It saddens me to see that there is still an element in the packing community insisting that tall llamas (over 48"withers height), are likely to develop joint problems in later life.

When I recently wrote to internationally recognized camelid vets Dr. Karen Timm and Dr. Brad Smith from Oregon State University asking their opinion on the height issue, they replied: "We are not advocating one way or another on this issue (llama height).What we do advocate for is the structurally sound fit animal that serves the function for the owner and remains comfortable throughout its life.

And in reply to the claim that llamas over 48" are likely to break down, their comment was: "We are not aware of any published information linking heights in excess of 48" with an increased probability of developing joint problems"

We are three breeders of working llamas in B.C., Canada, who just happen to have a preference for tall llamas. We believe we have something exceptional in our line. We believe that we have stumbled across a rare strain that goes back to a line of original Peruvian packers. These boys are out-performing anything else we have, and we are really excited by them.

There is so little documentation available from Peru, but I think what happened there with the old herds of pack llamas was a similar story to the Canadian Prairies, where huge numbers of draft horses were suddenly out a job when mechanization finally reached the rural areas. The draft horses were replaced by tractors, and by 1950, they were very much a rarity. In Peru, when trucks and jeeps began replacing the huge llama trains in a faster and more efficient manner(International Wildlife may/June 2000 "Last of the Llama Treks" by Victor Englebert), I expect that these herds were now also out of a job, and turned out to breed indiscriminately.

Here in North America, the few existing classics were being crossed with the smaller, heavy-wool fibre llamas, to meet investor's demands. A beautiful and unique animal designed by centuries of breeding for a specific purpose was on the verge of extinction in its original form.

However, there still remained, in isolated areas, a few of the original type. Our strain was found in England, imported & crossed with the proven PonchoVia line, and perpetuated quietly by a Vancouver Island breeder, Barrie Hanslip of Forest Green Llamas & Alpacas, who refused to be governed by fashion. And contrary to what some people are saying, I believe that a few of these original lines were big boys! Look at this accompanying photo from a 1940s postcard, taken near Cuzco, Peru, by Martin Chambi.

The photo is from Brian Pinkertons (Mt. Lehman Llamas) website, his collection of old postcards. The big boy pictured here is almost identical to Cathrine Featherbys stud, Forest Green Tobias, or Toby as he is called. Cathy Featherby is another Vancouver Island resident who, after years of breeding working dogs, saw and recognized the value in this old line, purchased breeding stock from Barrie, and together with husband Dave, developed her own program.

Then we came along. Although Barry and I have a history of riding and training working horses, we were new to the llama community and had started our pack string with gelded rejects from fibre-breeding programs. We were enchanted with our llamas' distinct personalities, but they just weren't doing what we had hoped in the rugged backcountry of B.C. We were now hunting for athletes from proven stock, so we could breed our own.

A magazine ad for big "Toby" led us to Featherby's farm, where we purchased an exceptional young gelding for our pack string("Woodsend Willy"), and from there to Barrie Hanslip's farm, where we found our stud prospect," Wee Geordie", a lean and gangly youngster who was a full brother to Toby.

So what, you may ask, is so special about these big boys? And what do we mean by "big"? Well, many of this line mature at or around 50" at the withers, and both our stud & gelding weigh about 380 pounds in top working condition. As for special, we like to walk at a brisk pace, and those great long legs can keep it up mile after mile. When disaster struck on our first trip with young Geordie, he carried 75 pounds over 20 miles in one day, down a steep mountain trail, and didnt seem particularly fatigued at the end of it. He was three years old at the time, this was his first pack trip, and wed only had him two months. The disaster was a run-in with a huge rutting bull moose, resulting in a runaway llama - but that is another story, and we did eventually recover the llama.

We in central British Columbia dont have a whole lot of open country to hike in. During our first packing season, getting through logged areas such as this with our 43- 45 llamas was always a struggle.

"Special" is watching these big boys cross deep water with their packs high and dry, and negotiating with ease the tangle of downed trees and rocky terrain we so often encounter. It's like watching a bush ballet. How many of you have seen a bull moose take off through logging slash at a trot? It is a sight you will never forget - this big, seemingly awkward and gangly animal is transformed into a ground-covering miracle of efficient power and grace.

"Special" was the man who stopped us on our road when we were out walking our big stud, and excitedly remarked that the big boy was the first "real" llama he'd seen since he left Bolivia last year. The man was visiting our neighbours, and had been a missionary in the high mountains of Bolivia for several years ministering to a remote mountain tribe of native llama packers - one of the rare few such communities remaining.

Woodsend Willy has just crossed belly-deep water with his packs high & dry. Willy is 49" tall

Wee Geordie on our backyard
training trail.

Geordie also excels on winter trails. A foot of fresh snow is no deterrent for this leggy boy.