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FOURTH ANNUAL HOBO CLASSIC -- a fun show in the West
Across the mountains they came from Washington and all parts of Oregon, up from southern California and Nevada they came, from Idaho, Montana and Wyoming they came with their llamas and alpacas… They came the last weekend in January 2005 to participate in and be a part of the fourth annual Hobo Classic. Our judges for this year's HOBO, also came from diverse locations-Patti Fisher (gold halter and performance) from Ohio, Lorraine Guyn (silver halter and performance) from Alberta and Kim Yates (gold performance) and Danielle Wagoner (silver performance plus maiden classes) both from California. All were decked out in the finest of HOBO clothing befitting such a prestigious event to help make this year's HOBO Classic truly exciting, fun and successful.
The HOBO Classic, a double judge, optional double point simultaneous Level II ALSA show, is the "original" of the "dirty" llama shows that takes place mid-winter when it is impossible to groom and wash llamas. Highly trained HOBO cops, including a motorcycle cop and an undercover vice cop, were empowered with the right to levy fines as they see fit. Anyone refusing to pay his or her fines went straight to hobo jail.
The maiden performance classes and the adult and youth costume classes were held on Friday night ($100 was awarded to the first place in each of the maiden and costume classes). By popular demand from the "aging set" we continued with "the over the hill" performance classes (a participant must be at least 50 years young to compete).
This year we introduced the Championship Challenge Cup for individuals whose llama/alpaca has won a Grand or Reserve Champion Performance title in either of the ALSA Open or Advanced divisions. There was two courses laid out and each participant had to run both courses. Scores were totaled for both courses from two judges. A $500 first place prize was presented to the Champion of Champions. This took take place Saturday night after the dinner and was won by Little "D" owned by Joanne Shook of Buck Heaven Farm in Bend, Oregon.
Show participants attended the HOBO HULLABALOO dinner at HOBO JUNCTION Saturday evening consisting of camp-out style hobo stew served from our soup kitchen.
2005 "bore witness to" the second annual bestowal of the Mother Hildegard Sunshine on the Rock Adult Award. This award, created in the very spirit of it's inspiration, Mother Hildegard George of Our Lady of the Rock, is in keeping with the highest standards of Hobo Junction…in word, deed, attitude and wearin' apparel! The award recognizes those that find themselves between a rock and a hard place, and yet manage to crawl out onto "Ol Rocky Top" for a ray of sunshine. The MHSR rewards "he that shalt avoid temptation" and be "Keepin' on the Sunny Side", no matter what is stepped in…. This award "covets not" those merely in the chorus, for they are abundant…. it blesses those who's deeds scream… "I am NOT now nor have I ever been a showgirl…I AM A HEADLINER"! Finally, the award celebrates those that "make a habit of" taking the rocks life throws their way to make yummy stone soup… This year the "Mother Hildegard Sunshine of the Rock Award" was presented to John & Pam Trauth of Meadow Haven Farms in Fallon, Nevada.
At the end of each halter class, the judges choose the dirtiest llama. These llamas competed at the end of the show for Grand Champion "Pasture Magnet". This is an exercise in self-control for compulsive herd managers. The Grand Champion Pasture Magnet (a.k.a. "the dirtiest llama") went to UHL Genero owned by Stan Jacobs of Upper Highland Llamas in Beavercreek, Oregon.
This year, Llama Quest committed all the fines collected and a portion of show proceeds to the Jordan Fisher Memorial Youth Scholarship Fund. A $500 check was given to Nick and Patti Fisher at the show. Quest is also committed to a continuing investment in the llama community and will be donating to other llama association and youth projects during the year.
The Llama Quest Committee was delighted with the turnout and offers a large HOBO thank you to each of our judges for putting up with our foolishness and pranks, for providing excellent judging of some very hard classes and for helping all of us to appreciate our llamas and alpacas more and just have a good time.
The fifth annual HOBO Classic 2006 Llama Show will be held on January 27-29, 2006 at the Jackson County Fairgrounds in Central Point, Oregon. For more details go to our website: www.hoboclassic.com.
The Llama Quest Committee,
Cris Jennings & Linda Sidwell, Sherry Johnston, Doug & Darlene Meyer, Dan & Marilyn Milton and Greg & Esther Sue Sykes
SECOND ANNUAL HOBO CLASSIC IS LARGEST WEST COAST SHOW
Amidst a few rain showers, lots of bright sunshine and unseasonably warm weather, the folks of Llama Quest once again produced the Hobo Classic, this year an optional double point ALSA show. On Friday, 30 January 2003, folks and 320+ llamas began arriving in Medford Oregon from Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Montana, and Nevada for a three-day adventure in Hobo Junction. The turnout for the Hobo was tremendous with over 100 more llamas than last year and a total of 894 class entries between the Silver and Gold shows.
Hobo Junction is a small town with a jail, outhouse, soup kitchen, yard sale, pawn shop, dock and railroad car. Hobo symbols were scrawled on town walls; mournful train wails and Hobo music filled the air. Various bag ladies, homeless vets and tramps manned the yard sale, registration and show desk; all gave fashion tips to those sportin' "city slicker" attire and warnings about Hobo law. The yard sale supplied a rich source of colorful sweaters, ties, gloves, scarves, and jackets for those not quite prepared for the Junction's unique fashion standards. Even the judges, Mark Smith and Terry Duespohl were stylin' in their finest "Hogwashers ", complete with patches. Apprentice judge, Toni Knie from Tennessee, not only enjoyed the Hobo set and experience, but felt "right at home" with Patsy Cline, Patty Page, Hank Williams, Merle Haggard, Dolly Parton and Boxcar Willie tunes wafting through the air during classes.
