About Us
As two professionals with stable and successful jobs in 1996, we realized that truly being happy in life comes from following a dream. However, like so many people, we were too wrapped up in careers to define our dreams until leadership school shocked us both back to reality, and we started defining personal goals and wishes. We immediately realized that living in Las Vegas did not fit the outdoor and adventurous lifestyle that we desired. What was obvious was that we both loved the mountains and loved Colorado, but the big mystery was how to live happily in the place we wanted, in the style we wanted, and with a reasonable financial security.
While Lucinda’s career of commercial real estate was reasonably transportable from state to state, my career of mining engineer working on nuclear waste simply didn’t exist in Colorado, so the puzzle was what to do. The one thing that both of us had in common was the love of animals, but we knew that we didn’t want to raise cattle or horses. Then, while reading an airlines magazine, we came across an ad for alpacas. Strange and exotic, we pursued more information, researched the possibilities, and did our best to find the holes and pitfalls. We visited several alpaca farms which piqued our interest even further. However, the thing that really hooked us was a phone call and visit to the very good people at Champion Alpacas in California. They took the time to talk with us, answer our questions, and even invite us for a hands-on visit. Chris and Susan Lehner (from Champion) have since become our personal friends and mentors in our ventures, and example of professionalism that we strive to emulate in our own venture.
On Labor Day weekend of 2003, we took the plunge and purchased our first three female alpacas. Still not having our ranch in Colorado set up, we agisted our starter herd while we made plans. We wound up selling our first property in Colorado, and buying a ranch just half a mile away that was already set up with barns, pasture, and housing. In 2005, the opportunity came for Bruce to opt for an early out of the project, so the stage was set, and we moved to our new 52 acre ranch in May to begin our new life. While Lucinda kept working her job, Bruce became a “kept man” albeit working to refurbish all that he could before permanently moving the animals to the ranch in August of 2005. From that time on, we never looked back, and we realized that in order to be really successful, we’d have to increase the size of our herd in short order. By putting a conservation easement on our land, we were able to obtain a cash influx that allowed us to purchase additional animals. Our current ranch of 96 acres now houses a herd of 60 plus animals, where we grow all our own hay, raise two horses, three dogs, five cats, and countless wild critters that come and go.
There is no denying that anything worth having takes effort, and raising alpacas is no exception. However, it has all turned out to be a labor of love. Living in this beautiful mountain setting, breathing fresh clean air, and holding real cuddly results has proved that this was the right choice. Along the way, we have learned so much, but our quality of life has improved astronomically. No more asthma, no more suffering from smog, lower blood pressure, and not a single doctor visit in three years demonstrates just some of the qualities of the lifestyle.
We also realized that having a first class alpaca ranch demands attention to quality, hence our motto of “Breeding for Quality.” Through careful selection of foundation animals, quality breeding, and attention to details, we have grown our herd to focus mainly on the white and lighter colors. Along the way, we have enjoyed the occasional injection of rose grays, bay blacks, and brown colors, and that only adds spice to our lives.
In 2007 our ranch reached the point where owning our own quality stud made sense for future breeding. Consequently, we were able to acquire Alta Sierra’s Jerry G just as his breeding career was ready to begin. Before his first offspring hit the ground, he had already won three color championships in the prestigious white category at top shows such as the 2008 Southwest Regional Alpaca Show, and the 2008 Great Western Alpaca Show in Denver. Since then, we have been blessed with his offspring of 16 cria, 75% of which are female. The next steps include pursuing championships in Get of Sire, and in Produce of Dam which we are confident will be along shortly.
We are dedicated to raising quality animals for the production of alpaca fleece, and to constantly improve on the quality of the animal stock itself. We breed alpacas to improve on individual characteristics, and to provide those animals for sale to existing and new industry members. Our ranch also allows us to offer breeding services and agistment (boarding) for customer’s animals.
Our ranch is currently located on 96 acres, just 5.5 miles from the town of Cedaredge, Colorado. The front 16 acres is pasture where we grow our own grass hay for the animals. We get two cuttings a year; the first cutting is mostly grass, and provides a little over 400 bales of hay; the second cutting is a mixture of grass and red top clover, and yields over 800 bales of hay. The animals are kept in secure paddocks where special fencing is employed to keep predators away. The barns are secure and clean, with concrete floors, stalls, feeders and heating or cooling as necessary. We have a vet room set up with chute and scale, and we even have a wash down area to rinse ourselves should we have a close encounter of the spitting kind. The rest of the ranch is forested with plenty of natural wildlife such as deer, elk, coyote, owls, and wild turkeys. Nice to look at, but, please, no hunting.
The objective of our business is to provide a high quality animals and reliable service for our customers. We know that you will enjoy our attention to quality breeding and agistment services. Our objective is to continuously improve on the condition of our herd, and to be one of the most trusted and friendly alpaca resources available on Colorado’s western slope. We offer personalized service whether it is in planning for first animals or expanding your current herd to include specific genetics. Part of the joy in this endeavor is being able to help others with ranch planning, herd management, and anything alpaca related. Our goal is to provide top notch quality animals that will provide superior fleece year after year, and will provide outstanding offspring as part of the North American herd.
We enjoy spending time talking with people about the lifestyle and alpacas in particular. In order to make your visits to the ranch more comfortable, we have set up a private guest quarters where you can stay, relax, and enjoy all that the ranch and surrounding areas have to offer. Wander about the property, enjoy that quiet time with a glass of wine, talk privately in front of the fireplace, or just soak up the peace of our wonderful land.
Ultimately, we are becoming western Colorado’s premier alpaca destination, and we are confident that your alpaca experience will be the best possible when dealing with our ranch. Your success reflects upon our integrity, and we are here to ensure a long lasting friendship.
Warmest Regards,
Bruce and Lucinda Stanley
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