We live on a 250 acre sheep farm but the Mighty Patou herd only has access to the 5 acre field in front of the house. With the herd numbering thirty-one and with 12 cria due this summer, we are outgrowing our space.
Last year negotiations began with the farmer for more land. Today a new fence is being installed in a large field which is linked to our five acres. A further three acres is coming our way!!
As you can see from the picture below, taken from the front garden, two splendid chaps are, as I type, putting up stock fencing! The part of the field to the right of the fence will soon have some Mighty Patou alpacas running around in it and I am extremely happy about the situation!
The majestic Qjori is in the foreground patrolling his borders as normal, Columbus (unseen) is in his paddock to the left of Qjori and the rest of the herd is munching away to the right of the picture. Not only that but the sun is shining and it is predicted to remain dry right up to next Thursday which is a day I have looked forward to for about twelve months! The British Alpaca Futurity is hoving into view!Preparations are well underway, halter training has been taking place regularly and nearly everyone is behaving themselves. I have yet to try on my dinner jacket, I am nervous........ I daren't....... it might have shrunk..........again.
This years Futurity will be the first show we have attended where I will not be going into the show ring. Sue, who is a million times more pleasing on the eye than me, has got her black trousers and white shirt ready and will be taking the mighty show team into the ring and I can't wait to see them strut their stuff.
Don't get me wrong, I love taking our beautiful animals into the ring but I have kind of been hogging the limelight a bit up until now and it is time to relinquish my vicelike grip on the halters.
Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to see Sue doing well with our team at the shows and although Sue is a bit nervous she will be brilliant at it. She just will, because she just is brilliant (she's put up with me for well over 20 years and deserves a whole rack of medals for that alone!)
Our show plan for the year has now been decided and we are hitting all the big ones this year. The SWAG Spring show next month which is always a huge show (the big magnificent brown boy will be making his first UK appearance there folks!), then the National Show (our first ever visit to the National) and then The Royal Bath and West Show at Shepton Mallet in June.
So we finally get some more land to expand into. This week, the next field. Next, the whole farm, then the whole village, the county, the Uk and then THE WORLD!! We are coming people the Mighty Patou are on the move!!!!!!
Right I'm off for a lie down in a darkened room. My tablets and teddy please nurse...... thankyou.
6 comments:
Great news - the mighty Patou is expanding. I hope the alpacas are as pleased with their extended quarters as their owner!
Great news about the new field!!! You DO have to be big to be mighty! Good luck to Sue in the showring. I am sure she will wow the judges with her handling skills, and the amazing Patou show team of course.
Now is this about letting Sue have some of the limelight or is it about who is least likely to cry in the ring?!!
I like your thinking Barbara.
Glad you got more land, we know what it's like to look longingly at neighbouring grass!!
I see your following our strategy, we are taking over our township one paddock at a time!
Go Sue I am sure she will do you proud.
Sarah
Expansion.....is the name of the game, and getting someone to do the fencing...sounds like a great plan to me.....enjoy the Futurity....keep those Man-size tissues handy !!.......Jayne
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