Fashion week for Australia’s fluffiest and silkiest alpacas, where ‘we’re all hoping for a good hair day’

Robyn Hamilton of Bellapaca Alpacas has a quiet word with Bellapaca Ninja before judging. Photograph: Stuart Walmsley/The Guardian

It’s a scant 12C in Bendigo, but scores of fans whirr through the showground’s pavilion. The stars of this weekend’s proceedings hope to shine, but it’s important they don’t sweat too much before their time in the limelight.

“They need to keep their hair nice and well done,” says Lee Sadler, vice-president of the Australian Alpaca Association. “We’re all hoping for a good hair day.”