Wednesday 3 March 2010

Alpaca breeder wins rosette, then released without charge...

Yahoo, I've finished Jury Service!

What's that to do with alpacas? well it meant that I missed day 1 at the Futurity - I was on a quite dramatic, sensitive case, and we finished late on friday.

But saturday at the Futurity made up for that - such a well-run event, and with so many aspects of the industry represented, a good time is unavoidable. With the industry going through a difficult period, it was important to show resolve, and I think that came through from small breeeders to large breeders - if you can pull together in difficult times, then how much better will the good times be? I came away with a rosette for the photograph of Pela eating the snowmans carrot - trivial of course, and it cost money to enter, and I won nothing but the pleasure, as did many entrants, but that's the point - to use the cliche, it's the taking part that matters - my girls (and myself) weren't ready for showing at such an event (Jury Service made it impossible to consider), so we contributed in the best way we could - then we enjoyed the dinner etc. The only downside being the need to book a taxi back to Leamington Spa in advance, and not getting around to meeting more bloggers - we could have stayed and enjoyed the company of fellow bloggers, collecting the obligatory hangover on the way, or we could have brought the campervan and stayed onsite, but I couldn't let Mrs. Smallholder struggle into her gladrags under such circumstances (it's a small van), could I?

And so Mrs. Smallholder made an appearance that day, no-one saw her enter the 'phonebox, like Superman, and disappear into the night in her wellingtons and Marigolds...

Anyway, after monday morning and wednesday 'til 3.30 waiting to be called into Court, the Defendant hadn't turned up so we've finished - I sneeked home from work early on tuesday to be with my girls and got the halters on - work has been messed up anyway, so an early day didn't matter.

Now it's time to plan all the vaccinating, training, shows, matings etc.etc. -

6 comments:

  1. Mrs Smallholder in her Gladrags !with matching Marigolds....no doubt !...Congratulations on your photo !..it was a smasher !...well worthy of a rosette....Give that Spring a 'BIG' nudge up this way will you...we still have snow, and the forecast is for up to -20 for some parts of Scotland !!....tonight ...Brrrrrr....Jayne

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  2. Well done on your rosette!! Maybe next year alpacas? Glad you had a good time.

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  3. Congratulations Dave both on the rosette...well deserved... and your resolve to show support. Likewise we didn't have any animals to enter...maybe 2012! You did well to miss the hangover. I stayed up well past my bedtime. It takes at least 2 days to recover at my age.

    Good luck with the halter training...what fun!

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  4. Superb photo Dave, well deserved rosette and great to meet you and have a chat with you both.

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  5. Believe me your head was probably the better on Sunday for not staying longer on Saturday night :o). Nice to meet you there!

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  6. Hi Dave, Well done on the rosette - the photo really is great. Take care. Shirley & Robbie

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