Deep breath and into the ring I go... Royal Hobart Show

No photos sadly - but I did it!!!!

Well, I did it!! I ended up in the ring at Royal Hobart Show, showing some beautiful Suri's for Lori of Spring Rise Alpacas.

We went to Hobart for an overnight stay with toddler, to attend the show the next day.  It was so cold in Hobart that Mt Wellington was covered in snow - and it is SPRING!! We took little man up to have a look but the icy blasts were too much for more than a couple of minutes out of the car.  Hubby 'pinched' a snowman to put on the car for the drive back down but he fell off...toddler was devastated...so out Hubby went again to appease him and had to build another one.  Nearing the bottom of the hill, we told toddler that snowman had to go back to the snow, so carefully put him on a rock, amidst the quiet sobs and 'bye bye 'no-man' from little man.

That night I had a frantic phone call from Lori, who was travelling down with nine alpacas by herself - asking if I could help her out the next day by showing some of her animals and profusely apologising for the late notice.  I agreed, although I was pretty scared, but she said she would show me what to do.  Oh, and I needed a white collared shirt and black pants..so it was a quick trip to 24/7 Kmart to purchase anything that resembled what was required.  LOL, I ended up with black pants but a massive shirt that was the only one in the shop...oh well...

Proud Lori with her trophy, and her friend holding the little Suri champion, while I take the photo!

After a night of less than no sleep with a toddler alternatively sharing our bed and being put back into his own...we all were up early and at breakfast. It was a windy and cold day in Hobart, I mean really windy, so much so that some of the rides could not operate!! I reported straight to Lori who had done an amazing job of setting herself up. She introduced me to Byron from Toffeemont Alpacas and I had a VERY interesting chat with him about...yes...another alpaca...(more another day).  He told me that in Tas, no-one uses anyone elses' stud which is really bizarre, instead they buy in from the mainland of just have a herd of closed genetics.  Strange...I told him that I wanted his stud, who had won Supreme Champion in Colourbration - (now priced at $30k!!), then found out that his grandsire is Forrestglen Merlin - Adlin, Tegan and Melony's sire!!!!!!!! (More about excitingly related stuff to do with this another time!!!!!!!!!).

Now these jackets are a good idea...

or else...a moving hay bayle???

Anyway it was time to line up, Lori quickly told me what to do and there I then was, strutting my stuff with a junior male Suri who took first place, and then champion of his class!!! I even showed the judge his teeth without incident, and although he was a bit of a bugger, I managed to keep him quiet and straight whilst he was presented.  It was then a victory lap and out - it was over so quickly! I was immediately sent out with another large male, then again with a wether. It was so much fun, and both the Judge and the steward commented on my good handling!! Lori was over the moon, shouting that I was a natural LOL.  Her beautiful Suri's took out all first place positions, and her junior female was pronounced Supreme Champion!  Sadly there are no photos as Hubby had to endure hours of toddler who had had enough of being windswept and COLD!!!

So..guess who is PROBABLY going to enter her alpacas in the last Tassie show (Huon Show) on the 16th November???????? :)