Chungara de Temuco

It is with a heavy heart I write this entry, I lost yet another llama today! Not just any llama, this one was very special. His name was Chungara, named after a beautiful area and lake in Chile where he was born. He was part of an importation project headed by the Taylors of Montana and this is where his US journey began.

After Taylors brought him here he was sold at auction, the highest selling male that year (more $$ than I'd ever think of paying for an animal!) and moved here to Ohio. He was about 5yrs old then. He was shown all over the States and used for breeding (which more than recouped their initial cost of him).

Enter a nasty divorce and the downsizing of the farm and animals. Chungara is sold to a loving home not far from here. Bonnie kept Chungara as long as she could, but there came a day when she too had to downsize.

Enter me!

I got a call one day in 2002, from Bonnie who'd gotten my name from who~knows~who. "I hear you have llamas and have a 4H group, do you want any more llamas?" "NO", I say! I have enough to keep me busy! But then I start asking about them and she mentions this 'Chungara'. I know the name as I'd heard of this fabulous llama before. "What color is he?" I ask. "Appaloosa" she says.

I'm sold! I'm a sucker for Appies! I love them!! Well, almost sold. I talked it over with Lloyd and we decided to go have a look. What's the harm in looking!

Bonnie made me such a deal that we did more than look that day! We came home with 6 more and one on the way! In the lot were 2 of Chungara's offspring and one due later in the year.

Chungara proved to be the best ever! Whether it was at a show where he knew just how to strut his stuff or with the smallest child being so gentle or with a senior in a wheel chair who just wanted to pet the big fuzzy animal!

He'd never been used for anything but breeding and the shows. Never had done obstacles or PR work. So coming here was quite a change for him. Yet anything you asked of him, he would do it. Every obstacle he approached he completed. Could I say he was perfect? Well, yes, in my eyes he was the perfect package!

He will be sorely missed. The vet had been called, but I doubt anything could have been done to help him.
Farewell my friend.