Burns Llama Trailblazers' Spring 2019 Pack Trial Results

Burns Llama Trailblazers Spring Pack Trial Results

Lisa Wolf, PLTA Certifier

5/15/2019

Trial Summary

Sanctioning

Burns Llama Trailblazers are sanctioned for the full 2019 year to host and administer multiple events. This event was originally planned for Friday 3, May through Sunday May 5. Requests from members for more trials than originally planned expanded the event to four days from Thursday May 2, through Sunday May 5^th, 2019 with permission from Tom Seifert PLTA secretary.

Conditions

The weather was perfect with warm sunny days and light winds. No injuries were reported.

Participation

Twelve llamas and nineteen people participated.  One llama was newly registered with the PLTA. Eleven people signed up as associate members.  Two PLTA past members renewed their memberships. Not including the sanctioning fee, the event earned $185 dollars for the organization.

Trials

Nine individual trials were conducted:  2 basic, 4 advanced, and 3 masters level.  Male and female llamas were separated at the basic and advanced levels. Only males qualified to participate in the master trials so only one set of master trials were run per day. Courses were designed as loops and run both directions to give the llamas greater variety. In total, 156 miles were covered.

Courses

The trials were held on the sagebrush/juniper steppe outside Burns, Oregon. This is a country of ancient lava flows shaped into high tables cut by narrow, steep-walled canyons and draws. It is rocky and rugged. To avoid excessively rugged terrain, courses were designed to meet PLTA standards for effort rather than standard mileage and elevation gain. All courses qualified in this regard.

Because of the lack of official trails and rough conditions in the area, a special effort was made to keep the basic and advanced courses on well-established cow paths. Cross-country travel was included in the master course, but kept to the minimum distance necessary. The ten percent reduction in distance/elevation gain granted by the Board to Burns Llama Trailblazers to compensate for rough country was not used for these courses.

Basic and advanced field tests were conducted using the roving steward method. The master field tests used the certifier escort method. The master course was scouted for route and obstacles ahead of time for which there were minor daily changes.

Certifications

Eleven llamas earned PLTA certificates. Of these 2 are at the basic level, 8 are advanced and 1 is a master level certificate.

Administration

Becky Cunningham served as trial chairperson and secretary. Lisa Wolf certified the event on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Anne Sheeter certified the event on Friday. All procedures and safety requirements met PLTA standards. 

Results

Certificates Earned

Trials Completed

Request for Changes and Improvements

1)  Concerns were voiced by the secretary about redundancy in data required for the paperwork. She especially questioned the need for the Results form. When I explained that it was critical for data entry, she recanted, but advised that on the list of forms provided as part of the Pack Trial Handbook, it should be listed first. Filling it out as people submit their entry forms would greatly expedite matters. She looked to me to make this change. I explained that there has been no resolution from the Board as to who is responsible for updating forms and the Handbook since I retired. This situation needs to be resolved.

2) The issue of the amount of effort it takes to schedule and run a big event was discussed at length. The tendency is to want to reduce the number of trials required for certification. This goes against the original intent of the trials to demonstrate that the llamas can perform in a variety of circumstances over time and waters down the value of the certification. That is not desirable.

Instead, to accommodate the fact that a number of people who wanted to participate couldn’t because of scheduling difficulties, it was proposed that members such as the Burns Llama Trailblazers, who have long experience administering trials, and who have courses that have been certified many times over, be allowed to hold trials at the request of individual members, such that someone wanting to certify their llama could arrange individual trials scheduled to meet their needs.  The secretary conceded that it is not really the paperwork that is a problem, it is the scheduling and the effort it takes to run a multi-day event. It is not that we need to make trials easier on the llamas, rather, we need to make them easier on the people. The idea was discussed with PLTA secretary Tom Seifert who felt it had merit. Burns Llama Trailblazers requests that the Board considers this as a formal proposal.