Yesterday we had some visitors to Split Rock Ranch looking at llamas. They own over 100 acres in northern Huerfano County (southeast of us) and need livestock to maintain their agricultural status (which is a HUGE tax savings, for those of you who don't know what AG status affords you!) They decided to investigate llamas. They had already picked out two of our males, Midnight Hour and High Five.
Midnight Hour was a perfect gentleman and behaved himself very nicely. He was shown starting at the ripe old age of 5 months old (we weaned him from his mother and took him to National Western Stock Show to show him for the very first time). So Midnight is "bomb proof" and very easy to handle.
We have handled High Five quite a bit and he has done the Fairplay Llama Race several years so he has been handled by strangers, as well, but he was antsy yesterday because he is younger and we had them tied up where they could see and smell the females and High Five was more interested in putting on a show for the ladies.
Then we started talking about females because they want to buy a female from us next summer. I had a particular female in mind that is in their price range and totally unrelated to both Midnight Hour and High Five. So I pointed her out and then we went to look at one of her offspring that just happens to be a High Five son - you all know this little guy...Chocolate Chip. One look at Chip and they changed their minds; they fell in love at first sight and decided to get Chip rather than High Five.
So, they paid with cash and a personal check and went back home to finish their fencing and housing preparations and will either come pick the boys up after they've found a suitable stock trailer or we will deliver the boys to them when they're ready.
I'm thrilled because this is going to be such a great home for the boys. I'm kind of bummed because it will be strange to look out the kitchen window and not see Midnight Hour sunning himself on the south side of his Rock & Tree. And Chip holds a very special place in my heart.
