 | Shining Star Ranch |
| Shining Star Ranch |
| At Shining Star Ranch, we sell performance. On the trail, in the showring, or in our breeding program, we start with intelligent, athletic, conformationally correct animals and great things happen. In its first five years, the ranch has had eleven different llamas awarded grand or reserve championships in halter and nine animals receive first place ribbons in performance. Magi was the youngest llama in the country to be awarded the title of ALSA Champion and Nicolo was one of the first two llamas to qualify as an ALSA Performance Champion.
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Like most llama ranches, Shining Star Ranch began as a dream of escaping the big city life of concrete freeways and enormous shopping malls. After gazing out my window at the massive steel structures and elaborate piping networks of a major petrochemical manufacturing complex in Houston, I called my wife Karen and said, "Let’s move to New Mexico and raise llamas." She had just spent a horrific night on call as a pediatrician and all her exam rooms were filled with crying babies so instead of dismissing the comment, she said "Tell me more!!" Thus began the oddesy that several years later, after much discussion, research and prayer, allowed us to cut some golden chains and move from upper middle class surburbia to rural northern New Mexico. Unfortunately, Karen still has to practice medicine to support what has become our passion for buying, breeding, raising, training, showing and trekking with these marvelous creatures called llamas. I keep assuring her that we’re still in a transitional phase and that someday, she can be a full time llama mama. Since 1990, Shining Star Ranch has offered commercial outfitting services here in the Pecos Wilderness. From early May through late September, I take guests from around the country on hiking and camping trips into the wilderness. It's a great way to introduce people to llamas and let them enjoy first hand the joys of llamadum. It’s also a great way for me spend some quality time with my guys. However, like the song says, "It's a hard way to make an easy living!" In the spring of '92, we purchased our first female as a maiden. Since that time, our herd has grown to approximately 50 llamas. As mentioned earlier, we are actively involved in showing llamas around the country. Karen is a certified ALSA judge and enjoys thoroughly critiquing almost every llama we meet. Her medical background gives her a unique insight into anatomy and her powers of observation and short term memory recall continue to amaze me. Although I enjoy showing animals in halter classes, I fully recognize that the judging is both comparative and subjective. The elation from being named first in class or selected as a grand champion is very satisfying and an affirmation that your breeding program and/or purchase selection process is on the right track. Showing in performance classes can be even more fun because it allows the llama to showcase both its intelligence and training. All the llamas at Shining Star Ranch are for sale. If you are looking for an experienced packer, a proven show winner, or outstanding breeding stock, Shining Star Ranch has just what you need. | |
Rick Steadham and Karen Sterling
PO Box 1341
Las Vegas, NM 87701
[800] 446-6914
shiningstarra@nmhu.campus.mci.net
Llamas for Sale
SSLR Carmen SSLR Twister
Magi Neon
Shining Star Llama Treks
Member of South Central Llama Association
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Accesses since 5/30/96
