Awesome Acres 'Pacas and Pyrs was started in 1999 shortly after we purchased a small acreage in southeast Oklahoma City.  It was October of '98, and we were wrapping up the purchase of a new used Suburban 4x4.  While waiting for our turn to do the paperwork, we thumbed through a copy of the DuPonte Registry that was on the table.  Towards the back was a small but eye-catching ad: "Alpacas, the Huggable Investment".  The picture in the ad sure was cute, and although we still can't remember the ad sponsor, we immediately started a web search which led to the Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association, and a list of breeders in Oklahoma.  We called and visited with Tom and Judy Kania at Our Field of Dreams Ranch.  One look at her beautiful huacayas, and we knew that we were going to be alpaca breeders.  We also visited with George and Karon Storm at Storm Haven Alpacas, Margie Ray at Ray Farms, and Wade and Debbie Presley at Copper Hill Ranch.  Everyone was wonderful and encouraging.  Today we are all good friends and business associates.

March, 1999, found us in Seattle for a wedding.  We took the opportunity to contact a number of breeders in the area, all of whom encouraged us to visit Alpacas of America - being the largest ranch in North America.  We arranged a visit, and were treated to a friendly, educational, and highly professional day with Randy Snow and Allyson Werre.  We looked at Huacayas and Suris, yearlings and adults, white and colored.  There were hundreds.  We ultimately chose to purchase two bred female Suris, Caress and Carlita,  from Alpacas of America, and Awesome Acres 'Pacas and Pyrs was born.  Actually, at that point it was Awesome Acres Alpacas.  On another web excursion we learned of Great Pyrenees Livestock Guardian Dogs.  The combination made complete sense.  We had the room, and we loved dogs.  So we checked out some leads and in April 1999 we bought Sophie, our working girl.  Sophie had a brief and unimpressive show ring career, but we gained experience and she had lots of fun. In January 2000 we purchased a male puppy from Euzkalzale Great Pyrenees in California.  Sumo, as we named him, is a grandson of the famous "DD", one of the most successful Great Pyrenees of all time.  He really turned some heads when, at the tender age 14 weeks, he won Best of Breed and placed Second in the Working Group at a puppy match in Wichita Falls, TX. And the following October we purchased Sassy, another Euzkalzale Lady, and Sumo's future wife. 

It's now 2005 and we are the proud owners of 16 alpacas.  All of our alpacas, with the exception of our herdsire Checkmate, are offspring of our original foundation dams.  In all, we've produced 14 alpacas, and only purchased three.  It CAN be done!  Our first 2 males were born in the spring of 2002 and in December we purchased WLK Checkmate, a handsome true black son of Sudden Impact.  There are 7 resident Pyrs and as many as 3-4 Rescue Pyrs which are featured on our Oklahoma Great Pyreness Rescue Association website.  Our latest litter of puppies was born 10-19-2004 to proud parents Abe and Sassy.

We are founding members of the Heart of Oklahoma Alpaca Breeders, and invite you to come visit and play with the 'Pacas and the Pyrs.