DENVER -- At the National Western Stock Show, you’ll find a lot of great stories. But perhaps the most touching, are all the great things young people are doing.
That’s certainly the case for the Bennett, Colorado Future Farmers of America group.
“A llama is more like a sheep,” said Bennett FFA member Bryan Sanders, 14.
If you’re looking for an education on say, the differences between llamas and alpacas, look no further than the expertise of Sanders and the Bennett FFA.
“Llamas are a little bit taller and bigger, and have a broader chest,” Sanders said while describing the unique traits of both animals. “The ears on an alpaca kind of shoot outwards.”
“At home, I have pigs, goats, chickens, horses, cows, rabbits, dogs and cats,” said Bennett FFA member Westin Voorhies, 15.
When it comes to livestock, Sanders and Voorhies are wise beyond their years.
“Mini pigs, normal pigs and even bigger pigs,” Sanders said. “Some are raised for food and meat, and some are for show.”
“If anybody has any questions, we answer the best we can,” Voorhies said.
The two, along with other classmates, were running the nursery at the Stock Show on Friday.
“Most of them are babies,” Voorhies said of the animals in the nursery. “Except for the one on the very end, she’s a 21-year-old donkey.”
This is part of what makes the National Western Stock Show so special.
“Having a good time and being a good attraction for all the younger kids,” said supervisor and CSU student, Flint Corliss.
It's a chance for young and old to learn a little something from the fellas who know this stuff best.
“Llamas – their fur is kind of curly and puffy kind of like a sheep,” Sanders said. “An alpaca’s fur is more like a dog.”
“I love animals,” Voorhies said. “This just seemed like a fun thing to do.”
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