About Thistledown
Thistledown Alpacas began with a single question: what does a truly well-bred huacaya look like, from the ground up? Not just fine fleece in isolation, or good conformation without the genetics to back it up, but the whole animal -- sound, consistent, and traceable through five generations of deliberate selection.
We are a small registered stud in the hills outside Kettle Ridge, Oregon. Our herd is intentionally limited. We would rather know every animal deeply than manage numbers we can't give proper attention to. Every pairing is considered. Every cria is evaluated honestly. The ones that don't meet our standard don't stay in the breeding program.
Fleece is our primary focus
We test every animal annually and track micron, staple length, and fleece weight over time. We breed for fineness that holds -- not just impressive first-clip numbers that coarsen by year three. Aurelius and Merrow, our two stud males, were selected specifically for their ability to pass fleece quality reliably to their progeny.
We are particularly drawn to the natural colour range of the huacaya. From the bright whites and warm fawns that make up the core of our herd, to Rime's unusual rose grey and Merrow's clean silver, we think colour done properly is one of the quiet pleasures of this breed.
Thistledown is registered with the Alpaca Registry and all animals are DNA verified. We welcome visitors by appointment and are always happy to talk breeding, fleece, or genetics with anyone who shares the interest.