National Show Judges

Meet Our Judges for 2026

Our judges for the British Alpaca Society National Show bring a wealth of expertise and passion for the alpaca industry. With years of experience in alpaca breeding, showing, and fibre analysis, our judges are dedicated to recognising excellence in both halter and fleece competitions. They uphold the highest standards, ensuring each alpaca is evaluated on its conformation, fibre quality, and overall health, helping to set the benchmark for alpaca breeding in the UK. We are proud to have such knowledgeable professionals contributing to the success and prestige of the BAS National Show.

This year we return to tandem judging in both rings for the halter show, pairing one UK judge with another internationally accredited senior judge.

Judging the Males in the Halter Show are

BAS Judge Roger Clarke and AAA Judge Jude Anderson

Judging the Females in the Halter Show are

BAS Judge Nick Harrington-Smith and AAA Judge Natasha Clark

The Champion of Champions Fleece Show will be judged by

BAS Judge Nick Harrington-Smith

We are delighted have such a great, experienced team for the show.

Roger Clarke

Roger and his wife, Elaine, established Amberly Alpacas in 2006 in the scenic Clogher Valley of Northern Ireland. As one of Ireland’s pioneering alpaca breeders, they have dedicated themselves to developing and refining their herd, which is now recognised as one of the most successful and influential on the Island.

The Clarkes maintain a mixed herd of Huacaya and Suri alpacas, achieving multiple Supreme Championship awards that reflect their unwavering commitment to breeding excellence. Active members of the British Alpaca Society, the Northern Ireland Alpaca Group and the Alpaca Association of Ireland, they have further distinguished themselves through extensive training, becoming Ireland’s first BAS-affiliated trainers. In 2019, they founded the Alpaca Education Centre of Ireland, a hub for delivering and hosting a wide range of training and educational initiatives. Their collaborative vision expanded in 2022 with the establishment of Ambermoon Alpacas, a joint venture with Moonhall Alpacas in the Republic of Ireland.

Jude Anderson

Alongside her husband, Alan Cousill, Jude has been breeding alpacas since 1991, initially in Victoria, and from 2004 in Oregon USA. They returned permanently to Australia in January 2021. They still own a small herd of suris in the USA.

In 1998 Jude qualified as an AAA Alpaca Judge. Amongst many other AAA shows, she has judged the AAA National show three times, as well as the Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, and Adelaide Royal shows. Jude certified at the 2000 International Alpaca Judging School in Peru. And in 2002, she certified as an alpaca judge in USA, going on to achieve AOA Senior Judge and Instructor/Trainer status in 2005. Since then, she has been heavily involved in both apprentice judge training and certification, as well as judge re-certification and calibration clinics in both halter and fleece in the AOA Show System. Jude currently serves as Chair of the AOA Judges’ Advisory Committee and is the halter liaison to the AOA Show Rules Committee.

Jude has judged many alpaca halter and fleece shows including Australia, USA, New Zealand, Canada, UK, The Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Peru. By invitation she conducted a British Alpaca Society judges’ clinic as well as judging both the National fleece and halter shows in the UK in 2016. Jude has also judged the National Alpaca Shows in New Zealand, the UK, Sweden and Norway, and many times in the USA, as well as Futurities in USA, Canada and the UK. She has also spoken at various alpaca conferences and breeder gatherings in New Zealand, USA, Canada, and the UK.

Jude co-authored The Art & Science of Alpaca Judging, a comprehensive judge training text also used extensively by alpaca judges and breeders alike worldwide.

Since returning to Australia, Jude has very much enjoyed judging and being part of the AAA show system once again.

Nick Harrington-Smith

From a farming family and with agriculture running through his blood Nick has devoted much of his life to farming livestock. Nick began working with Alpacas in 1998 and currently co-owns and manages Alpaca Evolution, a herd of close to 800 alpacas situated in the beautiful Buckinghamshire countryside.

Nick’s time in Alpacas has presented him with a great deal of opportunities. Nick has been involved in the selection and purchase of breeding stock in both North and South America and Australia, giving him the opportunity to assess many thousands of alpacas in the process. A dream come true! He has also watched with pride as those alpacas have gone on to become cornerstones of the UK and European breeding herd. In part, these opportunities encouraged Nick to enter the first British Judge training scheme and becoming the first graduate of the scheme in 2003 and he is now a certified judge trainer for the British Alpaca Society. Nick then went on to become the first European to have gained qualification as an AoA (American) Halter Judge in early 2006, as well as certifying for Fleece Judging and Performance classes. Nick over the years has used all of these educational opportunities to enable him to write many alpaca related articles for various magazines.

Nick has judged shows across the UK, Europe, Canada, Australia, and the USA and considers each show judged a great privilege. The high points in his career have to be judging the American National Show, even being asked back to judge it a second time, and the American Futurity, and of course the British National Show a number of times. There can be no greater reward for a judge than being afforded shows of such standing.

Nick strongly believes showing is about education delivered through informed and accurate oral reasons. He is a very strong believer in the show ring as a promotional vehicle for alpacas, but also has a real awareness of the need to keep in perspective its importance in respect of breeding decisions. Nicks primary objective when judging is to ensure that all exhibitors experience an enjoyable and informative event.

Nick is married to wife Terry and enjoys nothing more than time spent enjoying the alpacas and introducing his much-loved grandchildren to the joys of farming, alpacas, and the Great British countryside. Though a spot of fishing doesn’t go amiss now and again, and of course spending time trying to train his favourite labrador Mac, both with varying degrees of success!

Natasha Clark

Natasha has had extensive experience with Suri and Huacaya running a herd of over 450 huacaya and suri alpacas of all colours in Victoria under the Kurrawa Prefix.

Natasha has been a full-time alpaca breeder since 1991 and qualified as an AAA (Australian Alpaca Association) judge in 2000. Since that time, she has continued to develop her skills to become a senior Judge and a AAA Judges Trainer. In 2004 Natasha successfully qualified as an International Judge at the IAJS School in Peru and has judged in New Zealand, UK, Europe and all over Australia including all of our major shows. In 2008, 2012, 2014, 2019 & 2024 she had the privilege of judging The Australian Alpaca Association National Show. In 2015, 2023 judged the British National Show, 2016, 2022 judged the New Zealand National Show, The Alpaca Association Benelux Harpet Show in 2016. In 2019 judged Bayreuth Germany Show, Boekel Netherland Show, Norwegian National Show, Swedish National Show and The Finish National Show.

Natasha continually gives her time to give seminars, mentor and train breeders, aspiring judges and qualified judges.

Natasha has a background in equine and was a competitive horse show rider and an active Welsh Pony & cob society judge. Having given away the horse riding at a high competitive level Natasha is heavily involved in showing pointer and Griffon Bruxellois dogs.