Based in Hillsboro, Oregon, Michael Safley is an internationally recognized alpaca expert committed to social justice around the globe. Michael Safley serves as the founder of the Quechua Benefit, the president of the Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association (AOBA), and the president of the Alpaca Registry (ARI). Additionally, he is an expert witness on alpacas, qualified in both federal and state US courts.
Establishing the Quechua Benefit in 1996, Michael Safley collaborates with alpaca breeders in the Peruvian highlands, and, to-date, the organization has built relationships with more than four dozen communities in Peru. Having raised $10 million for social justice programs in that country, the Quechua Benefit has provided disaster relief, furnished free health services to 150,000 patients, and built a school offering both primary and secondary education across three campuses.
To share his insights into alpacas, Michael Safley regularly leads lectures and seminars in countries around the globe, such as New Zealand, Australia, England, Germany, and Canada. He is also the author of several books on the subject. Mr. Safley’s position as a senior AOBA judge also takes him to worldwide destinations, and he has judged such top-tier shows as the All-American Futurity, the North American Alpaca Show, Alpaca Western Extravaganza, the Kentucky Classic, and the AOBA National.
Michael Safley 