation of only 8.2 microns. I greatly anticipated the arrival of this guy and he is all that I expected and more. He is out Crown Jewel of PVA and SHVN The Buccaneer (who passes on lingering fineness to his offspring), both of whom are multiple champion animals! What a powerhouse background this guy possesses, The Elite Maximus, Hemingway, Bobbie Ann on the dams side and Pot of Gold, Royal Inca Legend on his sire's side, no wonder he is such a gorgeous animal. Privateer is stunning. As you can see by his fleece, he possesses awesome structure and the brightness to his fleece is blinding. Take that with his gorgeous head and coverage everywhere and we are looking at a boy that will make an excellent herdsire! Privateer's fleece is that "elite" fleece with bundles everywhere and secondary bundles coming out of each bundle, even down to his knee and under his belly and on his chest. He also has dark skin which should allow him to pass color. He has placed well in the shows and has always been up against very tough competition. The animals that placed above him were always from very big farms. So that should tell you where this boys really stands in the line up of future herdsires. Privateer started his breeding career Fall 2016 and has thrown many champions and has champion grand-offspring as well. He tends to throw the color of the female— while significantly upgrading fleece characteristics. If you have a dam that you love the color of and want to look for improvements in AFD (fineness that lasts!), SD, density, crimp, brightness!

Meet Trixiebelle – A Devoted Grey Beauty with a Stellar Legacy Trixiebelle, affectionately known as Trixie, is a sweet and striking dark silver grey alpaca. She carries the legacy of her grand-sire, the legendary SA Peruvian Black Epic, a 7-time banner winner and sire to over 150 champion-winning offspring. As a devoted mother, Trixiebelle excels in producing big, strong, and healthy cria. She has an abundant milk supply and nurturing temperament. Her dam, Bubbles, has a consistent history of producing grey offspring—a trait Trixie has repeated 3 out of 5 times while never being bred to grey. Proven Maternal Excellence Rare Gem Zepellen's Rock Star (2015 Cria) Sired by bay black Taos' Zeppelin. Rock Star sold as junior herdsire. Rare Gem First Mate (2017 Cria) Sired by fawn FTAF's Privateer. First Mate made his show debut in Spring 2019 and did Trixie proud, earning 3 Color Championships and 5 blue ribbons. After servicing three gorgeous Rare Gem girls, First Mate was sold at the prestigious 2020 Amber Autumn Auction. Congratulations to Jayme and Dustin Haney of Alpacas of Aledo on their acquisition of this champion male, now a standing stud at their ranch in Texas. Rare Gem Hooked on a Feelin’ (2021 Cria) On November 17, 2021, Trixiebelle delivered a robust, 20-pound fawn male out of FTAF's Privateer. Congratulations to Americalpaca on adding this stunning boy to their herd! Rare Gem Blue Moon XX (2022 Cria) Trixie threw a BEW on her third pairing with Privateer. We named him Blue Moon. He has the most exquiste fleece,-- fine, dense and packed with uniform staples. As a BEW, we have chosen to sell him to a non-breeding, forever home. Rare Gem Zilliebelle (2024 Cria) November 1, 2024, Trixiebelle hit it out of the park with her first female cria after four male offspring—a gorgeous dark silver grey named Zilliebelle. This exceptional girl is the result of pairing Trixiebelle with our Zagato son, Rare Gem Zagato's Cray-Z (ee a2a3). From the moment she arrived, Zilliebelle impressed with her thick, straight bone structure, thick-crimpy fleece, and undeniable curb appeal. She’s already shaping up to be a showstopper and one to watch in the future! Trixie has been rebred to Cray-Z, aiming for another Zilliebelle cria in 2025. Fingers crossed for a repeat performance! Trixie is the epitome of an “easy keeper.” She conceives quickly, maintains healthy pregnancies, and delivers effortlessly. Her cria are consistently big-boned and robust, making her an invaluable asset to any breeding program.