1Why llamas? Because they're addictive-one is never enough. When I first saw my future llamas (April 1996) I was smitten. I was offered a white 14 months old male (Pinelands Hedley) and was a little disappointed as I fancied the coloured ones. All the way home I told myself that I wasn't rushing out and buying the first llama I saw. I lasted about 30 minutes before ringing back to say yes. Well! He did match the cockatoo and poodle. Two days later he was in the back yard.
Over the next eight months I became totally absorbed, or do I mean obsessed. Then we struck up 50/50 share farming deal with Patti Colemore-Williams and Karen Hall who are the owners of the North American herd "Pinelands" imported from Kutawa Farms of Canada in 1986.
I believe these llamas have cousins in Australia.
Next came the Chilean male Homestead Musicman and two half sisters Homestead Lace and Homestead Lady Jane from Homestead Farm in Pleasant Point, South Island. For them, I have to thank the Tax Department for returning the G.S.T on my property, also Bryan and Jocelyn Bassett-Smith for breeding them and Tracy and Andy Berghoff for their training and constant supply of helpful information, tips, advice and on-going moral support. My very good fortune continued when a very lovely Australian, Dennis Bux gave me Pineland Francesca as a birthday present. Dennis had been my boss in Papua New Guinea where I managed his racing stable. In the first year I had one female cria, Homestead Ava Baby, without any bother at all. In fact I missed the long awaited carefully scrutinized affair as I was visiting Ashley Thesen's male cria born the previous night. It was quite obvious that Lace had waited until I had to leave home. She was in the house paddock and I had been sleeping in the sunroom for nearly two weeks so, as not to miss an early morning birth and I hadn't left the farm for weeks.
I got her back this year though, as she had her female cria Rangemore Chyna Doll in the house paddock in the afternoon. Being well and truly present on this occasion I rang the neighbours so they could share the experience also. The other three births this season, I have missed by the merest of moments as in each case the babies hadn't yet got their heads off the ground by the time I spotted them. I consider myself lucky to have three healthy girls and one delightful boy, which are now 6 months old and ready to train, ( for which most people will read-play with).

2Why llamas? Because they're unique - three years ago when my first and at that stage only llama landed in the back yard, we looked at each other with mutual disbelief and wonderment. I wondered what the hell I had done, as I knew absolutely nothing about llamas. He wondered where the other llamas were. Luckily about a month later another llama owner moved to Kerikeri and lent me one of hers (thanks Ashley).
After tracking down other llama owners, who kindly lent me books, magazines (thanks Raewyn and the late George McKenzie) and videos I started reading everything I could get my hands on. Spending many hours watching videos repeatedly, spending a small fortune in toll calls, attending a one- day Marty McGee course and recently connecting to the Internet, I feel now I know a little. This is one of the reasons I'm passionate about them - their uniqueness means there is so much to learn.

3Why llamas? Because they're safe. After a lifetime of involvement with horses, eventing; hunting; racing and trekking, I finally came to the conclusion that they can be unpredictable and dangerous. That lesson included three broken collar bones; one broken arm; broken bones in my foot - with the grand finale of a broken neck, resulting in tetraplegia. Not that I gave up on horses even then. After breeding Clydesdale/thoroughbred crosses (which I called Thoroughdales) for 10 years, I finally had to admit their unpredictably and lack of personal space made them far too risky. Instead, I have found, due to their respect of one's personal space and their gentle natures, working with a group of llamas in a yard, safely achieved.
In the time that I have had llamas I have never once been spat at ( excluding that is, those times when one's caught inadvertently in the crossfire - meaning it usually pays to wear a brimmed hat). Or bitten, or intentionally knocked, although occasionally bumped when a reversing llama hasn't used his or her rear vision mirror. However I have been jumped over to avoid collision (my speedy electric wheelchair being used like cutting horse). I can also attest to the fact that five people, two dogs, one wheelchair and a macho Llama can fit quite comfortably and safely in a van, which is lucky, as I don't have a float.

4Why llamas? Because they're intelligent, many of them more so than a lot of two-leggeds. So it's fun to pit your wits against them. It’s a bit like with men. If you can get them to think it was their idea to start with, they can be extremely willing helpers. I learnt quite quickly that it was easier to ask them to do something than tell them. With their quick intelligence and curious nature I have found them easy to train, with one lesson often all that's needed. I also love the way they like to hang out with us.
When I first had Hedley and no others, I let him into the garden so he could be closer to me. The amusing thing was, despite being outside, he would follow you from room to room looking in the window. Mind you, Hedley loves nothing better than admiring his reflection in windows although mirrors are even better, Hedley can never walk past a window without hesitating to check his hairstyle. They say self-recognition is a sign of intelligence in primates and normally animals would ignore the reflection or want to fight it. Well, explain that to my four babies as they parade past the antique china-cabinet on their way to the kitchen for carrot, each in turn stopping to check their appearance!

5Why llamas? Because they're useful - We have a New Zealand made pack system from Golden Bay Llama Safari of Takaka, which has come in handy when raiding local orchards. We also have a pilch saddle that we give young children rides. I'm already wearing a luxurious handmade llama wool shawl so realize the potential of fibre.
The latest project is carting, the aim being to get a triple-hitch harness team on the road, as I dream of driving Santa down the main street in a Christmas parade. Then there is their PR ability. Passing a rest home, we were asked in to show the "oldies". A delightful old lady, proudly laying claim to 105 years of time on Mother Earth, bowled straight up without hesitation for a pat, commenting she had never seen a llama before. It was a very touching moment, and there were a few damp eyes amongst the crowd. She died a few weeks later, but at least she'd seen a llama!

6Why llamas? Because there's so much to do and look forward to. In July 97 I was in the back of an ambulance with pneumonia being rushed from the local hospital to intensive care in a larger hospital, all I could think as I gasped for each breath was that I couldn’t possibly die, as I hadn't seen any Musicman babies yet.
There have been many times in the last 12 years where it would have been easy to call it quits, to surrender. But now there is that perfect Llama I'm trying to breed. There are those perfectly trained pack/carting/PR animals to breed, train and market. There's shows/fairs/fetes to attend. Thereby giving other folk the chance to see the value and use of llamas as pets, packing and fibre animals. There are the Llama shows and clinics in the future to look forward to, where I can meet like-minded people. There is obstacle course training to plan for. I haven't tried that yet. There is so much work to be done to produce and present what I consider the perfect pet. Certainly no time to be idle or bored.

7Why llamas? Because of their owners, I have met and made friends with some wonderful people since meeting llamas, the sort of friends that end up vaccinating all the animals when they were simply dropping off a macho (thanks Graham & Ann Murray). Or the sort that called in to see the llamas and then spend a couple of afternoons teaching training tips (thanks Ruth & Matthew Benge). I fully expect... and looking forward to meeting more wonderful llama lovers in the future. And although unfortunately, I may never actually meet some of these people, there's a common bond to be found in the sharing of llama experiences ... and it's equally as strong and effective by phone and email. Without these friends and their help and support, I'd probably still be looking at Hedley wondering what the hell I had done .. and him the same.
Henceforth Hedley and I plus all the other llamas at Rangemore, would like to thank very much all those people that have given me so much support over the last few years.