News
Latest News
6th Nov 2017
We have MOVED. Silverhill Alpacas is now situated on 8 hectares of beautiful grazing paddocks and 4 ha of native bush with beautiful views of the Kaipara Harbour. Yes, we are further north but still within a 2 hour drive of Auckland and only 14km from the famous Matakohe Kauri Museum. We hope to be offering farm tours again in the next few weeks, in time for the summer break. There are currently 41 alpacas on farm with 28 still to be transported up in the next few weeks.
6th Mar 2014
I can't believe I haven't updated this page in nearly a year - how remiss of me! We have had 22 cria born since last April - 6 suri and the rest huacaya. There is one more due in the next couple of weeks and then that's it until next season. Silverhill Viscount our silver grey male now has two cria on the ground - both grey and both female. They are both looking very nice and I'm very excited about one of them whose fleece is looking very dense and fine. Silverhill Valiant our rose grey boy has been certified and has now started working. He has 4 girls spitting off currently. I have sold a half share in him to Martina Alpacas in South Auckland.
I haven't attended many shows this year - just Expo in September and Warkworth in January. Kumeu is this weekend and I will be at NI Colourbration mid April.
30th Apr 2013
My weekend was absolutely exhausting but very good. Had 3 days at the Waikato Show with the trade site which did very well - over 15000 people through the gate over the 3 days. On the Saturday the North Island Colourbration Show was held and I did well with my grey boys and brown suri girl. Nonsuch Katharine Parr took out Champion Brown Female Suri, and my two grey boys took out Champion Male Grey Huacaya (Silverhill Valiant), Reserve Champion Male Grey Huacaya (Silverhill Vaughn) and Supreme Champion Grey Huacaya (Silverhill Valiant). This is the second year the boys have done a clean sweep of the grey broad ribbons (last year Vaughn got Supreme and Champion Male and Viscount got Reserve). One of the judges commented that Valiant could come and stay on his farm anytime. 
22nd Apr 2013
NATIONAL ALPACA DAY is on Sunday, May 5th 2013. Our farm will be open 10am-4pm on that day. Lots of alpacas for sale. Lots of alpaca products for sale. Here's your chance to bag a bargain. Opportunities to feed the alpacas and take one of them for a walk,
20th Feb 2013
Updated the females for sale with lots of starter females and great packages on offer. Have reviewed the stud fees and repriced all of those currently wholly owned by me to reflect the current market situation.
27th Jan 2013
Had a very successful day at the Warkworth Show yesterday. I had two animals in the line up for Junior Champion Huacaya. Silverhill Eliza had won her class (Med/Dk Fawn Junior Female Huacaya) and Silverhill Easter Sunday was 1st in Brown Junior Male Huacaya. There were 9 alpacas in the line up for Champion and after the judge, Nic Cooper deliberating for a long time, he eventually awarded Junior Champion Huacaya to Silverhill Easter Sunday. This was very exciting, especially for a brown to beat the whites and fawns. Next in the intermediate section, Silverhill Valiant won his class (Intermediate Grey Huacaya) for which there had been 5 grey boys competing, including a recent import from Australia. Valiant then went into the line up for Champion Intermediate Huacaya. Another handler had taken him in the ring and again, the judge was deliberating between four alpacas including the whites. He then completely floored me and blew me away by announcing he was giving the Championship to the grey, Silverhill Valiant. It is almost unheard of for a grey to win a championship when competing against the whites and fawns. Unfortunately neither of my boys won Supreme but I was exceedingly pleased with what they did win.
Silverhill Easter Sunday was sired by Silverstream Evaki (sadly now deceased) and his dam is Silverhill Holly. Silverhill Valiant was sired by my herdsire Silverhill Victor and his dam is Silverhill Ellen Elizabeth.
18th Dec 2012
New stud male added to Stud Male Services page. If you are looking for a grey boy for your grey or black girls then look no further than Silverhill Viscount, multiple broad ribbon show winner.
The shopping catalogue is now live and currently has three categories of product, all listed under my own label NutZ about ALPACA. Keep checking back as products will continue to be added on a regular basis.
12th Dec 2012
Whoa! I've been rather slack lately with updating the news so I'd better get on to it.
Show season started for us at the end of October with the Waikato Royal show. As always this is a very big show and competition is fierce. Silverhill Bartholomew came 5th out of a class of 11 medium/dark fawn junior huacaya males. Silverhill Easter Sunday came 1st in a class of 5 brown junior huacaya males. Silverhill Viscount came 1st in a class of 3 senior grey huacaya males, and went on to be awarded Grey Colour Champion which was a very pleasing result.
