By Jordan Studer
CCN Reporter
BUCYRUS — Bright eyes and bushy tails filled the show arena Sunday morning as the alpacas and llamas took the stage for the seventh annual alpaca/llama show.
To kick-off the show, judging of the fleece of each alpaca began at 9 a.m. Following the judging of the fleece, the showmen and their alpacas took on the obstacle course. There were six classes for the obstacle course, with the classes divided based on the years of experience each 4-H member had. Following the obstacles was the presentation of awards up until that point in the show with the showmanship wrapping up the event.
The advisors of the alpaca/llama group organize ideas of obstacles and compose a list for the showmen to practice with their alpacas. According to one advisor of the Crawford County Alpaca group, Rhonda Campbell, a list of about twenty-five obstacles/skills are given. On the day of the show, the judges choose ten obstacles from the list for the alpacas to complete.
“When we started (seven years ago), I went online to see what other shows did. Every year we look for new ones to add,” Campbell explained.
The obstacles are designed to challenge the alpaca and create moments for their showman to help them, forming a bond during preparation time. The bond will hopefully help the pair function like a well-oiled machine on show day.
A mirror set up in the show arena was among the obstacles chosen for the day and was one of the newest additions to the show. The showmen’s goal was to get their alpaca/llama to look into the mirror at themselves and not get scared.
Looking into the mirror was supposed to make the alpaca think that they are with other alpacas. Campbell explained that if the alpaca remains calm with the guidance of it’s showman, this is a great indicator that a lot of time and bonding has been had between the alpaca (or llama) and the showman.
“There’s some (alpacas and llamas) that will run, jump… they haven’t worked with them enough then. Because the ones that really have been working, they’ll (the alpacas) do anything for them… follow them… they know their (showman’s) voice… They know who’s who,” Campbell said.
Campbell explained that the intelligence of the alpacas and llamas and the way they bond with the kids is what makes the show so unique.
“Alpacas are unique because they are very smart. So if you do one certain way and then you change it in the ring, they are used to doing it the other way. What’s so unique about them is the kids bond,” Campbell said.
Taking the show by storm was three sisters with a love for their alpacas and a joy for showing them. The Johnson sisters, Gabby a third year 4-H member, Natalie a second year 4-H member and Willa a first year 4-H member, all lit up the arena with their smiles and their talent for showing.
Each sister was able to bring home at least one winning title to her name. The oldest of the three, Gabby with her alpaca Merri, was the Intermediate Level Skill-a-thon winner and also the Overall Reserve Champion of the entire show. Natalie and her alpaca Buckeye, won Fleece Grand Champion and Intermediate Showmanship Grand Champion.
Willa and her alpaca Snowy, made her first year showing memorable by bringing home the titles of Junior Skill-a-thon winner, Reserve Champion Fleece, and Grand Champion of the entire show. (The Overall Grand and Reserve Champions are determined by combining and tallying the scores of the entire show).
The sisters explained that G. Johnson’s love for showing her alpaca was what sparked the interest of the younger two to give it a go as well. They described how much work must be put in if one would hope to succeed on show day.
“April 1st we start our contracts with our alpacas so April to now we work with them in the barn for a half-hour to an hour every single day,” G. Johnson explained.
Each sister and their respective alpaca had to work hard to prepare for the show, overcoming difficulties along the way such as obstacles that couldn’t be beat. N. Johnson also had another obstacle to cross upon finding out that her alpaca had a vision problem.
This lead to many more hours of training and bonding with the alpaca to overcome it. Yet, that didn’t stop the pair from taking home some winning titles and making a great impression on show day.
The girls said they have not shown other livestock animals at the fair, but they do have an appreciation for the uniqueness that showing alpacas comes with. When asking them what it is that makes showing alpacas so unique, they all agreed the alpaca’s intelligence plays a large role.
“I think how they have to do obstacles and how they have to complete them and do so many different things (makes them unique),” W. Johnson said.
N. Johnson added, “Other than just walking they have to do bridge and teeter-totters and some different stuff. I like that everyone in the barn is all friends and we all do stuff together.”
When asking the girls what they would tell someone who was coming to watch an alpaca/llama show for the first time, they gave some simple and clear advice.
“Enjoy it and watch very closely,” W. Johnson explained.
G. Johnson then quickly expressed, “A lot of fun things can happen, so enjoy it!”
A complete list of results from the show can be found below:
Class One
1st- Alivia Wise
2nd- Andy Brause
3rd- Mariah Cotsamire
4th- Rachel Bell
5th- Allie Brause
Class Two
1st- Latasha Bays
2nd- Grace Bell
3rd- Taylor Garrison-Wise
4th- Haley Thomas
Class Three
1st- Gabby Johnson
2nd- Maria Smith
3rd- AJ Wise
4th- Emma Tyrrell
5th- Kamron Thompson
Class Four
1st- Leah Sheets
2nd- Tyler Phelps
3rd- Darren Wurm
4th- Hunter Gibbons
5th- Natalie Johnson
Class Five
1st- Willa Johnson
2nd- Lilly Gosser
3rd- Alecsys Chandler
4th- Caleb Chapman
5th- Madison Tyrrell
Class Six
1st- Summer Wickham
2nd- Autumn Gosser
3rd- Cassandra Kurek
4th- Kristian Chandler
5th- Kaiden Chandler
Obstacle course class
Grand Champion – Alivia Wise
Reserve Champion – Leah Sheets
Fleece
Grand Champion – Natalie Johnson
Reserve Champion – Willa Johnson
3rd – Caleb Chatman
4th- Grace Bell
5th – Darren Wurm
6th – Cassandra Kurek
7th – Gabby Johnson
8th – Summer Wickham
9th – Alecsys Chandler
10th – Rachel Bell
Spin Off Fleece
1st- Gabby Johnson
2nd – Kamron Thompson
3rd – Natalie Johnson
4th – Cassandra Kurek
5th – Darren Wurm
6th – Maria Smith
7th – Alecsys Chandler
8th – Willa Jonson
9th – Haley Thomas
10th – Grace Bell
Special Recognition
Best Suri – Taylor Garrison-Wise
Best Llama – AJ Wise
Best Lock Structure – Emma Tyrrell
Finest, Best Handle – Grace Bell
Heartbreakers – Kristian Chandler, Emma Tyrrell, Caleb Chapman, Madison Tyrrell
Skill-a-thon winners
Senior – Darren Wurm
Intermediate – Gabby Johnson
Junior – Willa Johnson
Showmanship winners
Sr. Showmanship Grand Champion – Mariah Cotsamire
Sr. Showmanship Reserve Champion – Andy Brause
Intermediate Showmanship Grand Champion – Natalie Johnson
Intermediate Showmanship Reserve Champion – Lilly Gosser
Jr. Showmanship Grand Champion – A J Wise
Jr. Showmanship Reserve Champion – Madison Tyrell
Overall Champions (from a combined score of the spin-off, fleece, and obstacle course)
Grand Champion Overall – Willa Johnson
Reserve Champion Overall – Gabby Johnson