“We are new to pack goats and after seeing a demonstration with various saddle types at the NAPgA Rendezvous in 2018, I knew my goofy-shaped boer/nubians wouldn’t be comfortable in traditional sawbuck saddles and that Sopris was the way to go. After doing more research I fell in love with the story of your company and I love knowing that whatever we buy from you guys will be tried and true because you’ve been around so long. Thank you for putting out quality products in such a niche field!”
-Hayley Leishman of Utah
"Just wanted to let you know how much we appreciate your Sopris saddle. We have been using it often since the mid-1990s with no repairs needed. We always put it on our strongest llama with the heaviest load. The Washington Trails Association had a couple of their 'carriers' and your saddle was easily adapted to carry them. We also have one [competitor's saddle], four [competitor's saddle], and one [competitor's saddle]. Yours is the strongest, while the others are good for specific uses."
— Jim and Sara Thomas, of Lake Chelan Llamas in Lake Chelan, Washington
"I used the Mt. Sopris System on my 1,000 mile hike from California to Canada. Using the Sopris System, my llamas were able to carry 80 pounds and travel an average of fifteen miles per day. After 114 days on the trail, my llamas had no sings of bruising, chafing, or of having saddle sores. I was able to adjust the saddles to meet the changing trail conditions, and was never concerned as to whether the equipment would last. As a matter of fact, after 1,000 miles of daily use the system looks almost new. The Mt. Sopris System was an integral part of what is believed to be a record setting trip."
— Peter Illyn
"Charlie, we met at the 2006 GALA Conference and I told you about the problem of finding halters to fit one of my llamas. You suggested trying your halter and I’ve been using the one you sent in a variety of situations (packing, training, and driving) and my big roman nose boy is comfortable and able to take training treats in all situations. Thank you for making this style of halter. I like it so much I will be ordering more for my other llamas. I think your pack systems are wonderful, as well--I have three: a lumbar day/training, a full size lumbar, and Sopris pack saddle system. I love them. Thanks again."
— Diane Pinell-Baker
"We received our first Sopris halters at Estes Park Wool and Fiber Festival in 2008, and they have become indispensable when dealing with our Jacob sheep! We often use the Sopris halters at home as they are easy to handle, even for novices! We had a neighbor feeding for us while we were out of town, and they had to give a sheep shots, and they had no trouble figuring out how to put on and use a Sopris halter! In the show ring, the Sopris halters are handy on our big four-horn rams, as we don’t have to stretch out a rope halter to fit over the horns; they slide right on. They are also handy for use with sheep, and come in sizes small enough to fit small lambs--and again, they STAY ON those little lamb heads without rubbing the eyes. The halters look nice and professional, they fit properly, and they are easy to slide off and on. When you’re showing a number of animals, the ease of haltering is a big deal, allowing us to get to and from the show ring without worrying about an animal slipping out of a halter, and allowing us to get them in and out of the halters without a fuss.
Unfortunately, we have parted with a few over the year, not due to the product failing but because they were perfect for shipping animals across the country! These nice halters can be left on an animal in transit. We used professional shippers, and all have commented that it was easy to handle the sheep when transporting them to other parts of the country when they are wearing these halters! We even shipped a pair of sheep with a horse hauler, and he had to transfer the sheep out of the dog crates they were shipped in. He liked being able to reach into the crate, snap a lead on the handy ring, and have a safely contained animal with no worry of the halters slipping off the head like many sheep halters do! We have also used them on our fainting goats, many of which are naturally polled animals and virtually impossible to keep a halter on, but the design of the Sopris keeps the halter from sliding off the goat’s head. Thank you Sopris for providing a product that WORKS!"
— Brian & Jennifer Tucker of Moose Mtn. Ranch in Bennett, CO