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Llama
Driving:
A
Historical Perspective of Driving in the Southeastern U.S.
Ron
Shinnick
Cohutta,
Ga
Recently, while in one
of my more reflective moods I was thinking about how far llama driving in the
Southeast has progressed (my wife would call it day dreaming). Specifically, I
was thinking about how it all got started and those that played an important
role in encouraging and promoting driving at llama shows and other events. The
truth is in the early days of driving there were those who were very
supportive but didn’t drive themselves and most still don’t to this day.
Regardless, perhaps they saw something in this new venture that many of us
didn’t. Whether it was from a marketing angle or just the interest and fun
it seemed to create about the llamas and llama ownership. This isn’t a story
about any one individual either, but a whole group of llama people from
different places and states, as you’ll see, that pitched in and promoted and
encouraged something that hadn’t ever been done in our part of the country
before or hardly anywhere else for that matter. Because of their efforts and
commitment, today we have a strong core of driving enthusiasts. Each show in
the South now offers driving classes so llama drivers can show-off their
talented trusty steeds and compete, fellowship, trade ideas, but mostly just
have fun.
How did we arrive at
this point in the llama driving community some 15 years later? It was
certainly a long road at times that required patience, persistence and vision
by many in the llama community. Comparatively speaking, llama driving isn’t
really that big in terms of some of the other more traditional things people
commonly do with llamas. But considering it’s small and somewhat
inconsequential beginning we have become recognized in the Southeast as the
leaders in llama driving. Consider this, who has more fun at shows, parades
and other llama gatherings than a bunch of llama drivers? That’s a neat
thought isn’t it? Many areas in the North America certainly have more
llamas, many more than we do in fact. Places like Ohio, Colorado and the west
coast states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Why hasn’t driving
become as popular? Many of these areas certainly have suitable driving areas
and even enjoy more suitable climates than we do. I don’t know all the
reasons why. I do know we are generally just a fun-loving bunch of llama folks
that enjoy good competition. Cheering and encouraging one another no matter
who wins or loses.
The Georgia National Fair in Perry, Georgia started it all. It was the first place that llama driving made its public debut. Jack and Tracy Pearson were the first show superintendents to make a place for driving llamas along with the help and encouragement of Kurt and Karen Pihera who put the courses and obstacles together. Sometimes not in the best of weather conditions either. Back then llamas were freer to roam the fair grounds and in our case, drive around the fair grounds. We took full advantage of the opportunity too. We even participated in the daily afternoon parade with those big Clydesdales pulling a wagon or one year there was even a team of eight camels pulling a wagon. It certainly was a fairly common sight back then on our weekend of the state fair to see a llama pulling a cart around the clock tower, giving fair folks rides, talking llamas, selling llamas and stopping to visit with that robot guy they have cruising around. There was only one driving llama that made that event the first year, Dr. Mike. In the years that followed, Jim and Sara Thomas from Huntsville, Alabama started driving their llama. Those of us who remember Jim and Sara will never forget their farm colors; HOT PINK. This not only included their water buckets but also the seat of their cart was reupholstered in hot pink. For several years Georgia was the one and only place you could competitively drive in the Southeast.
But not long after
other shows began to include driving classes too. These included shows in
Montgomery, AL, Tampa, FL, Murfreesboro, TN, Asheville, NC and Knoxville, TN.
The South had indeed become the Mecca for the llama-driving enthusiast
especially show driving. Much of the credit for this is certainly due to the
many show superintendents and their staffs who put together in those early
days, courses for just one or two llamas. This was a lot of effort, time and
work for just a few of us, but much appreciated by all. Even though there were
more driving llamas out there, not everyone thought they were ready for the
show ring or had the courage to try. Granted we didn’t always look very
good, we had fun just the same.
Show driving was not
the only event that Driving llamas were showing up at. They were becoming
popular attractions at all sorts of public events. For instance, in the early
90’s at the National meeting of the International Llama Association (ILA) in
Lexington, Kentucky, Prism (Pearson Pond Ranch & Llama Co.) lead the llama
parade, pulling his big oak cart, through the streets and crowds of cheering
spectators in downtown Lexington. The local weatherman in Lexington eagerly
rode in the cart while doing the 6:00 pm weather too. That same weekend CNN
Headline News broadcast Prism driving on national television. The very first
cart-driving llama on CNN Headline News. The aforementioned Jim & Sara
also gave rides at Christmas for many years on the town square in
Fayetteville, TN which was organized by Janet and Dale Kemp. Even Santa got a
ride that weekend. The first unofficial llama cart races probably occurred
here too. After the entire crowd had gone home of course.
