SCLA Youth Llama Program - Navarro County Youth Exposition

Llama exhibition makes debut
By Deanna Brown, Corsicana Daily Sun, March 28, 2008

The first-ever llama exhibition show held at the Navarro County Youth Exposition just happened to have the honor of being held at the 50th anniversary.

But attendees and participants alike had a great time.

The members of the Navarro County Llama Show team put the llamas through their paces, and some of the llamas caused kids a bit of tension during showmanship competition and the obstacle course Thursday afternoon.

The first award of the competition went to Cody Carroll of Corsicana for junior showmanship, followed by Abby Knisley of Mildred taking first in intermediate showmanship, and Krystal Jackson of Frost taking first place in senior showmanship.

Junior obstacle course winner was Cody Carroll, with Hayden Middleton of Mildred taking first place in intermediate obstacle course. Blake Vinson, also of Mildred, took first place in senior obstacle course.

High point winners were announced in the junior and intermediate divisions. Cody Carroll was awarded high point junior division winner. Abby Knisley was grand champion high point intermediate winner, with Hayden Middleton as reserve high point intermediate.

Senior high point winners will be announced Saturday at the steak dinner, after participants have also taken a test and written an essay about their participation with the llama show team. The high point winner of the senior division will receive a scholarship, funded by sponsors.

PnE Ranch has exhibited llamas for the last seven years, but just this year expanded to include a youth group. Pat and Ernie Blank, owners of PnE Ranch, are sponsors of the show team, and coordinators are Jesse Rierson, manager of PnE Ranch, and wife, Kristen.

Spectators enjoyed the obstacle course competition, which included a pen, guiding the llama through streamers, over hurdles, through a log pile, over a ramp, between timbers, around barrels, through a hula-hoop, and into a trailer. At the end of the competition, John Paul Ross, Lance Waggoner and extension agent Sarah Chudalla took turns guiding llamas, through the course with Chudalla named as winner.

"The winner gets the rights to the EZ-Go golf cart, and won't have to walk anywhere the rest of the week," taunted announcer Chris Dyer.

Llama showing is becoming more and more pop0ular, and Dyer mentioned that PnE Ranch could set anyone up with a llama.

"You can buy your child a llama when they first start showing, and with the llama's 20-29 year life span, they can go on showing the same llama all the way through high school," Dyer continued.

Margaret Henry of Paris was judge for the event.

"I think it went fantastically," said Kristen Rierson. "The Expo opened their arms to us, and we couldn't have asked for a better reception.

"Hopefully, next year it can count as points for our kids with the Llama Association."

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