At Autumn Sun Alpacas, we know that is no secret that this true black herdsire is an all-around package that you will want to cover any dam, light or dark colored! Secret is a black that had no fading at his tips or interspersed white fibers when he was showing (he's getting a few 'old man' white hairs now). This isn't surprising with a lineage that includes notable black sires like Othello, recently deceased, and Snowmass Nova's Dark Quest. With his distinctive head and leg coverage, along with his inky black fiber, many stopped and stared at Secret the ring. And worthy of that attention, his fiber has extreme density, bright shine, bundled crimp, and soft handle. These are traits that you want to add or amplify in your breeding program! This is obvious in the 10x champion true black son, AutumnSun's Black Maelstrom. We were fortunate to have had our program benefit from such an exceptional offspring, especially as he was just one of only a few we have performed to Secret! We have the fortune of several excellent herdsires, including grey and black, so Secret has had to be patient. And, Maelstrom is just as a precocious stud just as his sire, as both started breeding under 2 years old. Father and son both breed black well into our program. As our Secret is getting up there in years and we we don't want to overtax him (he is still breeding for us), we are closing him to outside breedings.

AutumnSun's Fresca, daughter of 12x champion Red Granites Mr Ben Franklin (son of Snowmass Matrix Rose and half brother to many 10x Judges Choice Red Granites Val d LSere) gathered her first place and Color Champion wins at her first show. She went on to garner judges' favor for her long staple, fineness & uniformity, and crimp uniformity throughout her many shows. From those showings, she brought home a Color or Reserve Color Champion ribbon / banner 3x! No small thing with how competitive fawn classes are nowadays. Her 2020 cria was a fawn girl by an outside male but was a 'failure to thrive' loss, never standing on her own or trying to nurse and was lost the same day. Fresca was then bred to our multiple champion and sire of champions, Dark Secret for her 2021 cria. We thought she had not successfully grafted to this beautiful TB male she produced and in our zeal to 'save' him, we intervened to bottle feed him -- however, data from watching more patiently of her interactions with her 2022 girl, we realize that she is shy and doesn't like people watching her crias nurse. Well, we are glad we gave her another try. Not only is she an excellent mom to her 2022 LF girl by our Major General, Champagne Bubbles, a little girl that is very nice and a sweetheart to boon. Always an easy keeper, we know now that Fresca is a really "hands off" girl -- as in she doesn't want you anywhere near her or the cria after it is born. She will eye you suspiciously and refuse to nurse if she can even see you. With a little covert spying were able to witness her doting care, with her clucking and nuzzling and even making the cria get up to nurse. To soothe ourselves, we left her with a buddy and their crias in a pen to ensure close contact, but was able to let them out in only a few days, the girl going on to grow well due to a solid mothering bond. Her 2024 cria is another fantastic true black male that we are excited to watch while he develops.