TXOLAN Sweetheart Spectacular Alpaca Show brings memorable moments with furry friends

WICHITA FALLS, Texas (KAUZ) - The TXOLAN (Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, and New Mexico) Sweetheart Spectacular Alpaca Show has made its way to Wichita Falls, showcasing many astute alpacas and the skills they’ve developed.

The five-state organization said that 455 entries of alpacas come from all over the United States to compete. Categories include walking fleeces and fleece. There’s also a full youth event happening all day on Saturday.

“Well, the people coming to this event and bringing animals are probably from 22 states represented. People coming from the East Coast...we have people from as far away as Portland, Oregon, so that’s kind of the broad spectrum,“ President Bob Pulse said.

Gina Glasscock, the vice president of the Texoma & Alpaca Association and five-state regional affiliate, said the event has been going on for 30-plus years.

Pulse said they will have a live alpaca auction, and that 40 alpacas will be auctioned off in the show arena.

Glasscock said that her love for alpacas goes far.

“I have a 15-hundred-square-foot store on all my property; we have a guest house, and we have an Airbnb. We host families that want to come and learn about alpacas, care, and handling, so I do nothing but education,“ Glasscock said.

The event is free, and the board encourages everyone to come out and participate in all the youth activities that will be offered.

“As Gina said, we’re the largest alpaca show in the nation right now, other than our national show, and our regional show, we’re the largest,” Pulse said.

Today, alpacas will be judged by the quality of their fleece and participate in a show preview of all the animals being auctioned. Glasscock emphasized that the reason they are in it is for the beauty of the animal and the natural warmth of its fiber.

“The reason that we breed what we do, besides the fact that they’re absolutely beautiful animals, is that they produce an amazing quality fleece. It has more practical uses than any other natural fiber; it has a high tensile string; it’s super soft, it’s [...] soft as cashmere, and can be used in multiple types of garments,” Glasscock said.

Glasscock said the show is happening all day Saturday and Sunday, from 7:00 a.m. to 10 p.m., and is open to the public.