Silbury and friends at the Newbury Show
‘Ha ha ha, Hee hee hee
The Best-Turned-Out-Llama is Sil-bu-reeee’
This is a prize that really reflects on the skills of our people. For many year’s I’ve had to coax the two-legs into the best way to groom my lovely red fibre, and do you know? I think they’ve got it. What they did was ask another two-leg to groom me. Very clever. I think they knew their friend would do a better job than either of them, and they were right.
I took some of our herd (Stenness, Croft Ambrey, and Kennett) to the British Llama Society annual show at Newbury this year. Our people came too, and as usual we all had great time. It IS very tiring being at a show for me because I’m Head Honcho and need to be alert. Those pigs in the pen across the way looked as if they might get ideas above their station, so I warned THEM off.
So many people!
Stenness is SO proud. He was awarded Best Gelding at the show and received a Big Red Rosette AND a shiny metal plate. Stupid llama – what’s the use of rosettes and plates to a llama – I’d far rather have been awarded a bag of apples and tasty carrot for being Best Gelding. But Stenness likes to please and keeping the Two-legs happy is OK I suppose. I was second to Stenness. We seem to like keeping this prize in the family. Ringsbury was the reigning champion gelding. I think it’s really an award for being the sort of good llamas people would like to go llama trekking with, which is lucky as that is what we love to do.
But back to ME and MY FIRST PRIZE. Yes, I stepped out nicely and walked around without any grass or leaves stuck in my coat and I was completely burr-free. Croft Ambrey was a good chap in the same class and looked good in his silver coat and walked well and came third and Stenness was fourth. All well and good – should be worth a few apples at least! But, great disappointment. The prize was a Big Red Rosette (naturally) and a …. ROCK…. Yes, you heard, a ROCK. ‘This llama has won a prize – let’s give it a ROCK’. And not just any ROCK. Oh NO. This ROCK is special. It comes from Peru and is mounted on a bit of tree with a glass dome on top. I tried nibbling the wood, but the Two-legs had made it all shiny so it didn’t taste nice. What goes through the minds of you Two-legs?
So, two first prizes at the show. By the end of the weekend we’d also picked up a couple of second prizes and a couple of thirds. Croft Ambrey did really well in the yearling male llama class and walked off with a lovely yellow rosette for third place. Kennett was flustered in the ring and didn’t do himself justice – we’ve always said he was immature. But he got better as the weekend went on.
I found Stenness quietly chuckling when the judge called ME a ‘female’ llama. I know I’m good-looking, but surely handsome and not pretty? This was borne out when all the people around the ring declared me the second most handsome llama in the show, and they were only wrong by one place.
Him and Her spent the two days yakking on about their pet llamas, how they love us and couldn’t imagine not living with llamas – quite sick-making really – we’re Working Animals.
Stenness enjoyed the show too and went around the obstacle race really well and came third. I’ve never ‘Got’ obstacle racing. I don’t see eye to eye with the jumps and poles and sand pits and noise and railings and water but I allowed my two-leg female to take me around the course. OK, she knocked over a few jumps, but at least I finished. Croft Ambrey and Kennett had a go too and also got around which is not bad for young chaps.
Two days of sun and glorious weather. More llamas than I’ve ever seen in one place before. Another show for the Golden Valley Llamas herd was over. Back into the truck with a hay net (about time!), red, blue, yellow, green and pink rosettes, a silver plate and not forgetting my splendid ROCK. Must remember, next year to ask my own Two-legs to groom me so I don’t win Best Turned Out Llama again – don’t want the ROCK back for a second year.
`Ha ha ha, Hee hee hee
The Best-Turned-Out Llama is Yours Truly`
More llama chat from Old King Street Farm soon
