Jerry’s fascination with
animals started at a very early age. There’s not a photo in his childhood and
youth picture albums that doesn’t include an animal of some sort. His
rattlesnake collection still remains in his dresser drawer….and the 4H trophy
from the County Fair… he parted with….a few years ago!! I knew when we stopped
at a tropical fish store on our honeymoon….that he wasn’t the “norm.”
After graduating from Utah
State with a Master’s Degree in Animal Ecology…we moved to western Nebraska to
wait for a job to open up...and to be closer to family as we had a new baby to
share with them! It was after the move that he talked his dad and brother into
starting a game farm with him. The plan became a reality and the dream
began…..The year was 1973. With no money….but lots of ideas…we began building
the adventure that our life would become. We started out with a variety of
animals and birds…acquiring many through zoos….and then, in 1976, we began
buying llamas. By the time we had eleven of them…his dad thought that we had
enough of them….because whatever would we do with them!! Jerry told him that he
thought they might be “good” down the road!! Then in the early 80’s…a friend
from Catskill Game Farm stopped at our farm on the way to the west coast….and
told him about Dick and Kay Patterson’s llama herd. It was then that Jerry
decided to pay them a visit…and we started buying llamas from Pattersons….ten
pairs at a time! The Patterson llamas became our foundation herd. As llamas
began to catch on across the country and into Canada….prospective buyers filled
our calendar with farm visits. It was not unusual to have three different sets
of people at our farm on the same day…looking at llamas. We have had so many
people stay at our house over the last 30 plus years….that I can’t even remember
some of them!! There were no motels close….so the McRoberts Farm became the
“Host Hotel.” And Jerry….true to his fashion….was the perfect host!! So many
good memories with so many wonderful people in the llama world…filled our lives
with so much happiness. Our llama friends became our best friends!!
As many of you know….Jerry
sold Fred Hartman his first llama as he stood outside in the cold at the Denver
National Western Stock Show …trying to get the general public interested in
llamas. It was this sale that prompted Fred to come to the farm and buy six
more llamas that he sold at the beginning of one of his cattle auctions. The
llamas were such a hot item at that sale…that Fred began mulling over the idea
of having a llama sale….and thus the llama sales began. Those subsequent years
saw the llama industry grow and expand to new heights. During this period…MGF
had the top seller three years in a row at Hartman’s Sale.
Jerry’s enthusiasm over
llamas never waivered…..and he was always looking for the perfect male to
incorporate into his breeding program. In October of 1992….Jerry bought Macho’s
Ace, a beautiful Macho Comacho son, from Dick Wickum. Jerry bred him to a large
number of our females and felt that Macho’s Ace improved every one of those
females. He was our number one herdsire during the next several years. In 1993
we bought RAR Richochet from Max and Carol Kronn and Range Rover from Art and
Lois Kennel when they were six months old…and “grew them up” until they were
ready to breed. In the late 90’s…. the acquisition of Chileno G Cerro Azul..an
Argentine type male co-owned with Andy and Cheryl Tillman…added the bone that he
was searching for in a breeding male. He so loved the first offspring from Azul…that
he kept all of the Azul daughters in the herd. One of our next breeders…MGF
Bacchus Azul – co-owned with John and Deb McDougal - came from this wonderful
male. When Jerry saw the first Argentines that came into the country…he thought
they were amazing….and had to have them. A subsequent trip to Chile with Paul
Taylor in 2000…added some beautiful Argentines to our herd…including Argentine
Don Zunca and Argentine Machi…and the dream continued. In 2004…two Chilean
imports…San Juan and Aviator…added new bloodlines and beautiful suri fiber to
our herd. Jack and Tracy Pearson co-own these two herdsires with us to this
day. In 2006 the addition of WSL Peruvian Silver Lining – co-owned with Jan and
Suzanna Lasee - completed the program that he was striving to
develop….beautiful fibered animals with strong bone. There were many other
breeding males that played an important part in the development of our herd…but
these are some of the males that made an enormous impact in the latter years.
We have watched the llama
industry begin….saw it take off and soar to unbelievable heights…and then
watched as the industry grew and expanded…adding the show ring to the delight of
llama enthusiasts. We have always said that we would never want to stop raising
these beautiful animals…and, in my darkest moments this past year, the birth of
a new baby uplifted my whole day!!
My life with Jerry was such
an amazing adventure. He was so passionate about what he did…and so
knowledgeable…loving every minute of his life. He truly followed his dreams and
lived them. I will be forever thankful that our paths crossed one Friday
night…many years ago…and our life together began.
Barb