[Jacob-list] 4H Fair showing

[Kristi Murdock]

From: J Thomas <shepherdofspots at yahoo.com>
> I loved the post about bringing llamas, mini horses
> and alpacas (SP?) next year!  I think you should
> expose others to the newer breeds.

One of the ways people have made the llama shows viable was to offer
"loaner" llamas to the local 4-H kids... the kids either maintain the llamas
on the owner's farm or on their own farm, and then show them.  I'm not sure
how they get a llama judge to the fair, or how hard it was to negotiate this
with the fair board, but it has worked at several county fairs here in Iowa
and there were large contingents from two 4-H clubs showing performance
loaner llamas at the Iowa State Fair this year, and some of the kids also
participated in showmanship classes (I'm not sure why they weren't in halter
classes...?).  As a sidenote, it has also helped create a bigger market for
llamas, as the kids often buy their llamas, and, once the program is
established, some families have gotten into keeping llamas as part of the
farm.

One could imagine similar goals with fiber sheep -- not performance classes,
perhaps <grin> -- but adding fiber judging to conformation.  I was SO
disappointed to find there is no fiber sheep presence (that I could find) at
the Iowa State Fair!

On a separate note, how is fiber judging generally done?  At a Minnesota
llama show next month, there is a fiber class.  Participants were asked to
send at least 2 oz. of clean, open wool, with a deadline that is 2 weeks
before the general show deadline.  I gather the judge will be spinning the
fiber as part of the judging process, hence the early entry.  Entry was only
$2 per animal and you don't have to show the animal there, just send the
wool.   Seemed pretty painless, and like something I would like to see as an
adjunct (hopefully, eventually with handspinner and weaver demonstrations,
charity auction of goods, etc.) to any show with fiber animals...

Kristi Murdock, learning lots about llamas and Jacobs (and Navajo Churros
and Karakuls) in Iowa