The Experts

Four days of learning and adventure in Central Oregon with your expert guides:
Dr. Julio Sumar, Teacher of Teachers, Alpaca Judge, Expert and Veterinarian ~Cheryl Gehly, AOBA fleece judge & instructor ~Amanda VandenBosch, Senior AOBA Halter and Fleece Judge & International Alpaca Judge ~Jude Anderson, Senior AOBA Halter and Fleece Judge & International Alpaca Judge~Marty McGee Bennett, Camelidynamics Founder ~ Brad Bennett, Camelidynamics facility expert ~ Debbie & Scott Miller, hands-on managers of over 450 alpacas ~ Dr. Rachel Oxley, Camelid Specialist ~ Dr. Andy Merriwether, color genetics expert. ~ Kathy Sizemore, CPA.

Dr. Julio Sumar, DVM, MS, FRCVS

Don Julio Sumar, DVM, MS, FRCVS, teacher of teachers, has been a dedicated veterinary for more than 40 years, dedicating his professional life to the study of the South American camelid. He served as director of the La Raya High Altitude Research Station in Puno, Peru through the University of San Marcos. He has published three books and more than 100 scientific articles and is currently Peru’s most senior alpaca judge along with American and international judge certification.

Amanda VandenBosch

Amanda has always had a devotion for animals. Growing up with horses and raising many different kinds of livestock, from hedgehogs to horses, llamas and her ultimate love the alpaca, she truly appreciates the beauty of an animal!

Amanda holds a National Diploma in Stud Management from The National Stud in England. Awarded a scholarship gave Amanda the opportunity to travel to Australia, spending the next three years working dual breeding seasons in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, where she gained invaluable experience in breeding, raising and marketing livestock internationally.

Amanda is a certified Senior AOBA Alpaca Halter, Fleece and Performance Judge and an International Alpaca Judge, she also has a private consulting service and travels the US and Worldwide judging and giving hands on workshops and clinics.

Marty McGee Bennett & Brad Bennett

Author of the most popular and comprehensive book on camelid behavior management and handling The Camelid Companion, Marty McGee Bennett has traveled the world teaching workshops for llama and alpaca enthusiasts for almost 30 years. With her husband Brad Bennett they now enjoying living in Bend Oregon with their small herd of lucky alpacas and llamas AND their doodles, cats and chickens.

Dr. Andy Merriwether

Andy Merriwether received his B.A. in Medical Anthropology and B.S. in Biology from Pennsylvania State University in 1988, his M.S. in Genetics from Pennsylvania State University in 1989, and his Ph.D. in Human Genetics from the University of Pittsburgh in 1993. Dr. Merriwether was a fellow at the Keck Center for Advanced Training in Computational Biology in Pittsburgh from 1993-1996. From 1996-2003 Dr. Merriwether was an assistant professor of anthropology and of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology ath the University of Michigan, and from 1999-2003 was a faculty member in the Center for Statistical Genetics and the Center for Molecular and Clinical Epidemiology of Infectious Disease at the University of Michigan as well. From 2003 to the present, Dr. Merriwether has been an associate professor of Anthropology and of Biology at Binghamton University (State University of New York). Dr. Merriwether has authored and co-authored over 50 scientific papers, articles and book chapters. Dr. Merriwether has long studied genetic evidence for human and animal variation, evolution and migration around the world, including the domestication of camelids, camelid evolution, and the genetics of pigmentation and of health and disease in camelids. Dr. Merriwether established the Camelid DNA Bank at Binghamton University in 2002-2003, which will pass 3000 samples by the end of 2010. Andy and Ann Merriwether co-own Nyala Farm Alpacas where they have over 55 alpacas, all huacayas except for two demonstration model suris. Nyala Farm also raises Wensleydale sheep, Jacobs sheep, Angora rabbits, and Clydesdale horses and is located in Vestal, New York.

Scott & Debbie Miller

Debbie and Scott own Greener Pastures Alpacas and manage the Crescent Moon Ranch operation. New to the alpaca business in 2000, together they attended the International Alpaca Judging School on the altiplano in Peru, in 2001. That experience, along with the management of a large herd at Crescent Moon Ranch and years of extensive showing and handling has provided them with vast and unique insights into the alpaca. While Debbie handles all issues (and they are numerous) which are alpaca, Scott`s focus is on the business and herd improvement. Together they love what they do and we think it shows!

Dr. Rachel Oxley

Dr. Rachel A. Oxley, DVM grew up on a Cattle Ranch and has spent her entire life working with both large and small animals. She graduated from Oregon State University School of Veterinary Medicine in 1998 and has practiced Mixed Animal Veterinary Medicine in Central Oregon for the last 11 years, concentrating on Camelid Medicine. After working in a Mixed Animal Practice with six Doctors for nine years and has recently started her own practice. While in Vet School at Oregon State found she was very interested in Camelid Medicine and Surgery, and has been able to pursue that interest in Central Oregon.

Jude Anderson

Jude Anderson, along with her husband Alan Cousill, has been breeding suri and huacaya alpacas since 1991, at Pucara Alpaca Stud, Victoria, Australia. They also co-own Purrumbete Alpaca Stud, a separate herd of approximately 120 suri females. Both herds are managed by their partners in Australia. In the US, they are building a herd of quality suris and huacayas at Pucara International, a beautiful 105 acre farm at McMinnville, Oregon.

In 1994 Jude left school teaching to concentrate fully on the breeding and animal care of alpacas at Pucara Alpaca Stud.

An AAA judge since 1998, Jude gained AOBA certification in 2002 and Senior Judge and judge trainer/instructor status in 2005. She also certified at the IAJS school in Peru in 2000. Since 1998 Jude has judged in Australia, USA, Canada, New Zealand and the UK.

Jude has also conducted seminars and spoken in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, USA, UK and Germany on alpaca related topics including breeding, reproduction and alpaca husbandry, alpaca fiber, selection, genetics, and nutrition.

Cheryl Gehly

Cheryl Gehly came to the alpaca world with a background of 25 years in education. Her subsequent immersion and fascination with alpaca fleece arose from an innocent decision to volunteer with shearing back in 1998. Once hooked, she pursued a desire to learn more and ultimately became an AOBA Certified Fleece Judge in 2002. Cheryl was appointed as a member of the AOBA Judge Advisory Committee and is currently the chairperson. She is also the fleece judge liaison to the Show Rules Committee and the Judge Training and Certification Committee. Cheryl also gives breeder seminars around the country as well as judging multiple AOBA Certified Fleece Shows annually.

Alpaca Education August 18-21, 2011 Bend, Oregon