This is something we’ve never done before, three weekends in a row on the road in the bouncy box (trailer). Granted, the last two weekends were shows close to home, but we have never gone to shows this often. So, for the third time in three weeks in the month of June, off we go.
Some of us have been to this show before. Just two years ago we made our first trip over to Vermillion County. It’s a small county fair near the east central Illinois border town of Danville. We have logged a few miles on I-80 and I-74 already this year so no surprises on this trip. The bald man, who was by himself this trip, learned his lesson on our first trip through here in April and avoided the construction delays on the east side of Peoria, so 4.5 hours later we were ready to unload. Friday night was a little steamy as we settled into our stalls and the humans talked of rain overnight and Saturday. Baldy got us all set up and went into the bouncy box for the night.
The rain held off Friday night, but Saturday morning it started to rain as the grooming torture began. It was not bad at first, the rain that is, but it got heavier and the stalls the girls were set up in started to flood. Baldy had to stop grooming and move the girls’ stall panels, mat, hay and water to another location farther inside the open barn to keep them dry. Luckily, us guys had a stall that didn’t allow the rain water to creep in. Our friends from Kentucky and Georgia showed up Saturday morning too. It’s always nice to see our friends from around the country.
This was a one day show, but it was a double show. We had two judges; one judging ALSA in the morning and the other for ILR-SD in the afternoon. Since baldy was here on his own, there was no performance for Celee, Dazz or Quaker. In fact, Quaker didn’t even make the trip. So we started with ALSA suri males which meant the young guy Coda (The Code Master) was up first. Coda placed 1st place in the yearling class and took Reserve Grand Champion Suri Male. Since ALSA does not have a silky division we were on hold for the Light Wool division. Next up was Beast (Heatwave’s Beastly Hope) in the yearling class. He placed first in his class and then took Grand Champion honors. The kid is hot! That makes 4 Grands and 1 Reserve in his last 4 shows!
The medium wool girls were next which meant the old pro Lulu (LUA Hallelujah Status). She was given 2nd in her class which had many of the other handlers in shock. Rumor had it the judge was a friend of the owner of the 1st place llama. From our view it didn’t look like the right choice, but the decision was done. Lulu did receive the Reserve Grand Champion ribbon which was still a slap in the face to her, but she didn’t let it bother her too much like the old pro she is. The medium wool boys were next which meant Dazz (Bedazzl). He placed first in the adult class and then Grand Champion. We bought along a young heavy wool girl Lluna and she was up. She placed 3rd in her class. Our last ALSA class was the Non-Breeders which meant it was Celee’s (LUA Celebrity Status) turn. He took first place in the adult class and Reserve Grand Champion in the division. That made our ALSA show results 2 Grands and 3 Reserves. Not bad for a morning’s work!
After a short lunch break and some touch up grooming, it was back into the ring for ILR-SD. It was a new judge this time around so no knowing what these results would be. Coda was first again in the suri males. He placed 1st in his juvenile class again but this time he took Grand Champion. Ata boy, way to get the ball rolling! Beast was up next in light wool, but this judge thought he was more medium than light so he got bumped up. Bring on the medium wool ladies next. Lulu was ready to show everyone the morning results were a fluke and she strutted in the ring like she owned the place. It worked! A 1st place and a Grand Championship were her reward for rockin’ the ring. Several other handlers commented “That’s how it should have been this morning.” We thought so too. Anyway…
Having been bumped to medium wool, Beast placed 3rd in the yearling class and Dazz took first again in the adult class and then repeated his morning feat of Grand Champion. Dazz IS a stud in more ways than one. Lluna took to the ring for heavy wool and placed 2nd this time. Good job girl, work your way up. Now it was Celee’s turn to wrap up the day in Non-Breeder. He again took 1st in adult and in a closely contested division, where the judge stopped and started checking wool between Celee and the two year-old, the judge gave Celee the Reserve Grand Champion. When the judge went to the wool, we knew we were in in trouble as the boy who won had amazing looking wool. Looked like a well-deserved win to us. We’ll take the reserve and be happy.
A solid show all around if we do say so ourselves. ILR totals: 3 Grands and 1 Reserve. Overall: 5 Grand Champions and 4 Reserve Grand Champions. A day like that always makes the late night drive home much easier.
Another 640 miles on the road for 2013 and rumor has it we are getting some time off after the 5 shows in 3 weeks. It’s about time!
Next Up: State Fair Time!
The Weary Llama 