For thirty years, Bobra Goldsmith enjoyed working with pleasure horses as well as riding with friends and family. At only fifteen she trained a three-year old colt. At eighteen she moved, with her family, from Nevada to Boulder, Colorado, where they bought a small 12-acre farm.

Bobra acquired a beautiful Anglo-Arabian colt, trained him and showed him successfully in Western Pleasure, English Pleasure and Trail Horse classes. During two summer vacations, she taught riding and horsemanship at summer camps. Eventually, her university and doctoral studies led her to a busy teaching schedule at the University of Colorado. In 1972, when her two old horses were put down, she did not look for more.

In August 1978, she acquired three young llamas that had never been handled or haltered. Within a week they all haltered and led nicely. The next month, a large white gelding from Nebraska joined them. By using an old pair of bicycle bags, Bobra taught him to accept a pack. Within two months of her first acquisitions, Bobra had eleven llamas. In 1979, at the end of the academic year, she left teaching and since then has devoted her life to the many aspects of the llama world.

When Bobra acquired her first three llamas and wanted to teach them to lead, there were no proper halters available. All three of the youngsters, from four to eight months old, learned to lead easily with just a carefully adjusted lead rope around the neck. Colt halters were too big, and the calf halter she tried tightened badly around the nose. This left her  no choice but devise a halter that would be comfortable for the llama and easily conduct signals to the llama's head. Fortunately, Bobra's long time horse friend, Dorene Leonard, worked in a good horse equipment store and was able to supply the name of a halter manufacturing company willing to sew Bobra's three-way adjustable llama halters in two sizes. 

In the summer of 1980 Bobra and her husband attended the first ever llama conference in Bend, Oregon. They took with them their stud llamas, Handsome and Spook, plus three extra halters. The next thing they knew, a friend had made a list of twenty-five people who wanted Bobra’s halters. That was the beginning of Rocky Mountain Llamas Equipment Catalog. As the range of Bobra's llama activities grew, she contributed to the designs of several packs, altered horse driving harness to fit llamas, and designed baby warm coats, etc.

Because of her experience in commercial packing, which she introduced in Colorado in 1981, and her pack llamas' work with the US Forest Service, Bobra has been committed to breeding only short and medium-wooled Classic llamas of fairly large size. Her llamas have won many championships and placed well at many shows including the Nationals. Bobra also attended and gave training demonstrations at the early llama conferences held in Oregon; and she continues to offer training clinics at the ranch in basic handling, packing and driving to cart.

When the Goldsmiths, along with Bernie and Erma Hast, returned from the Conference in 1981, Erma and Bobra thought it would be a good idea to form a club to share the information with owners in the Rocky Mountain area. At that time, Howard Kersteter had moved to Colorado. He and Bobra met, made a list of the llama owners they knew in the region, and set up a meeting near Denver. Nearly thirty people attended, and the Rocky Mountain Llama Association was born.

Howard was elected the first president, Bobra vice-president, and Erma Hast was secretary/treasurer, a position she filled wonderfully for many years. Bobra also served on the founding board of ALSA and was a judge for several years.

In 1991, Bobra was invited to Araquipa, Peru to teach llama handlers how to have their llamas pull carts. This had never been done in Peru. She found it necessary to first teach the llamas to be haltered and led . After three days training, one llama pulled a cart carrying the officials at the opening of the big Araquipa agricultural show.

Bobra may be contacted at:

Rocky Mountain Llamas
7202 N. 45th Street
Longmont, CO  80503-8844
Phone/Fax: 303-530-5575
Website: www.rockymtllamas.com
Email: questions@rockymtllamas.com

For thirty years, Bobra Goldsmith enjoyed working with pleasure horses as well as riding with friends and family. At only fifteen she trained a three-year old colt. At eighteen she moved, with her family, from Nevada to Boulder, Colorado, where they bought a small 12-acre farm.

Bobra acquired a beautiful Anglo-Arabian colt, trained him and showed him successfully in Western Pleasure, English Pleasure and Trail Horse classes. During two summer vacations, she taught riding and horsemanship at summer camps. Eventually, her university and doctoral studies led her to a busy teaching schedule at the University of Colorado. In 1972, when her two old horses were put down, she did not look for more.

In August 1978, she acquired three young llamas that had never been handled or haltered. Within a week they all haltered and led nicely. The next month, a large white gelding from Nebraska joined them. By using an old pair of bicycle bags, Bobra taught him to accept a pack. Within two months of her first acquisition Bobra had eleven llamas. In 1979, at the end of the academic year, she left teaching and since then has devoted her life to the many aspects of the llama world
When Bobra acquired her first three llamas and wanted to teach them to lead, there were no proper halters available. All three of the youngsters, from four to eight months old, learned to lead easily with just a carefully adjusted lead rope around the neck. Colt halters were too big and the calf halter she tried tightened badly around the nose. This left her  no choice but devise a halter that would be comfortable for the llama and easily conduct signals to the llama's head. 
Fortunately Bobra's long time horse friend, Dorene Leonard, worked in a good horse equipment store and was able to supply the name of a halter manufacturing company willing to sew Bobra's three-way adjustable llama halters in two sizes. 

In the summer of 1980 Bobra and her husband attended the first ever llama conference in Bend, Oregon. They took with them their stud llamas, Handsome and Spook, plus three extra halters. The next thing they knew a friend had made a list of twenty-five people who wanted Bobra’s halter.  That was the beginning of Rocky Mountain Llamas Equipment Catalog. As the range of Bobra's llama activities grew she contributed to the designs of several packs, altered horse driving harness to fit llamas, and designed baby warm coats, etc.

Because of her experience in commercial packing, which she introduced in Colorado in 1981, and her pack llamas' work with the US Forest Service, Bobra has been committed to breeding only short and medium-wooled Classic llamas of fairly large size. Her llamas have won many championships and placed well at many shows including National Shows. Bobra also attended and gave training demonstrations at the early llama conferences held in Oregon. 

When the Goldsmiths and Bernie and Erma Hast returned from the Conference in 1981 Erma and Bobra thought it would be a good idea to form a club to share the information with owners in the Rocky Mountain area. At that time Howard Kersteter moved to Colorado. He and Bobra met, made a list of the llama owners they knew in the region and set up a meeting near Denver. Nearly thirty people attended and the Rocky Mountain Llama Association was born.

Howard was elected the first president, Bobra vice-president , and Erma Hast was secretary/treasurer, a position she filled wonderfully for many years. Bobra also served on the founding board of ALSA and was a judge for several years.

In 1991, Bobra was invited to Araquipa, Peru to teach llama handlers how to have their llamas pull carts. This had never been done in Peru. She found it necessary to first teach the llamas to be haltered and led . After three days training, one llama pulled a cart carrying the officials at the opening of the big Araquipa agricultural show.

Bobra may be contacted at:

Rocky Mountain Llamas
7202 N. 45th Street
Longmont, CO  80503-8844
Phone/Fax: 303-530-5575
Website: www.rockymtllamas.com
Email: questions@rockymtllamas.com