A new summer do

CRANE The transformation went from fuzzy cotton ball to furry Q-tip.

More than 50 alpaca's were sheared Thursday and Friday at the Dusty Creek Ranch in Crane.

"The fleece on an alpaca is the end product," Susan Frank said. "We harvest their fleece yearly so that we can sell it."

 The alpacas are part of a group that went to the TxOLAN Alpaca Spectacular show, which was held in Fort Worth in February.

In total four alpacas participated in the show.

"We did great," Frank said. "Most of them got either a first place or a second place, and then we had a couple place third."

Some of the fleece from the alpacas will be sent to another show. There, judges will look at the fleece's fiber.

Jamie Jones of Southern Indiana traveled all the way to West Texas to sheer the animals.

He works with of a group of shearers that come over from New Zealand, Frank said.

Jones has been shearing for five years.

"My mother actually has some animals, some alpacas and the guys that use to come and sheer at my mom's place got me involved with it," Jones said.

Jones said it's important to sheer the animals for their own safety.

"They'll overheat and die if you don't shear them," he said.

Once the fleece is removed, Frank said it is packaged and sent to their co-op.

"They process it and we have the option of getting goods wholesale cost or just getting a check," Frank said.

While some of the alpacas will be participating in another show in Denver, the rest of the herd can begin to enjoy their time off.

"They're treated like luxury from here on out," Frank said.

HOW'D THEY DO?

>> Nugget 1st Place Fleece

>> Reeza 2nd Place Fleece

>> Mirage 2nd Place Halter

>> Davenport 3rd Place Halter

>> Gold Rush 5th Place Halter

>> Susan Frank and Gold Rush 1st Place Open Showmanship