Hobo cops, complete with handcuffs, were on the job enforcing the laws of Hobo Junction. Standard laws of the Junction were geared to the time of year and general weather conditions: 1) washed or groomed llamas were illegal, 2) clean llamas were grounds for jail time, 3) attire had to be standard Hobo Junction fashion (NO show-clothes), and 4) fines were levied for being caught with brushes, blowers and wands. Donna, Linda and Pepper from Llamas and More generously provided "Get Out of Jail" cards for all customers buying grooming items to ensure safe passage to vehicles for storage. Each show sponsor also enjoyed the protection of an official "Get Out of Jail" card as a benefit of sponsorship. Others were given jail exemptions as recognition of a special service… like serving the Show Announcer ice cream dessert or encouraging llamas to roll in a dust bath. Hobo cops were seen fining folks for having a pregnant llama "impersnatnin" a male (wrong class entry), "dressin' too uppity", "sassin' the High Sheriff", vagrancy, solicitation, hamperin' arrest of another law breaker, false statements to the law, and littering (dropped ribbon). Mother Hildegard was fined for "Black and Whites", although she protested it was a work habit she sported while petitioning for funds for Peru travel.
Hobo Junction fun began Friday night with four classes, Maiden PR, Maiden Obstacle, youth and adult costume classes. The Maiden classes were well attended with 25 in each class. Linda Rodgers and Nelson Leonard not only judged the maiden classes but shared knowledge and tips for success in ALSA performance. Handler and llama costumes in adult and youth classes were all colorful, entertaining and challenging. First place in each costume and Maiden class certainly paid off for the winners; each received a $100 bill for their first place achievement.
Saturday saw great halter competition, some performance work and more Junction frivolity. Saturday night everyone visited the Junction Soup kitchen for dinner. Fresh green salad, sweet cornbread, cookies were served on pie plates along with a tin can of hot hobo stew, and paper bag covered bottles of cream soda, root beer, or water. The High Sheriff collected fines (for "public drinkin") from all those found removing their drinks from their paper bags. Following dinner, business card drawings were held for excellent prizes generously donated by Deborah Slocum, Llamas and More and Camille DeSando. The Hobo Hullabaloo hosted 30 plus eager participants in heavily contested competitions of Musical Cush, Llama Limbo, Dress Up Relay Race and Obstacle Poker. One lucky young lady earned nearly $50 for her obstacle efforts. Sunday's performances classes were comprised of fresh, imaginative and challenging obstacles designed and orchestrated by the obstacle master herself, Debi Garvin.
For the first time in ALSA show history, THREE LANA Youth Medallions were awarded simultaneously to three young ladies with indistinguishable excellence in service, support and sportsmanship during the Hobo Classic. These youth worked selflessly late into the night, shoulder to shoulder with the Quest staff without complaint while assembling and dismantling Hobo Junction. They cheerfully worked the yard sale in character and costume as well as actively participated in showing their animals. Congratulations to LANA Youth Medallion winners Tara Munson, Corrin Munson and Andrakay Hoisington; they certainly set a sterling example for other youth to emulate…GREAT JOB LADIES!
Along with their ribbons, Grand and Reserve Grand Champions from all classes received ceramic "camp mugs" engraved with the Hobo Classic design and date. The Goodriches generously donated engraved mugs awarded to Produce of Dam and Get of Sire winners. As with last year, numerous participants vied for the coveted titles of Grand and Reserve Pasture Magnets. Along with their ribbons, Pasture Magnets received a unique grooming kit; a "Camo" laundry bag holding a hose, nozzle, sponge, toilet brush, "Pik" comb, pledge spray, shampoo and cream rinse. This year, a "professional curling iron" was included to aid with achieving that HOT "curly fiber" show ring look… Rumor has it that Hobo Stan Jacobs was absolutely delighted to again be crowned a Pasture Magnet; rumor also is he vowed to score a "Pasture Magnet Hat Trick" next year. Good luck, Stan…wonder if a hat trick is a finable offence at the Junction?
The Llama Quest Committee consisting of Dan & Marilyn Milton (Highland Llamas), Doug & Darlene Meyer (Legacy Llamas), Greg & Esther Sue Sykes (Mystical Llamas), Sherry Johnston ( Clover Hay Llamas) and Cris Jennings & Linda Sidwell (Dragon Mist Llamas) are absolutely delighted at the incredible response to Hobo Classic 2003. Quest needs to especially thank Betty Jones, the Munson family (Tammy, Tara & Corrin), Andrakay Hoisington, Kirby Ryder, Nelson Leonard and numerous other volunteers whose hard work made the Hobo Classic a reality. Llama Quest has committed all the fines collected and a portion of show proceeds to the Jordan Fisher Memorial ALSA Scholarship. Quest has also committed to investing in the llama community and will be donating to other llama and youth projects during the coming year.
The Quest committee is especially proud that the Hobo concept is spawning new shows with relaxed grooming requirements in southern California, Wisconsin and Georgia. Because of the over-whelming response this year (100 more llamas), the days were full and classes went into the evening; performance ended at 8:00 PM Sunday night. The Llama Quest Committee is now busily incorporating a number of suggestions and improvements for Hobo 2004 (January 30-31, February 1, 2004). Just a few alterations will be show schedule modification featuring four judges on the Saturday performance courses, Sunday Halter classes, and a new adult sportsmanship award called "The Mother Hildegard Sunshine on the Rock Award". Hope to see you at the Hobo Classic the first weekend in February at the same place in 2004 …in the words of the High Sheriff, "Y'ALL COME…"