Meet the newest addition to the Rare Gem herd-- Snowmass Sizlin Legacy XX! This boy is an exciting find out of the Snowmass herd. While Snowmass did not breed appaloosas, they kept detailed breeding program notes which included specific lines that threw spots and the frequency of those spotted results. Sizlin descends from an import within the Snowmass herd that threw the highest number of spotted offspring-- to a rate of 6.5X that of the others in their herd. Do we have a new gene carrier to add to the list of the appaloosa breeders?!?! Time will tell. Sizlin will be thoroughly "tested" and bred across the full range of colors of non-appaloosa carriers. In addition to having a beautiful phenotype, Sizlin has a buttery handle that opens up to well-defined spots of white, fawn, dark brown... and even grey! His fleece is extremely fine, dense and uniform. His first shearing at <10 months old yielded 8 lbs. of fleece! Needless to say, we are so blessed that Lynn Edens of Little Creek Farm has agreed to share this amazing young male. Sizlin's show debut was October 20-21, 2021 at the double show NEAOBA Alpaca Fall Spectacular and Empire Alpaca Extravaganza in Syracuse, New York. He color checked and was confirmed by the ring judges as "definitely" appaloosa. Both judges had very positive comments as to his fiber quality, eye-catching conformation and calm, pleasant demeanor. After New York, Sizlin was shown across the United States in a variety of shows. He has performed well including taking 3 Reserve Color Championship banners! Sizlin started his breeding career in the Summer of 2022 and he is a natural. He is being bred to a cross-section of females to determine what he will throw across colors. He has been color genotyped by Neogen / Canada and is a EeAA. Sizlin's first offspring was born June 2023 and is white out of a white dam-- gorgeous fleece and phenotype. January 2025 two more Sizlin cria have arrived-- both showing advanced fleece structure from the get-go. Sizlin's on Fya is a lovely appaloosa female and Haute-n-Knotty is a smoky light brown out of brown. More information can be found on both below. If you are interested in breeding for rare fleece colors, you can also read our recent article in The American Alpaca Journal: Breeding for Rare Fleece Colors by Clicking Here Snowmass Sizlin Legacy XX is co-owned by Little Creek Farm, Diamond Valley Alpacas and Rare Gem Alpacas.

Stone Pine Olivia is a striking blend of rare genetics, proven production power, and sweet disposition—often greeting visitors with her signature nose kisses. She is the stunning result of pairing the homozygous harlequin powerhouse Vintage Cashmere’s U-Taupe-ia with Buck Brook Morning Glory, a cross that has truly delivered the complete package: fiber, phenotype, and personality. Her sire, “Taupie,” has produced over 50 offspring, with more than 70% exhibiting Appaloosa or Harlequin grey coloration—many of them champions, including champion grand-offspring. His influence is consistently seen in conformation, fleece structure, and expression of rare patterns. For Olivia’s maiden breeding, she was paired with another prepotent homozygous Harlequin male, Apache Gentleman. Apache is the sire of over 30 registered offspring, the majority being Appaloosa or Harlequin. His progeny have had a strong presence in the multi-color show rings, including 3X champion Apache Gentleman’s Alchesay, and Apache himself boasts Get of Sire wins (1st and 2nd place) for his Appy and Harlequin offspring. 2022 Cria – “Be Brave” On August 11, 2022, Olivia delivered her first cria—a handsome Harlequin Appaloosa male—with ease and grace. She proved to be highly maternal with excellent milk production. Her son, Be Brave, is a spunky, well-built male with bundles of crimpy curls from day one. Given his pedigree, he’s likely homozygous for the Appaloosa-Harlequin allele, and carries a dense concentration of color genetics. 2024 Cria – “Sizlin’s On Fya” Olivia followed up her strong debut with yet another exciting outcome. On New Year’s Day 2024, she gave birth to a female Appaloosa cria after a 339-day gestation. This time, the sire was Snowmass Sizlin Legacy XX, a 3X multi champion male known for his elite fleece and uniquely colored spot pattern. The resulting offspring, Fya, is already demonstrating excellent fleece characteristics and confirmation. While her Appaloosa spotting is minimal, she carries the genetic signature that Olivia reliably passes on—making this young female another exciting prospect for future Harlequin and Appaloosa breeding. Coming Soon – 2025 Cria by Rare Gem X-Man Olivia’s next cria will be arriving shortly—and we can hardly wait! This one is sired by none other than our celebrated Appaloosa herdsire, Rare Gem X-Man. Before heading off to the East Coast last year for the Parade of Champions auction, X-Man had one last duty here at Rare Gem Alpacas—breeding three very special girls. Olivia was one of them. Now living his best life in Connecticut, X-Man has left behind a bit of his magic, and we’re eagerly anticipating the arrival of this 2025 offspring. With both Olivia’s proven production record and X-Man’s legendary influence, this cria is expected to be something truly special. Stay tuned—we’re expecting spots!