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| The Bozedown Team |
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Joy Whitehead 
My introduction to alpacas was in 1989, when I immediately saw the potential for their wonderful fleece, which could easily rival cashmere. I bought my first alpacas, a male and 4 females, in June 1989, and have been learning about them ever since. Three of the females arrived with all the fleece they had ever grown, and one of these was 4 years old, with fleece reaching the floor, so right away I had to find a shearer. That first winter I learned to spin, in order to obtain a greater understanding of the fibre, and in 1991 went to the Peruvian altiplano to see the alpacas natural home, and to study the local spinning, dying and weaving of alpaca fibre.
My life has been taken up increasingly with all things alpaca ever since. I served on the British Camelids and BAS committees for a total of 11 years. In 2005 British Camelids presented me with the Benevides Trophy, a very proud moment, for my services to the British Camelid Industry.
I have attended and organised many Conferences and Seminars, and I have been able to share the knowledge gained with many new owners. I have researched processing methods for the fibre, producing some wonderful end product.
I have been privileged to work alongside Dr Jane Wheeler in Peru, in her investigations into the mummified remains of pre-
Conquest llamas and alpacas. Her latest scientific research, proving by DNA research that alpacas are domesticted vicu as, was published in 2003. Read the report by Miranda Kadwell of this research, given at the Bozedown Fair in 2000.
I believe that the welfare of the animals should be the prime concern of all alpacas owners, as this way we will produce healthy strong crias and good quality fleece.
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Ken Whitehead
Ken has been a long-term support to Joy, and doing most of the photography and advertisements over the years.
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Mary Jo-Smith
Our niece Mary-Jo Smith (MacDonald) joined us after graduating from St. Francis Xavier University in Canada in 2000 with a Bachelors in Business Administration with a major in Accounting. She grew up in a farming community in Alberta, and had a 4H background in showing cattle and horses; she was also a weed inspector for the Canadian government. She has now become a partner in Bozedown Alpacas. Her expertise in selection and breeding of alpacas maintains us at the forefront of alpaca breeding in the UK.
Mary-Jo is a Director of the British Alpaca Society and is training to become a British Alpaca Judge.
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Iain Smith
Mary-Jo's husband Iain Smith has become a essential part of the Bozedown Alpacas family team. He is in charge of our pasture management and grazing rotation along with the maintenance and welfare of the animals. Iain is from a farming family, and graduated with Distinction from Berkshire Agricultural College.
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Kirsten Smith
Gerry Handcocks manages all our records - a very important part of our alpaca management. He is the friendly voice who often answers your telephone call. |
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Claire Whitehead
Our daughter Claire Whitehead graduated in 1999 from the Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies in Edinburgh. She worked in both mixed and small animal practices in the UK, before moving to the US where she completed a 3 year Residency programme in Large Animal Internal Medicine (specialising in Camelid Medicine) in 2005 at The Ohio State University in the United States. There she worked under David Anderson. She gained her Masters degree with a research paper into the transplacental and transmammary transfer of Vitamin D to neonatal alpacas and llamas, and also passed board certification examinations to become a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Large Animal). Following the residency, she worked another year as a Clinical Instructor at Ohio State before returning to the UK where she is establishing a referral service for camelids at The Royal Veterinary College, London. Claire has lectured widely in the US and Europe, provides a consultation service for many UK vets, and advises and supervises Bozedown Alpacas in her veterinary capacity. She also runs education courses for both vets and breeders.
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