Last Sunday we were at the Whangarei show and we had a huge ribbon haul there - 11 1st, 3 2nd and 1 3rd. Silverhill Valiant came 1st in a class of 3 junior grey huacaya males and was also awarded Champion Grey Huacaya. His fleece was awarded Champion Grey Huacaya Fleece. Silverhill Easter Sunday came 1st in his class and was also awarded Champion Brown Huacaya and then went on to win Supreme Champion Huacaya. And to top it off, his fleece was awarded Champion Brown Huacaya Fleece and Supreme Champion Huacaya Fleece. A great thrill to get two Supreme Championships at the same show.
25th June 2012
We are currently overstocked so many females offered at ridiculously low prices. Check out the bargains to be had. Payment options are available, just ask. Also we have shares available in all our herdsires.
A lovely white Evaki female cria named Silverhill Esther was born 16 June. My last Evaki cria is due next week.
7th May 2012
A weekend of highs and lows. A double loss this weekend. Firstly one of my Australian imports, Forestglen Anastasia passed away on Saturday afternoon due to congestive heart failure and then today, I heard that one of the stud males I co-own, Silverstream Evaki passed away sometime early Saturday. They are both a huge loss.
The high was yesterday when we had a constant stream of visitors on our Open Day (part of National Alpaca Day). Had some good sales in the shop and also sold a package of three pet boys. Also, a female cria born to Silverhill Culley.
30 Apr 2012
Spent the weekend at the last show of the season. This was the inaugural NI Colourbration show, where there is a show for each alpaca colour so 24 Supreme Champions on offer (12 in the breed and 12 in the fleeces).
I'm thrilled to report that we came home with 10 broad ribbons - 4 Supreme Champions, 4 Champions and 2 Reserve Champion. My grey boys (Silverhill Viscount and Silverhill Vaughn) swept the board in both fleece and breed, taking Supreme Champion in both (one each). Two of the suri fleeces got Supreme Champion (Brown and Black). All in all, a great weekend.
25 Apr 2012
Our farm will be open for National Alpaca Open Day on Sunday May 6th from 10am - 4pm. We have some amazing packages on offer (see our May Madness sales page) plus our farm shop will also be open (cash sales only). Come and join us, and learn more about alpacas and why you should have them on your lifestyle property or farm.
21 Dec 2011
Christmas and New Year specials. Selling two females with their female crias at foot at bargain prices. Check out the Starter and Pregnant female pages for more details
20 Dec 2011
Good results from the Whangarei show with Silverhill Viscount awarded Champion Grey and his younger full brother Silverhill Vaughn getting Reserve Champion Grey. Vaughn also got Champion Grey Fleece. Silverhill Victor, their sire, won Sires Progeny with them.
23 Nov 2011
First cria by Silverhill Prince of Beltane was born on Sunday. A medium fawn boy - looking good.
1 Nov 2011
Spent the weekend at the Waikato Show which saw just under 300 breed entries. All five fleece that I entered got a ribbon, with Silverhill Viscount (grey fleece) picking up Champion Grey Huacaya Fleece and beating the National Expo Grey Fleece Champion by 1 point. In the breed entries Silverhill Viscount 4th, Silverhill Vianca 3rd, Nonsuch Jane Seymour 2nd, Nonsuch Anne of Cleves 3rd, Thistledown Montezuma 3rd and my junion grey male, Silverhill Vaughn 1st PLUS Champion Grey Huacaya (beating a strong line up of grey 1st place getters in other age groups.) A highlight to end the show on. Although entered by one of his other owners, Silverstream G Force was again awarded Reserve Champion for his fleece.
19 Oct 2011
New Stud fee tiering system introduced for Silverhill wholly owned males. When I first entered the industry alpaca boys were selling as pets for $1000+ and therefore if you paid a stud fee of $1000 at least you got your money back when you sold them. However, this is no longer the case. I am therefore following the protocol offered in some other pedigree livestock industries and having a two tier stud fee system. Initial fee pays for the servicing of the female, plus some mobile mating expenses. Additional fee is for the right to register the cria by the issue of A4 form.
19 Oct 2011
Show season started with a bang at a great Expo in Tauranga. Silverhill Viscount 3rd in class (breed), 1st in class (fleece), Silverhill Vaughn 2nd in Class (breed), Silverhill Rose Ellen 3rd in class (fleece), Silverhill Tenacious and Silverhill Beltane 4th in class (fleece). Plus Silverstream G Force Reserve Champion (breed) and 2 x Reserve Champion (fleece)
29 Aug 2011
Gilt Edge Jasper and Silverstream Evaki available for stud duties in Northland/Auckland to end of September, after which they will be returning to Hawkes Bay and South Island respectively.
Expo entries now in and halter training the juniors underway.
2 May 2011
Well, despite rain being forecast for the whole of Sunday, with heavy rain expected in the afternoon, the rain actually held off until 3.30pm, by which time all of our visitors were on the point of leaving. Lots of interest generated in alpacas plus the sale of 3 pet boys which two groups were interested in purchasing, but only one could be successful.
