Piper Hubbel pets Joe, the llama he was showing Saturday during the showmanship division at the Douglas County 4-H Fairgrounds. The competition featured three events: showmanship, obstacle course and public relations.

Hannah Tuley relaxes in the shade with a book and her calf, Mary, Saturday at the Douglas County Fairgrounds. Tuley showed Mary on Thursday and rabbits Saturday morning.

The last thing Tia the tan llama wanted to do on a 93 degree afternoon was put on a hat, pose for a photo and walk through a Hula-Hoop for judges and an audience at the Douglas County Fair Llama Show.

Instead, Tia lay on the barn’s floor and refused her master’s jerks of the lead to rise. It wasn’t exactly the best first impression for the showmanship portion of the event.

It wasn’t exactly what Jennifer Goff, 18, of Baldwin City, was expecting to unfold from her back-up plan either.

Her other llama, Roo, who is pregnant, was supposed to be the uncooperative one.

With ease, she pulled her other llama around the arena, impressing the judges enough to place second in the class of three other participants. Her mother, Barb Goff, said Roo has been so temperamental lately that Jennifer worked with Tia as an alternative for the show.

“This is the first year she placed high on showmanship,” Barb Goff said. “Usually she’s on the other end.

Kalli Keen, 21, of Baldwin City, watched the showmanship, obstacle and public relations performances. She said llamas are “kind of different.”

“I don’t understand. I’m a dairy girl,” she said.

Keen showed dairy cows with 4-H for 13 years. Now she’s in the National Junior Holstein Association.

“I think it’s good; it gives more opportunities for kids to show different species,” she said.

Jacob Hetrick, 18, Lawrence, has worked with llamas for several years on his parent’s Circle H Ranch near Stull.

He and his llama won all three of the events he competed in: showmanship, obstacle course and public relations. He attributes the cooperation of his llama to three years working with her.

“I set up an obstacle course at home and spent about 15 to 20 minutes with her every day,” he said.

He said llamas are smart animals and catch on quickly – though at times can be quite stubborn.