It's Official ...... "NeverSummer's American Iron" ..... bringing Aussie .38 Special bloodlines back to Stonyridge for the 2015 breeding season! .38 Special has been sold to East Coast breeders, so when the opportunity to host this quality son came along, we jumped. Thank you to owners Dale Davis of Derwydd Alpacas, and Dee Souza of La Dee Da Alpacas for trusting us with your boy. This is his third summer here, and his first crop of cria for us hit the ground last year. They are stunning! Get your reservation early, so you don't miss out on this limited opportunity. American Iron will arrive Mid June and be here through October 2015. Yes, he has the requisite successful run in the show ring, but more importantly this male has the power in his pedigree that tips the scales in his favor for reproducing his awesome phenotype, and desirable conformation and fleece characteristics. 3 year histogram = 22.3/ 4.4/ 19.6 with a spin fineness of 21.7. Iron is full brother to the high-selling alpaca at the 2011 Futurity Auction! "NeverSummer's Chautauqua" Iron's pedigree is packed: Hemingway, Victor, Royal Fawn, 5Peruvian Royal Incan Legend, Lanark's Silver Charm, Peruvian Aladdin ....... and let's not forget Hannaruh. Experienced breeders know the value in stacking a pedigree with proven and repeatable genetics, and American Iron brings that to the breeding pen. He is exactly the type of male to compliment any quality grey breeding program. Such a stunning young male - super heavy bone, outstanding presence, macho head ("Best Head" award winner at the 2011 International Alpaca Odyssey!) and a calm disposition. Get into his silky, fine, bright, LONG fiber and it melts away to the touch. Its one of those fleeces that just gets better with age. Iron is sired by the incomparable grey herdsire, Aussie .38 Special. As he ages, .38 Special just keeps getting better. He is a two-time Judges' Choice winner, including Judges' Choice Fleece at the 2010 AOBA Nationals (4th fleece!).

Arista's joining my foundation herd was one of those things that was clearly meant to be. I missed the boat on her the first time around, so when fate conspired to make her available the 2nd time, I didn't hesitate. Between her pedigree, fantastic coloration, and impeccable conformation, this was a female who was destined to join our foundation herd. Arista's dam, Peaceful Valley Grace, was the matriarch of Stonyridge Alpacas' renowned herd. Grace has produced multiple champions, including Arista's full sister, Steele Magnolia. A rock-solid dam line, all five of Grace's daughters have gone on to become powerful producers for their herds. Grace's descendents have been consistently kicking butt in the show ring. They have also been very consistently black and silver grey, with the only few lighter colors produced by much lighter sires. Grace's line appears to be very homozygous for all of the right black alleles! Then, there is her sire, Aussie Rockford. Rockford needs no introduction to grey alpaca breeders -- or to harlequin appaloosa alpaca breeders, for that matter, of which Howling Hill Farm is most assuredly both. Aussie Rockford is not only a legendary sire of correctly conformed, fine-fleeced grey alpacas; he is also a well-known carrier of the harlequin appaloosa gene. This gene is one of the reasons that I absolutely had to bring Arista into our program: although she is a phenotypic tuxedo grey, she has confirmed herself to be a harlequin carrier. All three of Arista's offspring to date have been smashing, but it was her first, Corvus, who really caught my eye. Corvus is a truly solid, gunmetal grey -- my ideal alpaca color. He started life, however, as a light fawn. This transformation is a hallmark of the harlequin gene, and the uniform silver phenotype is one of the rarest manifestations of this amazing coloration. Arista's second son, Milestone, is a gorgeous boy who is still pursuing his show career. Her third cria is a daughter, American Maid. American Maid is a typey, incredibly stout female with an amazing staple length, dramatic brightness, and incredibly soft handle. This is little surprise, given the wonderful handle of Arista's fleece! Her second fleece scored 98/100 points at the CABA Classic Spin-Off, with the suggestion that the yarn be used for next to the skin garments. Arista arrived here bred back to Neversummer's American Iron. She produced a stunning light fawn female with impeccable conformation and a beautiful head who sold the moment she was listed. Oh my goodness gracious. Cria #5 has arrived, and holy moley, Arista knocked it out of the ballpark this time with a STUNNING, big-boned, typey leopard appaloosa with awesome fleece. This one is so impressive that, for the first time EVER, we repeated that breeding!