Jim and I took Wednesday off work to get everything prepared so we could leave early the next day.   The one thing we couldn’t get done was to give the boys a bath and stall them the night before.   It was raining Thursday morning so all baths were given in the rain, might as well they were wet anyway, now at least they were wet and squeaky clean.   Luc said the warm water actually felt good and he didn’t mind the blow dryer either!

Once they were dry the final step before leaving home was to load all three boys in the back of the trailer and turn everyone loose.   After getting their places all sorted out Luc was exactly where he wanted to be. Right smack dab in the middle of the two big boys so he had plenty of cushion for the trip which is a series of hairpin turns the first hundred miles over Lolo Pass and then straighter roads for the remainder of the six hour journey to Drummond.

We arrived at the show grounds just in time for a storm to blow through camp.   It was one of those big black devils that packed a punch!   People were trying to rescue their wall tents and save what they could from blowing away or being soaked by the heavy rains.   The boys were blanketed and protected by the trailer; we huddled under the gooseneck and watched the excitement around camp.

                               Liberty and Dev in hot wire pen

Our number one agenda, following the storm, was to put up the new electric fence pen.   This was a first for us and I was pretty nervous, thinking of all the bad things that could go wrong.   It didn’t take long for my worst fear to happen.   We decided to put a bottom string of hot wire on, don’t ever do this! Dev somehow got it wrapped around his hind pastern and he panicked!   I ran to turn the charger off and Jim ran in to rescue Dev.   Luc and Liberty ran out of the pen and Dev tried to follow but still had the rope wrapped tightly around his leg.   He came straight to me and I flung my arms around his neck while Jim carefully removed the downed fence from around his lower leg.   The other two were easily caught and held until we could come up with halters.

                                           Liberty in Show Pen

Friday morning arrived and it was show time.   The arena crew split the ring in two therefore the halter/showmanship classes could run simultaneously with the trail class.   We were able to take the boys for an early morning stroll into the arena before everything got underway.   One thing I wanted to see was their reaction to the trail class.   Each year an elk hide is draped across a 55 gallon drum.   Dev was curious, Liberty was ho-hum but Luc said, “Uhh ‘cuse me… ain’t no way, I’m outta here… goodbye!!!!”   I did manage to convince him to stand relaxed, or as relaxed as Luc could be, close to the hairy mammoth thingy that the other guys were okay with.

It’s a good thing that halter classes start the show, that way I have a 50/50 chance of Luc staying clean.   On the other hand they should be at the end of the show for Dev when he is all worn out from all the other activities.  

Finally it’s time for the mammoth classes and we couldn’t wait to show off our pair.   Jim had Liberty as we had no idea how he would react to all this.   Mister Liberty was Mr. Perfect…  Dev was totally on the other end of the scale.   He was horrible.   Would not stand still was jerking me all over, oh my gosh what happened to all those hours at home and in other arenas playing halter class?

We made it through the preliminary go rounds but needed to bring all three boys back for championship halter.   This was not going to work; there were three of them and two of us. Luckily Steve and Janelle Rieger, Luc’s breeders, was donkey-less at the show and we volunteered Steve to show Luc for us. Once again in the ring Dev was showing the world what a brat he could be.   It was my personal nightmare coming true.   Even the judge asked me if I was okay, I told him NO,  I wasn’t and I meant it, this is horrible!  I vowed to get Devor a mule halter to give myself some extra control before the next show. Yeah right, like I am going to out muster Dev!

The jack halter is made of heavy harness leather with a chain back.   As in a regular halter there is a ring in the back that is used for tying or for use as a regular halter.   A ring to the near side is used in leading when a little more leverage is needed.   Short light jerks are all that is needed to get their attention.   Release pressure immediately as a reward.   Flat nylon halters are best in normal situations.

                                     Checking out the Elk Hide  

Showmanship and Donkey Trail class are held at the exact same time making it a wee bit of a challenge.   We made it thru both classes just fine showing Luc in each one.

One of the surprises I had for Luc was a youth showman; I hadn’t quite gotten around to telling him yet!   We had contacted a couple to see if their son would like to participate in the donkey youth classes with Luc.   Cole said yes!   Their first class was trail and Luc did his absolute best for Cole.   They concluded that day with Single Donkey Log Pull looking like they had spent hours practicing this event.   Actually it was Cole’s fist time on the end of the lines, we were extremely proud of this pair.