Other places in the South also had driving llamas leading and participating in parades including Chattanooga, Knoxville, and Atlanta just to mention a few. But the Atlanta Christmas parade is the biggest of all. Kurt and Karen Pihera along with some other helpers organize this annual event. Everyone gathers with their llamas in Centennial Park site of the 1996 Olympics. Everyone including llamas and people, just graze in the grass waiting for the start of the parade. Besides the tens of thousands of spectators on the streets, hundreds of thousands watch this annual parade on the TV. Leading the llama group each year are several cart llamas braving the elements, clowns, floats, bands, cars, trucks, balloons, people and all the other crazy stuff you find in a parade.
Driving llamas also
participated during those early years in many other kinds of events. These
included school fairs, County and State fairs, Children Festivals, the famous
Foggy Mountain Bluegrass festival in Alabama. and many other fun and important
events. Jon Kromhout as President of the Tennessee Llama Community also made
sure driving llamas and driving classes became a part of the early shows in
Knoxville, TN. Sort of the old philosophy of
“if you build it they will
come.” Well they did, slowly but surely. Each year there were a
few more and a few more. The by-product of all this llama driving was that
these events helped to raise the interest and curiosity of the public about
llamas and the interest of llama owners as well. It showed the public in a
very visual way, “What You Can Do With A Llama” and that llamas are a lot
fun.
Aside from shows and various public appearances, a couple of llama guys that were primarily packers adapted driving gear to fit their needs on the packing trail. Gil Brown and Lee Lawrence from Montgomery, Alabama developed their own system of harnesses and carts to carry camping gear through the rough and bumpy woods and trails. Along with this, they also produced and published a quarterly color magazine for a time that promoted and educated llama owners on both packing and driving. They also pioneered the Alabama Llama show at the State Fair in Montgomery along with the help of others and made sure that driving was a part of that show from the very beginning. The first year llamas were at the Alabama Fair; driving llamas were invited to lead the parade for the opening ceremony. Our very own Deenie Dotson also known among her admirers as Princess Deenie, rode in a llama cart and waved to all her many admirers. The fair in Montgomery also featured a beautiful Carousel that consisted of hand carved animals done by local artists. Because of the llama shows popularity at the fair, a llama was chosen to be carved and added to the animal carousel. Dr. Mike, a driving llama, was used as the model for that carving.
Probably nowhere in the United States have the interest and concerns of cart driving been given such an important voice and role in the meetings and conferences of the various organizations and llama clubs in the Southeast including such organizations as the Southern States Llama Association and the Tennessee Llama Community. For many years now, a driving clinic has been a staple at each of these organizations annual conferences. These workshops and clinics have served to introduce the new llama owners to the llama driving experience as well as us old duffers too. Special driving committees have also been established within each of these organizations that help to educate and promote fun and safe llama driving activities. Other organizations and farms also have sponsored driving clinics and other driving type fun days. 4-H llama groups in various states like Florida, South Carolina and others have involved their members in learning the basic skills and training methods of driving.
On a National level driving llamas from the South have been recognized many times for their outstanding level of skill and ability in the show ring. In 2001, Mike Hartke and Vicki Moses with their driving llama Mugsie, after sweeping the South in various llama driving competitions, went on to win it all at the National Llama Show in Missouri, bringing home the National Llama Driving Championship. In doing so they beat out some tough competition from all over the United States. That year three out of the top five driving llamas came from the Southeast. These included Tonie and Richard Knie and myself. Each year at the National Llama Show driving llamas from the Southeast are always contending for the top honors.
The story just goes on and on, and it will no doubt continue. We have established a great tradition of quality driving llamas. The fact is so many have been involved in and/or played an important role in the development and the establishment of llama driving it is hard to name them all. But in turn the driving llama has also given back a great deal to the llama community. Many of the new llama owners we see today became interested in llamas as a direct result of an experience they had with a driving llama. Whether it was seeing one or taking their very first llama ride. Perhaps the words of an old Irish Poem describes it best:
“May
the road rise up to meet you,
May
the wind be always at your back,
May
the sun shine warm upon your face,
And
the rain fall gently in your fields,
And now and forever may God hold you
Lovingly
in the hollow of His hand.”
Enjoy the ride! ……… Ron Shinnick