Southwest Highways March 2013 | Page 26

25 Southwest Highways & Fields

a llama can do but what it may simply refuse to do that particular day. Llamas are beautiful, curious, and smart animals, and very fun to watch. During showmanship they are shown off by their handlers, but in this class it is the handler who is judged, not the llama. A turn the wrong way, a misstep, a moment’s lapse of attention can cost the handler the win.

While the belt buckles, banners, ribbons, and bragging rights make the winners very happy, these livestock shows are also big business. For many classes the winning animals go on to auction at the show and because they just won their class they have a good chance of fetching a very good price. For some animals, having a best of show can make them a very desireable breeding animal, bringing high sire fees and ensuring that their offspring have a good chance of being sold quickly and for good money. Some shows, like the llama shows, are sanctioned by an organization that offers points for wins, and if you win enough shows you get to compete at the national level for even more money and recognition. The premiums won can be high enough to cover feeding and caring for the animal over the year, but many times even winning competitors end up in the red after hotel, travel, and entry fee costs, especially the young exhibitors. But for many competitors, not just the young ones, the draw is the pride they have in their

Goat Show

Estes Park, CO

-Kathryn Ray

animals and in themselves when they do their very best in the show ring, win or lose.

While the livestock shows do not burst with excitement for the casual audience member, they are really special for the competitors. Just think about the benefits for the youths who show their animals—they have to learn to care for an animal all year up to the time of the show, have to understand the animals needs and learn compassion and responsibility. For the show they have to be neat and clean and behave respectfully towards both animals and people, they have to understand how to show off the best characteristics of their animal, they have to overcome the scariness of walking into a huge show ring with the distractions and unpredictability of animals in a strange environment and people watching from the stands and a judge watching their every move. They have to learn good sportsmanship and congratulate the winners if they lose and be gracious to the losers if they win. They have to learn to put behind them a judgment they thought was unfair, and instead try to do better next time. They have to meet new people, speak clearly, and act confidently. There are few activities that give a young person so many opportunities for strengthening character and preparing for the real world.