Jack comes in 2nd!

Speaking of shows, I never updated about the alpaca show! Cracker Jack got second in both of his classes, in which there were two entries each. LOL. Like for us their first alpaca show was much more about getting the experience and learning how to show than trying to place well. Showing really is an art form in itself on top of having good animals or riding abilities.

Like learning that your companion animal is really nicely bonded with your show animal, and who also easily has the capability to leap out of his enclosure when your remove said show animal to go... show. Hee hee, what fun that little commotion must have been for the barn. We also had an announcement of a "loose bay horse" at the horse show, but when we ran out to look we verified that Ginger was still on Jack (our horse, not to be confused with Jack Phyllis's alpaca) as she had been 10 minutes prior and never saw any loose horses.

They also got to experience first hand the interminable hurry up and wait mentality that happens at all these shows. Classes go as long as the judge needs to evaluate the animals, and are split up into as many heats as are necessary according to the number of registrants. The final judging was to be the fleeces. Phyllis had submitted a fleece not expecting to place, but again to hear what the judge said. Well, fleece judging didn't happen til 5 or so on Sunday, several hours late, and everyone was antsy to be going, so I guess the judge didn't go into a whole lot of comments. That's a bummer.

But they too had a good time. Got to use their new trailer and transport the animals across state boundaries. All seemed to run pretty well, and I'm sure they learned a lot to do differently next time out.