Peter(obscured) Denise and Tegan Moloney (Yenolom Lowlines) with Karlee Park animals on display at the South East Field Day held at Yakka, March 2008

A hard day at Yakka

Karlee Park exhibits in a heat wave

March was the hottest period in South Australia for 30 years.
So that was when Karlee Park decided to exhibit Lowlines at the
South East Field Days at Lucindale, SA.

Preparation started on Wednesday washing animals, loading the old Bedford truck with sheep gates, water buckets and feed, brushes, personal gear for two overnight sleeps,
a gazebo for shade and the ever important drinking water. Mid morning Thursday,
Peter loaded a Senior bull, Senior cow and an eight month old calf into the truck, and we were off, together with our intrepid friend, also Peter (Moloney) from Yenolom Stud.

After an hour and a half driving we arrived at Yakka Park - basically a 20 acre paddock which is converted once a year into a city of marquees, tents and caravans with everything from bird whistles to huge headers on display.
This is where the fun started. Having found our site among the 700 or so, dodging vehicles, pedestrians and animals, the pair of Peters set up the yard
to enclose the animals. This consisted of four sheep gates secured with star pickets. What more do you need for Lowlines anyway?

By now the temperature was 41 degrees with a HOT and DUSTY north wind blowing.
The Peters laboured on. After all, the cattle were still on the truck and the gazebo needed to be assembled above the yard for shade.

If you have ever tried to erect a gazebo or tent on a windy day,
you can imagine the chaos. Then the plastic fittings
intended to hold the frame together started melting,
as did the men, not to mention the cattle.
Ingenuity prevailed and with the gazebo tied firmly to the truck,
we were able to off-load and settle the cattle in for the night.
Because of the excessive heat, there wasn't a great deal of interest on Friday,
but Saturday, although still hot, was a little overcast,
and more people were out and about.

Some say we are mad to do what we do with our cattle.
We love them, and really enjoy working with them,
but that Saturday afternoon we were ALL glad to be home,
cattle included, to shower and crash into bed.
And you can guarantee that we'll do it all over again next year
at some Field Day or Expo or Show.

Peter & Sue Foureur, Karlee Park Lowlines - Glencoe, South Australia.