News : Aspen Auld earned several national llama championships in 2013

Aspen Auld and her llamas earned many national honors in 2013.

Aspen Auld, Benton County teenager and senior at Benton Community High School, earned not just one, but five, national livestock championships in the International Llama Registry's Show Division (ILR-SD) for 2013. During the 2013 llama show season, which generally runs from March through November, Aspen Auld and her Aspen Rayne Ranch herd of llamas attended 13 shows in 9 different states covering nearly 8,000 miles competing in halter conformation and performance classes.

Only 16 years old when the season began, this was Aspen's first year in the Senior Youth Division of the ILR-SD, which includes youth ages 16 - 19. With this being the case, Aspen's expectations were only moderate for the season as she did have success in the Intermediate Youth Division the previous three years, but knew she was advancing into a division of highly experienced senior youth and their llamas. Therefore the results below were well beyond her expectations.

During the course of the season, Aspen and her llamas collected an astounding 18 Grand Championship awards and 12 Reserve Grand Championship awards, including a National Reserve Grand Champion award in Senior Youth Performance at the 2013 ILR-SD National Championships held at the Iowa State Fairgrounds June 15th and 16th. Along the way, three of Aspen's llamas earned their lifetime Championship awards for the ILR's Universal Awards Program (UAP) and one llama also earned his lifetime Championship award in the ILR-SD. As well as the individual performances, Aspen and her llamas were also earning points towards the overall annual points championships.

Her final results for the 2013 ILR-SD National Top 10 Points Awards:

· Senior Youth Showmanship: Champion (w/Bedazzl)

· Senior Youth Performance: Champion (w/LUA Celebrity Status)

· Adult Male Llama: Champion (Bedazzl)

· Adult Non-Breeder Llama: Champion (LUA Celebrity Status)
· Open (Adult) Public Relations: 9th (w/Four Hawke's Earthquake)

In addition to all of these accomplishments, Aspen was also the reigning 2013 Iowa Llama Queen for the Iowa Llama Association where she performed many other duties at the 5 major Iowa based llama shows, including singing the National Anthem at the 2013 ILR National Championship Show in June.

Aspen Rayne Ranch and Aulds’ Lluminous Llamas are co-located 2.5 miles northwest of Van Horne. The farm is open by appointment to visits, tours and llama 101 classes.

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@LlamasRUs.com.