It seems though that now there is a new interest in saving the real llama and defining what it really is

Classic Working Llama Guidelines

To me the classic llama is, or should be, a work animal type. But currently it is being defined by some folks as a wool type. So, to avoid confusion and for these purposes I will refer to the "Classic" as the "Classic Working" or the old world "Ccara" llama.

I have discovered many physical traits that contribute to making llamas better packers. I would like to share some of my findings observed while training and/or packing with over 400 llamas in about a nineteen year period.

When I introduced the Classic 2000 guidelines I was a new kid on the block and met with a fair amount of resistance. I'll admit that I overstated wither height by saying it was the most important thing. But I have learned some things since then and will say today that wither height is just one of the many important characteristics. It seems that now there is a new interest in saving the Ccara llama and defining what it really is. Some folks have asked me to write a definition of the Classic Working (Ccara) Llama. So I am making a renewed effort. I want to save the "ideal pack llama" which in my mind is the same thing as the ideal Classic Working Llama or Ccara llama. These guidelines (or standards) are my breeding goals and structural criteria that have served me well over the years while selecting pack llamas.

Here goes: Classic Working (Ccara) Llamas - -

IDEAL	DESCRIPTION Click on Illustrations for larger view.	LESS THAN IDEAL
	1- should have excellent general conformation. The guidelines here go above and beyond general conformation. Some llamas that win at show are not adequate pack animals. Sometimes great packers will win at show. Others would never win at show but are still wonderful pack llamas. Llamas used on the trail either work or they don't. If they work well - we try to figure out why and then duplicate those traits in our breeding. Working examples set standards here.
	2- have longer legs than depth of body. Most very athletic animals have long legs proportionally. Short legs might be good on plow horses but most pioneer horses and all my dad’s work horses had relatively long legs because you get endurance from longer legs and long tied muscling like that of Thoroughbred and Arabian horses. Even smaller llamas should have longer legs proportionally. That is why baby llamas can keep up with their moms. Their legs are about twice as long as depth of body.
	3 - should have relatively short and upright pasterns. Llama pasterns should be relatively upright and short. We have borrowed our terminology of llama conformation from the horse. There are some correct structural traits of a horse though that are wrongly applied to llamas. Horse pasterns are ideally longer and more sloping than a correct llama. Llamas toes are individually suspended clear through the pastern and they don’t have the bone structure to support long sloping pasterns.
	4- are relatively narrow tracking to avoid a wobbly inefficient gait. Many llamas are pacers. Narrow tracking is advantageous on narrow trails and also indicates strong shoulder carriage. Llamas with weak shoulder carriages widen out in the shoulders and their legs spread out because of inadequate movement and balance. This brings up another point.	See below
	5- Llamas should have good forearm muscling. And chest muscling should also be evident and tied into the forearms. This is common in good horses and I have found that it also applies to llamas. Chest muscling tied into the forearms is the foundation for a secure shoulder attachment.
See above	6- should be less than six inches between the forearm muscling to avoid a wobbly and inefficient (Duck Walker) gait.	See above
	7- should have a long stride and be able to reach forward with their front legs. This indicates proper hip and shoulder angulation and shows there is no restriction in the front or back end. Shoulder angulation is discussed in horses and also applies to llamas. The wool covering up the shoulder of llamas makes it nearly impossible to see shoulder angulation. It has to be determined in their movement and performance. A llama that has to trot to keep up with a normal gait is of no use as a packer because they will tire too easily. Llamas also need to reach out when jumping over an obstacle like the llama on the left.	See below
	8- are relatively tall to give them a long efficient stride on the trail and get over logs and obstacles smoothly. Try walking for a while with half your normal stride and see how far you get. Mac on the left is starting to break down in his pasterns because he had to trot to keep up with the other guys at a normal pace.
	9- have a long enough neck to balance the length of their back and body Llamas with short necks and especially in combination with a long back (Bulldogs) lack balance and fluid movement .	See Bulldog type above
	10- should have a level top line. The most common fault of llamas is sloping down in the front (Their shoulders are lower than the hips). This is very awkward going down hill and their load is always trying to work up over their shoulders.
	11- have adequate size with a low body mass index (not too heavy) to pack a normal load over many years of packing without breaking down. We want our llamas to be built more like basketball players than football players. Maybe a running back or a tight end would be good but no linemen types. They’re too heavy to pack additional weight and hard pressed to climb mountains. Good tall llamas are generally under 440 pounds.
	12- have a comfortable head carriage. Llamas should carry their neck forward of vertical for balance. Llama heads come up and down as they adjust for crossing logs or boulders. The head goes to the side for balance and turns. Llamas with weak shoulder attachments or front leg problems sometimes carry their head straight up or lean their neck back to take weight off of their weak front end. Llamas with weak hind quarters sometimes keep their head more forward than normal and lower to the ground at times to shift the weight to the front.
	13- have an inverted V shaped back that holds a saddle like the withers of a horse (though the withers of a horse are obviously much farther forward) Some show judges will tell you your llamas are skinny if they don’t have round backs. Not so. Good pack llamas never have a round back.
	14- should not be gelded too young. Growth plates don’t close properly and can be crippling in later years due to inappropriate growth.
	15- Llamas should have a high flank area with long sloping hips This gives llama more stride and power in the back. Being fat can take this high flank away and restrict their stride..
	In regards to Wool: Classic llamas don't have the wooly traits of alpacas. There has been some debate whether llamas have been crossed with alpacas (See articles on left "Llamas Magazine" Nov/Dec 88 and right see Wes' complete article). Alpaca genes are a major problem in performance for the working llama. To be safe I breed away from any structural or wooly traits that might show a hint of alpaca genes. Classic Working or Ccara Llamas:
	16- have relatively little or preferably no leg wool. Leg wool is a nuisance while packing. Always full of sticks and burrs.
	17- have relatively little or no head wool or wool on their ears. Sometimes cockle burrs are head high. What does it signify genetically?
	18- shed the longer wool on their neck before they are two years old - often leaving a noticeable mane. Classic or Ccara llamas don't have long neck wool after they reach maturity.
	19- have a mixture of finer wool and coarser wool called guard hair. Guard hair keeps the fibers straight and untangled. How much guard hair and what kind of wool varies.