Et cetera : Sophomore Aspen Auld places at national Alpaca & Llama Show of Champions

Aspen Rayne Ranch of Van Horne, Iowa, owned and operated by Benton Community High School sophomore and FFA member Aspen Auld, has just returned from a very successful showing at the 2011 Alpaca & Llama Show Association’s (ALSA) “Grand National Show of Champions.” Of the 2 llamas Aspen qualified to enter in the annual end of year national championship, both received top 6 placements including a class Reserve Grand Champion.

Started in December 2010 with just 1 llama, 1 alpaca and 1 horse, Aspen Rayne Ranch began showing llamas the spring of 2011 in both performance and halter classes. Along with shows here in Iowa, Aspen also took her llamas to Oklahoma, Illinois, Nebraska and Minnesota this past summer working hard to qualify them for the national show. Aspen Rayne Ranch is now home to 5 llamas, 1 alpaca and 1 horse. With a successful 2011 show season behind her, Aspen is already planning for the 2012 season. As her current show stock is still quite young, it should prove to be a fun and exciting 2012 watching her already competitively formidable llamas mature and improve. Several shows in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma and Nebraska will keep her very busy next summer. Aspen is also an Iowa Llama Association (ILA) Llama Princess, representing the ILA in public functions such as parades, shows and any public events where llamas are present. Aside from being an FFA member, Aspen also stays very busy at school in activities such as “Celebration, Co.” show choir, madrigals, the upcoming high school musical “Hello Dolly” and soccer. Aspen also volunteers at Great Pyrenees Rescue of Iowa, Inc. in Atkins, Iowa. Aspen Rayne Ranch is located on her parents’ farm, Aulds’ Lluminous Llamas, located 2.5 miles northwest of Van Horne. The farm is open by appointment to visits, tours and llama 101 classes. Aspen’s main goal in raising llamas is to learn the ropes of agri-business and preparing for a career in large animal veterinary practice. To schedule your own up-close-and-personal llama experience today, give Steve or Sandy Auld a call at 319-228-8581 or drop them a line at info@AspenRayneRanch.com.