Meet the Judges

Roger Clarke and his wife Elaine established Amberly Alpacas in 2006, at their home in Northern Ireland’s picturesque Clogher Valley. One of the very first breeders in Ireland, the couple have worked tirelessly to continually develop and improve their herd and now pride themselves on being one of the most successful, experienced and influential herds on the island of Ireland.

Keeping a mixed herd of both huacaya and suris, the Clarke’s are very proud to have achieved multiple Supreme Championship awards for their alpacas and are particularly proud of winning Supreme Champion Huacaya at the 2019 BAS National Show.

Members of the British Alpaca Society, the Northern Ireland Alpaca Group and the Alpaca Association of Ireland, the couple have also worked through various stages of alpaca-related training to become Ireland’s first BAS affiliate training couple. In 2019, they established the Alpaca Education Centre of Ireland from which they deliver and host a wide range of training and educational events.

Roger’s particular interest in genetic advancement culminated in 2019 when he became the first person on the island of Ireland to qualify as a BAS certified judge for both halter and fleece. Since qualifying, he has enjoyed the honour of judging right across the globe including: The Alpaca Expo in Austria, The Melbourne Royal Show in Australia, the BAS National Fleece and Halter Show in the UK and the Australian Alpaca Association’s National Show in Bendigo. Roger considers it a true privilege to have the opportunity to appraise people’s animals.

Peter successfully attended the International Alpaca Judging School (IAJS) in the Peruvian altiplano in 2004 and started judging apprenticeships in Australia and the USA also in 2004. Subsequently certified as a judge in the following jurisdictions; Australia, New Zealand and the USA. He has since qualified as a senior judge in Australia for the AAA (Australian Alpaca Association) and in New Zealand for AANZ (Alpaca Association of New Zealand). He was also certified in the USA for AOA (Alpaca Owners Association), where he was also certified as a Judge Trainer. (He is no longer qualified as a New Zealand or American judge as he is no longer a member of the respective alpaca associations).

Peter has designed and presented training clinics for judges in New Zealand and Australia. He has presented training clinics for breeders in Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada and throughout Europe.

Since qualifying as a judge, Peter has judged shows internationally in Canada, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Europe, the USA and throughout Australia. Highlights have been judging the National shows in Australia, New Zealand, Britain and the USA, as well as the American, British and Canadian Futurity Shows. Peter has been involved in alpacas since 1998 and was a full time alpaca breeder for 16 years from 2003. Peter and his husband Robert sold their alpaca business in 2019 but Peter continues to judge and is still involved in training as the opportunities arise.