Poppy bags a first place for Patou!

Stand by ladies and gentlemen for some good old fashioned trumpet blowing. Metaphorically of course.

This is how it all happened.

On Thursday evening Sue and I managed to load up the mighty Patou show team just before the great rains came. An hour later and we were stuck in a queue to get into the show ground which by now was resembling a lake. There were abandoned cars and soaking wet people everywhere. The main entrance was 18 inches deep in water and the road had turned into a river, the rain was still sheeting down and I was looking forward to putting up my tent.

By 7.15pm I was in the ground and spent the next hour or so getting the alpacas sorted out with clean straw, hay, food and water. The rain then eased off slightly and I was a blur as I put the tent up in record time. Cold beer break.

Undeterred by the weather I barbecued and was joined by some good people for a sausage and glass or two.

Friday morning and it was show time.

Sue and Angus were still at home keeping an eye on Emma so I was a lone Patou ranger and needed a bit of help getting the girls in the ring on time as they followed on from each other.

Patou Fifi who I had literally dragged in to the barn was first up and I was worried I might have to drag her round the show ring. No worries though as she went in like a seasoned pro. I was very proud of her although she wasn't quite what the judges were looking for.

Next was Patou Poppy time in the junior brown female class. Poppy trotted into the ring as if she owned it and stood immaculately, she looked good.
She has the looks of her sire Atlantic Cambridge Centurion but the temperament of her mother Patou Bobby a Mateus daughter.
As soon as she was touched by the judge she turned into a spinning, jumping, whirling thing but she had done enough. FIRST PLACE!!!!!

I could not believe it, I could also not believe how it made me feel. As Val Fullerlove (my favourite judge in the world) walked towards me with the first place rosette I honestly thought I was going to start crying. A great big thuggish looking idiot like me and I was on the verge of blubbing because little Popsicle had won Patou Alpacas our first ever first place. I think I smiled for the rest of the day and I apologise if I went on a bit about it, which I did.

IT WAS SIMPLY FANTASTIC. MAGICAL, WONDERFUL, MAGNIFICENT.

Patou Lola and Orchard Apollo followed Poppy but were unsuccessful, never mind, Poppy carried the team through.

Captain Tim of Inca was kind enough to take some photos of the moment so if you read the blog you will be subjected to the pictures in the next blog.

I was always brought up to believe that its the taking part that counts and not the winning.

It does feel good though.