                                                 Log Pull Class

Saturday dawned with pouring rain and the reality that Dev, in the halter classes, had managed to twist my back into a pretzel.   I knew I was not showing that day.   Between Jim, Janelle and Cole Luc had a full day of showing, while the team relaxed in their pen under the announcer’s stand taking in all the sights and sounds of the show.   Best thing we could have done with them!

Julie Davis, our Chicks Having Ears, aka “Ch “ears” leader had been scheming all winter about us demented donkey devotees doing something special Saturday night.   We had all been sworn into a veil of secrecy.   Early evening, after a potluck supper, it was time to get the boys decorated for the lighted all donkey night-time parade thru the VFW show grounds and the camping area next door.   The victims of the evening were to be me riding Luc in a saddle adorned with lights and Jim leading Dev decked out in an illuminated harness.

Now donkeys are suppose to be scène, genteel and calm, this pair was not going to corporate at all this evening.   Dev was a handful for Jim.   Luc was not a happy camper and did not like this parade thing at all and of course my back was screaming that I should not be attempting this feat.  It was a wonderful and fun event, very much enjoyed by spectators and 98% of the participants.

As soon as it was over and we had the boys undecorated Jim left ahead of me with Dev to bed him down for the night.   I was following with Luc and a lantern, trying to keep up in the dark and avoid the mud puddles.   As we were going past the smelly restrooms Luc hit the end of his nylon lead rope with me still holding on.   I could feel the rope burning thru my bare hand; instead of letting go I held tight and threw the lantern so I could grab the rope with my other hand.   Oh what was I thinking???!!!! The rope severely burnt both my hands.   Julie provided a bag of ice and I was in for a night of agony.

Sunday Jim, Cole and Janelle managed to show Luc in all the classes we had signed up for.   One good thing that transpired was Jim and I had ample time to visit with Steve Edwards about donkey saddles. We came away from the show with two new saddles, cinches, non slip pads, halters and Steve’s videos.

Julie had done a great job coercing donkey owners to bring their asses and come to the show.   I believe there were 29 donkeys on the show grounds and it was wonderful to see the classes so large.

When things start to go wrong it’s like a snowball effect, it’s just not going to get any better soon and for us it didn’t! It started raining Friday night after the log pull and poured rain all day Saturday.   It’s just not MT Mule Days unless it rains!   Oh well we had a blast anyway and my chiropractor was happy to see me in his office first thing Tuesday morning!

2006 Show Results

Grand Champion Halter Donkey Blue Mountain Endeavor-Kristi Kingma High Point Driving Donkey RMS Lippyluver Luc -Jim Kingma Large Standard Donkey Geldings & Gelding Halter Championship RMS Lippyluver Luc-Kristi Kingma Mammoth Donkey Geldings 1st Blue Mountain Endeavor-Kristi Kingma 2nd Mas Ass Acres Liberty-Jim Kingma Donkey Gelding Championship 1st Blue Mountain Endeavor-Kristi Kingma Mounted Donkey Trail 3rd RMS Lippyluver Luc-Kristi Kingma Youth Donkey Keyhole 1st RMS Lippyluver Luc-Cole Henrekin Donkey Team Penning On the wining team was Janelle Rieger riding Luc Single Donkey Gamblers Choice 1st RMS Lippyluver Luc -Jim Kingma Canadian Maze, Single Donkey, Adult 2nd RMS Lippyluver Luc -Jim Kingma Blankets & Ribbons

Mounted Youth Donkey Trail 1st RMS Lippyluver Luc-Cole Henrekin Youth Donkey Log Pull 1st RMS Lippyluver Luc-Cole Henrekin Single Donkey Log Pull 3rd RMS Lippyluver Luc -Jim Kingma Donkey Western Pleasure 4th RMS Lippyluver Luc-Kristi Kingma Youth Donkey Barrel Crawl Thru 4th RMS Lippyluver Luc - Cole Henrekin Youth Lead Your Donkey To Water 5th RMS Lippyluver Luc-Cole Henrekin Youth Donkey Balloon Bust 4th RMS Lippyluver Luc-Cole Henrekin Donkey Barrel Race 4th RMS Lippyluver Luc - Janelle Rieger Donkey Pole Bending 4th RMS Lippyluver Luc - Janelle Rieger