Last week was Devon County Show when finally, post Covid, it returned to its normal time in May. This meant that the alpaca show classes were back which also meant lots of work for Chas as he is the Chief Steward for the alpaca classes. Amazingly it didn’t rain, unheard of!
It is a three-day show but I could only be there for the Friday, just as well really, as that was when all of our alpacas were shown. We did pretty well with three champions, two reserve champions and reserve show champion.
Saturday morning is the crowd pleaser at the show with the young handler awards and the agility classes. Once upon a time alpaca breeders used to be a bit sniffy about these but nowadays they are all up for a bit of weaving and jumping.
I played truant on the Saturday and went to my niece’s wedding in Somerset. She is the last to get married of this generation as the other six got to the altar a bit earlier. The ceremony was at a small but stunning 12th-century church with a beautiful hamstone arch. As Chas couldn’t come, my middle son Alex came down from London to accompany me.
It was great to sit around a firepit with my sister and various relatives plus a group of hilarious South African ecologists after a proper afternoon tea followed by a barbecue.
