Rafael, aka "Ralph", is our one and only alpaca on the farm.  He is a handsome gelding, with beautiful, dense red fiber.  He has a mind of his own, and is very curious.  He acts more like a llama than an alpaca, and has worked his way up the pecking order in the herd.  He is a favorite playmate for our llama crias.  He has extremely dense fleece that is wonderful to work with.  His 2006 shearing weighed over 5 pounds, and measured in at only 22.1 microns!  With very little training, Ralph has taken to obstacles like no alpaca (or llama) that I've ever seen!  He will do almost anything you ask of him.  Ralph has taken to his costume just as easily as he did obstacles.  The 2007 and 2008 show seasons went very well for Ralph.  At the 2008 Indiana State Fair, Ralph beat 43 llamas in Novice Public Relations, earning the blue ribbon!  He competed very well again in 2009, placing 6th in a Novice Obstacle class of 37 llamas!  Ralph will once again hit the show ring this summer, showing in alpaca halter, novice performance, and possibly costume!