Long Meg wins the North Somerset Show
Every year our people like to visit a county show in far off Somerset and every year some of us accompany them. This year it was the turn of two-year old Kilpeck Castle, three-year old Stonehenge, four-year old Ann Howe, my four-year old daughter Hazelton and me to take the trip in the trusty chariot. We couldn’t have chosen better weather.
The night before our trip, our people suggested we would like to spend the night in the yard and in the morning we all enthusiastically launched ourselves at the chariot, told our people to shut the door properly and make sure they had packed plenty of the good ol’ hay from home and off we went. We dozed and when we woke up we walked out into the show ground. Safely in our pen we watched as everyone busied themselves putting up sunshades and posters, but most interesting were all the llamas there. There were more llamas than there have been for years and I was able to reacquaint myself with Belas Knap and Mulfra Quoit who live a short trek from the field.
Last time I was here was eleven years ago. Do you remember my Diary? – http://www.oldkingstreetfarm.co.uk/ALlamaWrites070425.html
Ann Howe, Hazelton and I joined lots of other llamas in our class, and do you know, it was the oldest girl who won it. That’s right, it was me! Well! That meant I would compete for the Championship, and by Jingo, the very lovely judge said that I was jolly well the Best in Show. Apparently a good old ‘un should always beat a good young ‘un. Now, some of my fellow four-legs say llama shows are just beauty contests and they would really rather NOT compete (you know who I mean, don’t you Stanton Drew and Moai?), but me? Well, I think it’s a lovely day out, it makes our people very happy, it’s great meeting all the other llamas and what’s wrong with a bit of praise for my Drop Dead Gorgeous good looks, anyway?
Stonehenge is such a gentle lad that I wasn’t surprised when the lovely judge awarded him second place in the Gelding class. Our female two-leg was very pleased and gave him a jolly big cuddle. Kilpeck Castle also earned a lovely red rosette for coming second in the fleece competition. His coat is very lustrous and has a great sheen to it. It will make lovely cushions for our people.
At the end of the day there was the Obstacle Race. Now, last time I was asked to do this I didn’t like it, but I had a practice and walked the course just to make sure I would be happy hot footing it around, and my person and I went pell-mell and only just came second to a very fine lad from Staffordshire. Of course, I was giving him four years and I have had seven babies, but who’s counting?
Then a chance to hum away the afternoon as the paying two-legs asked questions about us and reached out to stroke our necks. Stonehenge, Hazelton, Ann Howe and Kilpeck Castle are regular trekkers and are used to all the cuddles that go with being a professional llama trekker. It’s pretty easy pleasing people so we were all stroked and appreciated.
More news from Golden Valley Llamas soon