"The Complete Alpaca Shearing Guide to Better Fleeces and Show Success" is a two disc DVD program designed to help you become a more successful alpaca owner/breeder. The program is laid out in a series of menus and sub-menus that organize a broad range of instruction material. There has never been such a comprehensive collection of material related to shearing, fiber preparation and end use considerations.

"The Complete Alpaca Shearing Guide to Better Fleeces and Show Success" is a resource you will appreciate for its thoughtful and relevant content, step by step procedures and common sense advice for mastering the shearing process and gaining success in the show ring and at fleece competitions.

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If you don't yet own alpacas, you will appreciate the depth of information in this program. When you do decide to acquire alpacas, you'll be better prepared to handle the all important fiber management tasks for your herd.
If you hire a shearer to perform the annual ritual, "The Complete Alpaca Shearing Guide" will give you the tools to effectively manage your shearer.
For those who already do their own shearing, or want to learn how, the program segments on shearing techniques and equipment selection & maintenance will give you the confidence to make these skills your own. Your personal technique will improve, the quality of your alpaca fleeces will dramatically increase and you'll be able to perform shearing on your own schedule, not your shearer's.
If you want to learn how to shear your crias, "The Complete Alpaca Shearing Guide" is the definitive source to detailed instruction. Special cria shearing equipment is explained and demonstrated. This technique alone will result in better fleeces and alpacas that truly reflect their inherent beauty and grace.
For those wondering what to do with all the fleece sitting in boxes and bags, this program will provide suggestions to fiber assessment and processing alternatives.
If you don't see yourself fitting into one of the other categories, you should view "The Complete Alpaca Shearing Guide" anyway! The future of the alpaca industry rests with incremental improvements to fiber quality. Large scale fiber processing economies can only be achieved by an alpaca onwners' community that is committed to placing alpaca fiber in the mainstream of consumer demand. This program underscores the most important techniques that will lead us toward this ambitious goal.

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Imagine any aspect of alpaca fiber preparation: it's covered in this program!

"The Complete Alpaca Shearing Guide" addresses topics for every alpaca owner, from those just beginning to understand shearing and fiber preparation to the consummate industry veteran. The two DVDs and accompanying program guide are designed to allow the viewer to study the information provided, in any order desired. For example, suppose you wish to master the steps in shearing an adult alpaca using the lie down technique. The program, "Lie Down Technique Described,"will guide you through the steps with a shorn alpaca so you will understand the placement of the shears on the animal's body. This innovative approach will help you become more familiar with the anatomy of the alpaca, resulting in greater confidence in shearing a fully fleeced animal. You will discover your shearing time is more productive, your alpaca will feel less stress and the product (the fleece) will be free of the dreaded second cuts!

You may then want to view "Lie Down Technique Demonstrated" to see the process in action. Every effort has been made to make this program as complete as possible, and to help you understand the the difference between a well prepared fleece and a poorly prepared one; between an alpaca whose best physical traits are enhanced, and one that appears unbalanced and poorly shorn.

Cria shearing:
Are you shearing your crias? "The Complete Alpaca Shearing Guide" explains why many breeders are beginning to integrate this practice into their annual shearing duties, and shows you how it's done. You will be amazed at the benefits of cria shearing, both for the improvement in fleece quality and the nurturing of a "sculpted" look as your crias mature. Cria shearing is a practice that deserves your consideration, especially if your goal is to compete successfully in the alpaca industry.

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"The Complete Alpaca Shearing Guide" is designed to help viewers understand all aspects of shearing and fiber processing. The program includes:

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~ Trying to find a shearer, and then:
~ Shearing your alpaca herd when it suits your shearer - rain or shine
~ Bags of unsorted, poorly prepared fiber (i.e. ruined by contaminants and second cuts) that has no market
~ Poorly shorn alpacas; walking advertisements for a shoddy shearing job
~ Actually paying for this experience!

This program will provide you with the tools you need to perform fiber management, shearing and fiber processing on your own schedule. Once you acquire the skills necessary for shearing, you'll be in total control of the fiber production process.

Intelligent shearing will result in fleeces that maximize their value, sell easily and win at shows. Proper shearing technique - for crias and adults - will leverage your success at shows. "The Complete Alpaca Shearing Guide" is an investment in success. Improvements in your shearing technique and fiber condition will easily outweigh the cost of the DVD.

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"The Complete Alpaca Shearing Guide" captures the expertise the Chepolis' have acquired in their fiber production careers:

Ted and Elaine have been involved in the fiber arts for the past thirty years and have raised and bred alpacas since 1984. Prior to their alpaca experience, they raised registered angora goats and produced high quality mohair for a regional spinning and weaving community. They quickly learned the high expectations of fiber artisans and adjusted fiber collection techniques (specifically shearing, skirting and marketing) to meet market demand. As a result, Ted and Elaine successfully marketed their mohair production and gained a reputation for high quality fiber.

Elaine continues to spin, knit and weave, for pleasure and to demonstrate the infinite possibilities of alpaca fiber. She enjoys creating fashion garments for shows and is actively involved in several local and national fiber organizations.

Ted understands the mechanics of spinning and (to Elaine's dismay) makes it look easy! Ted's true passion, however, is rug weaving, integrating the structure and beauty of alpaca fiber into one-of-a-kind rugs.

Ted and Elaine are the creators of two previous videos on shearing: "Step by Step Shearing: for Alpacas and Llamas" and "Step by Step Shearing: the Restrained Technique." Both videos have enjoyed a wide distribution and have set the standard for efficient shearing techniques. The videos are being discontinued as a result of the release of "The Complete Alpaca Shearing Guide."