Timeline 1989 – 2024
- 1989
First contact with llamas in the USA.
- 1997
Graduate engineering degree in landscape planning; work at landscape architecture firms.
- 1998
August: offer to buy two family farms in Remsa. October: discovered alpacas on the internet. Autumn and winter: intensive research and visits to breeding operations.
- 1999
January: purchase of the first alpaca herd – 17 mares, and the first 10 foals are born. Business founded as a sideline enterprise with now 27 alpacas. Participation in the first alpaca shows, trips to England and Holland.
- 2000
Joint venture in England, import of 91 alpacas from Chile ("the Winning 90"), including England's first colored Suri herd. Two judging courses in England, and in May the International Alpaca Judging School in Peru with Maggie Krieger and Dr. Sumar – Hartwig Kraft von Wedel works with participants from seven nations to draw up a first international standard for Huacaya and Suri. The first Alpaca Festival draws over 2,000 visitors to Remsa. September: import of 46 alpacas from Chile to Remsa, including Germany's first Suri herd – now a full-time farmer.
- 2001
Founding of the Alpaka Zucht Verband Deutschland e.V. (German Alpaca Breeding Association) with 12 other founding members.
- 2002
September: import of 85 alpacas from Chile to Remsa.
- 2003
January: import of 31 Peruvian alpacas from Canada to Remsa.
- 2004
First overseas screening of our imported animals in Chile.
- 2005
January: import of about 40 alpacas from Chile. Katharina Kraft von Wedel has her first alpaca fashion collection made to her own designs. July: first alpaca show of the Benelux countries in Belgium, judged by Hartwig Kraft von Wedel. Summer: second location in Gummern in the Hanover Wendland region. September: import of 90 self-selected alpacas from Chile.
- 2006
April: founding of Alpacas of Germany Ltd. July: import of another 90 self-selected alpacas from Chile to Gummern.
- 2007
Our white herdsire Zauberland Magnum wins Grand Champion adult male in Ulm. Katharina and Hartwig Kraft von Wedel receive an award in the state "Rural Building" competition for the restoration of their home in Remsa.
- 2008
May: Zauberland Löwenherz becomes Grand Champion among 38 young males. First course training alpacas for therapy purposes held in Remsa. Purchase of Schloss Wiederoda from the Torgau-Oschatz district.
- 2009
January and April: import of another 63 self-selected alpacas from Chile. July: 6th Alpaca Festival with about 4,000 guests, opened by the Saxon State Minister of Agriculture. September: for the farm's 10th anniversary, the first SRS alpaca breeding workshop on the European mainland with Dr. Jim Watts.
- 2010
January: trip to Australia to visit ten leading SRS breeding operations. Founding of Kraft von Wedel GbR. August: nearly 4,000 visitors at the 7th Alpaca Festival. September: second SRS seminar at Schloss Wiederoda.
- 2011
February/March: trip to Chile, selection and purchase of high-quality mares. August: several thousand visitors at the 8th Alpaca Festival. December: our online shop goes live.
- 2012
February: purchase of 50% (120 alpacas) of the Alpacas of Switzerland herd.
- 2013
February: 72 alpacas from Chile arrive in Remsa. About 3,500 visitors at the 9th Alpaca Festival. Our rose-grey stallion Peruvian Caesar wins Color Champion four times in a row.
- 2014
15th anniversary of the farm; Noblesse becomes Color Champion grey mares in Ilshofen, and customers win with animals we bred.
- 2019
We celebrate our 20th anniversary.
- 2020
20 years of Suri breeding in Germany – in 2000 we imported 22 Suri mares and two Suri herdsires.
- 2021
20 years of AZVD, today with over 600 members and more than 12,000 DNA-registered alpacas. September: first-ever Alpaca Festival in Wiederoda with about 2,500 visitors.
- 2022
Spring Festival for Mother's Day in the castle garden with stalls, demonstrations and live music.
- 2024
We celebrate our 25th anniversary.