Hemet’s Barbie Carlson won eight ribbons and a leather banner at this year’s California State Fair.
“I certainly didn’t expect it,” Carlson said.
The ribbons for Carlson’s two-year-old alpaca, Sneakers, included one for best in show during the halter competition. Sneakers and the performance grand champion had the same number of points and the other alpaca won on the tiebreaking criteria, so Sneakers provided Carlson with the performance reserve champion leather banner. “He did well,” Carlson said.
Carlson competed in two fairs within a week of each other. She has two show animals. Six-year-old Abraham is a huarizo; his father was an alpaca and his mother is a llama. Abraham was in the July 19-21 llama show at the Orange County Fair and was chosen as the reserve performance champion from among the 27 animals.
“Abraham was doing really good,” Carlson said.
The Orange County Fair, which is in Costa Mesa, also has a honey competition. The animals Carlson has at Olive Branch Fiber Farm also include bees. One jar of honey Carlson entered at the Orange County Fair took first place in the dark honey category, and she also received third place for her light honey entry.
“That was pretty cool,” Carlson said.
Carlson left for the state fair in Sacramento the night of July 24. Even at night she had a problem with Los Angeles area traffic. Another vehicle exited an on-ramp to a freeway and moved over three lanes without slowing. That driver hit Carlson’s truck.
“I escaped with minimal damage,” Carlson said. “I was able to keep going.”
Body damage to the fender resulted from the collision, so the delay in traveling to Sacramento was due to Carlson reporting the incident to the California Highway Patrol. The other driver did not stop after colliding with Carlson’s truck.
After her July 25 arrival in Sacramento the animals were transferred to their pen. Carlson also set up the display in her pen that day. “I got it all put together,” she said.
The shorn fleece show was that afternoon. Fleece from Sneakers gave Carlson third place in that competition.
In the halter competition Sneakers won the two-year-old male breeder class. He then competed against the other male class champions and won that champion ribbon. “I was really thrilled,” Carlson said.
“Him being a two-year-old you don’t expect too much,” Carlson said. “He was going against the seasoned ones.”
The champion male, champion female, and champion non-breeder competed for Best of Show. Sneakers also won that award. “You’re not just beating those two. You’re beating everybody that was there,” Carlson said.
The performance competition, which did not have lower levels, has three components: the obstacle course, the public relations course (mimicking activities which would likely occur if a llama or alpaca is brought to a public event, on a visit to a school or other facility, or to the filming of a television segment), and the pack course. Ribbons are given for placing in each segment, and the points from each component are added to determine the performance grand champion and the performance reserve champion.
Avalanche, who is owned by Joy Pedroni of Vacaville, was the state fair’s grand champion alpaca in both 2022 and 2023 and was the reserve champion at the 2018 and 2019 state fairs. Carlson is used to competing against Pedroni, but the 2024 state fair was the first time Carlson had seen Avalanche since Carlson’s alpaca Lincoln passed away May 12. Avalanche and Lincoln, who was Abraham’s father, looked alike. “Unless you know their demeanor you wouldn’t know who was who,” Carlson said.
Lincoln was 10 when he passed away from unknown causes. “Lincoln not being there was very, very difficult,” Carlson said of seeing Avalanche.
Carlson and Lincoln were often in the same show as Pedroni and Avalanche. “We were very competitive with each other for many, many years,” Carlson said.
This year Sneakers placed second twice and third once. Avalanche earned two first-place ribbons and had one fifth-place result.
Sneakers and Avalanche tied for total points. In the event of a tie how the animals placed in the obstacle session is used as the tiebreaker. Avalanche was first on the obstacle course and Sneakers placed second.
Pedroni had made the decision to retire Avalanche after the state fair. “I have never been more thrilled for her to win it this year,” Carlson said.
Three days after Lincoln passed away Carlson’s alpaca Smokey, who was 22 1/2, passed away. Carlson won the 2023 Orange County Fair championship with Smokey in his second-to-final show. Smokey was retired after placing second in obstacle, third in pack, and third in public relations at the September 30-October 1 Alpaca and Llama Show Association’s Western Regional Show in Lancaster. Carlson noted the significance of Avalanche concluding his show career as the state fair performance grand champion while noting that Sneakers will have additional chances to win championships at the state fair. “My little guy is two years old,” she said.
Sneakers still received reserve performance champion as a two-year-old. “That’s like a big deal,” Carlson said. “To be that far up as a two-year-old, I couldn’t ask for more.”
Carlson’s other ribbon was given for the herdsman award for the best barn display with three or fewer animals. The criteria included educational display, creativity, and cleanliness.
Tammy Shaefle, who is Carlson’s sister, lives in Modesto. Shaefle traveled to Sacramento for the alpaca show portion of the state fair and helped in the barn. “It was nice having her because we grew up showing dairy animals,” Carlson said.
Carlson was raised on a dairy in San Jacinto and graduated from San Jacinto High School in 1984. She moved to Hemet in 1987 and her property now includes a ranch of rescue animals. Diamond Valley Alpacas, which was in Hemet before relocating to central Oregon, gave Sneakers to Carlson.
At the state fair Carlson’s barn included a cardstock background with an alpaca outline, and fairgoers could glue wool onto the alpaca. “They got to feel the wool. They got to do something with it,” Carlson said.
Joe Naiman can be reached via email at jnaiman@reedermedia.com.
