After God finished creating all the animals, He used what remained to make the camel.
So says Jeral Williams who brought his camel Clyde to the annual American Dog Derby celebration in Ashton Saturday.
“God used the leftover parts or something of all the other animals,” he said. “The camel was made last. Whatever God had left, he put on the camel.”
Williams brought Clyde as well as a donkey and white baby buffalo to the event. The animals proved a draw.
Nathan Burnett and his wife, Lydia, and their one-year-old daughter Emma Burnett, of Idaho Falls, were visiting Ashton family members when they spied Clyde.
“We had to come to Ashton to see a camel,” Nathan Burnett said. “We saw this and said, ‘let’s check it out.’”
Williams and his wife Jenine own and operate a ranch/farm in Ucon where they care for five camels, numerous cattle and 20 buffalo.
“Camels are fun,” Jeral Williams said. “They make people smile.”
Dog Derby organizer John Scafe invited Jeral and Janine to attend the event to make up for the lack of the dog races. Insufficient snow for much of the winter prevented the races from continuing. Ironically, on Friday, Ashton received more than seven inches of snow.
Despite races being cancelled, about four mushers and their dogs attended the festivities at Pocket Park where residents visited with them and played with their animals. Throughout the event. those dogs got a lot of attention and made a lot of noise by barking.
In the meantime, Jeral Williams’ camel, buffalo and donkey proved popular as visitors had their pictures taken with and petted the animals. Clyde didn’t shy away from anyone, and one young boy took a ride on the donkey.
Jeral Williams bought his camels in Spokane. He said the animals originate from Mongolia where the rural countryside and weather is similar to what Idaho provides. During the summer months, camels shed their fur which may be turned into clothing. They grow back all that fur during the cold winter months.
The animals can live up to 50 years.
“They can eat anything, twigs, leaves,” he said. “In the wild they have to live on pretty much anything.”
Despite their massive size, camels are gentle giants, Jeral Williams said.
“They are like a big dog, overgrown puppies,” he said.
The Williams family often takes their overgrown puppies to just about any celebration they’re invited to such as birthday parties. In December last year, their camels were featured in 23 nativity scenes. The animals have also been a part of the Rexburg Fourth of July and the St. Anthony Pioneer Days parades.
Jeral and Jenine have been married for 53 years.
“We’ve been together longer than I’ve had my favorite pocketknife,” he said.
The couple also has eight children and an estimated 23 grandchildren. To the Williams’ posterity, it’s just normal for their grandparents to raise camels.
“They grew up with it,” Jeral Williams said.
Scafe wasn’t disappointed in Saturday’s turnout and what the get-together had to offer. It also included a quilt show and clay sculpture display at the Ashton Community Center.
“I think it was a good time for all,” he said.