30 Mar 2011
National Alpaca Day is on May 1st and we will be opening our farm between 10am - 4pm. Alpacas will be on display with some good bargains to be had for people interested in starting a small herd. or adding to an existing one. The opportunity to feed the alpacas and possibly lead them will be there for those who want to get up close to an alpaca. Our farm shop, selling carded fibre suitable for spinning or felting, alpaca yarn for knitters or weavers and handknitted accessories such as scarves, beanies, gloves and baby socks. Cash sales only as EFTPOS is not available.
21 Feb 2011
We had a good day at Franklin Show with all the team winning a ribbon. Viscount was Best of Colour - Grey and for a change there were a reasonable number of grey entries so he had more competition and therefore his success was more meaningful. Beltane came 2nd to Noah (again) but picked up the Reserve Champion Senior beating out all the other colours including white/light fawn. Another two shows coming up in the next three weeks so we will be busy.
2 Feb 2011
Rotorua show was held in the wake of Cyclone Wilma. Torrential rain caused slips on SH5 near Rotorua which meant finding a detour around the back roads to the show ground. Once there the stream that flows through the showground had risen alarmingly almost to the level of the wooden bridge we needed to cross to get to the show ring and pens. The stream was threatening to flow over the bank into the alpaca pen but luckily the rain had stopped and after a while the water started to recede. The Convenor and several breeders who had stayed with her overnight were trapped as the bottom of their driveway had washed away and it was impossible to drive out, so there were quite a few scratchings. Nevertheless it was a good day and we came away with a ribbon for each of the alpacas we'd entered plus a Championship ribbon with our grey boy.
18 Jan 2011
Latest cria on the ground is a lovely light grey female sired by Silverhill Victor. This is his second grey cria and a big surprise given that the dam is a brown girl with a white face (which I guess may make her genetically roan but not a sign of grey in her pedigree).
13 Dec 2010
Fleece stats have come back and we are really pleased with this years results. Most encouraging was that 8 out of 9 of Victors progeny (ranging from 2 mths to 20 mths) came back in the ultrafine (under 19 micron) range, including his black daughter (age 20 months at shearing) and one of his brown daughters (age 15 months at shearing).
6 Dec 2010
Good results at Whangarei Show yesterday. In addition to numerous 1st and 2nd place ribbons, we took out Champion Grey and Champion Grey Fleece with Silverhill Viscount (a grey boy sired by Silverhill Victor) and Reserve Champion Mid/Dk Fawn with Silverhill Prince of Beltane. Beltane had a good weekend as he settled his first female on Saturday. Supreme Champion at Whangarei Show was Silverstream G Force, a magnificent white boy we co-own with Kaipara Pines Alpaca Stud, Silverstream Alpaca Stud and Waitakere Alpacas. He is in the North Island until February and available for stud duties now.
10 Nov 2010
Due to slow growth of grass with a drought looking likely for the second year running (we already have large cracks in our paddocks due to lack of rain over the past month) we need to reduce our herd size quickly and are having a HERD REDUCTION SALE. All offers considered.
14 Oct 2010
Went down to Expo in Christchurch last weekend and picked up two 3rd place ribbons (for Silverhill Maria in junior female white/light fawn and Silverhill Viscount in junior male grey) plus Champion Senior Male for Silverstream G Force which was very exciting. There were 3 aftershocks over 4.0 whilst I was in Christchurch but I didn't feel any of them thank goodness.
31 Aug 2010
Well, the drought broke middle of May and now we are up to our ankles in mud. It's funny to watch the alpaca trying to avoid the muddiest bits of ground or tiptoeing through mud they just can't avoid. With rain every weekend for what seems like ages, halter training is way behind schedule. Entries for National Expo close this coming Sunday so I'm just about to send mine off. I made the decision to travel down to Christchurch - it's the first time we have attended Expo in South Island and Silverhill Alpacas is proud to be sponsoring Champion Adult Female and Male Huacaya. It should be an exciting three days.
5 July 2010
Silverstream Evaki and Gilt Edge Jasper arrived at Silverhill Alpacas on Saturday and are now available for stud services during the winter and spring months. Both Evaki and Jasper now have cria on the ground.
1 July 2010
We went down to Napier for the AANZ Conference last weekend and had a good time listening to the various speakers and catching up with other breeders. Some very interesting, well presented topics and well worth the 7 hour drive each way.
9 June 2010
Our last cria of the season was born on 1 June, a white male. Our next cria are due in September so we have a 3 month break from birthing. Since last July we have had 16 cria born, one of which (a male F1 suri) unfortunately died in the first 24 hours. We also had a 50% girl/boy ratio with 8 girls and 8 boys.
2 Jun 2010
Our on-farm alpaca shop will be open this coming Queens Birthday weekend. Stocking carded fibre, knitting yarn, and our own knitwear. If you are passing on the way from Auckland to Mangawhai, feel free to drop by and browse.