THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 23, 1994 TAG: 9409220154
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 18 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JANELLE LA BOUVE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 91 lines
HENRY THE CAMEL once entertained visitors at the North Carolina theme park operated by television evangelists Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker. His long, lush eyelashes make him look as if he had acquired Mrs. Bakker's fondness for mascara.
But now Henry's job is to entertain party guests for a Chesapeake business called Little Pony Party Express.
The 10-foot-tall camel is one of 38 animals that make up the menagerie of Cathy Vick, who operates the South Battlefield Boulevard business. Besides Henry, there is a small African wildcat named Chance, a llama named Louie and a pygmy goat named Buckwheat.
Vick not only offers pony rides and petting zoos for kids' birthday parties, she also provides entertainment for school and church functions, government and corporate picnics and fund-raisers. Her animals have worked at the Chesapeake Jubilee, Suffolk's Peanut Festival, the Watermelon Festival in Murfreesboro, N.C., and Hampton Bay Days.
The idea for Little Pony Party Express occurred to Vick in 1988 after she had difficulty locating a pony to appear at a birthday party for her daughter. She made up her mind to find out how much demand there might be for such a service. She placed a bogus newspaper ad to see what kinds of calls she would get.
``I was not trying to mislead people,'' she said. ``I just wanted to see how much demand there was for another pony company.''
The experience convinced her that there was a big demand for party animals. A few months later she was in business.
With an initial investment of about $4,000, Vick bought one pony, then another, then some exotic animals - a wildcat, a honey bear, a llama and a pot-bellied pig.
``I left my job in security at the Naval Hospital because I wanted to stay at home with my daughter,'' Vick said. ``My husband, George, was with the police department, and I knew we would need more income.''
The couple moved to a house in Hickory, where there was enough land to keep the animals.
Kids' parties constitute most of Vick's business, but Henry the camel is reserved for larger events.
``We actually have to set scaffolding up so that people can climb up on him,'' Vick explained. ``So he's mostly for festival events and business promotionals.''
Henry's life expectancy is about 42 years and so far, he's lived up to the $10,000 investment Vick made when she purchased him.
``We get a tremendous response from the public about the camel,'' she said. ``Even most adults have not seen a live camel. People love to have a picture made with him. When he's riding in the trailer, people stop and gawk and ask questions.''
Henry usually takes all the attention in stride, but he has been known to throw a tantrum if one of the other animals is given some food he doesn't get.
``Otherwise, to be as large as he is, he's a very gentle, laid-back animal,'' Vick said. ``Usually camels are moody and strong-headed. But he has an excellent temperament.''
Aside from acquiring the animals, Vick said, her greatest business expenses are advertising, veterinary services and feed. Including mineral supplements, her monthly food bill for the animals runs about $400.
Vick said children love to see the animals and to pet them.
``Anytime you bring children and animals together, it always seems to be a good experience,'' she said. ``Animals tend to bring out a child's personality. The most shy child will become a lot more outgoing.''
As for the animals, Vick said their behavior is unpredictable and always amusing. She still laughs over the time one of her goats got his horns stuck in a fence.
``Pee Wee, a miniature pony, grabbed the goat by the tail, pulled him loose, then didn't want to let go,'' she said.
The Vicks' daughter Angela, 16, enjoys helping her mother with the business on weekends.
``I like being able to go to work and take my family with me,'' Vick said. ``We can work together. I like the fact that the environment is never the same.
``The business has very successful. I never thought it would be as good to me as it has been.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by Steve Earley
Henry, a 10-foot-tall camel, is one of 38 animals that make up the
menagerie of Cathy Vick, who operates Little Pony Party Express. "
We get a tremendous response from the public about the camel," Vick
says. "... To be as large as he is, he's very gentle, laid back
animal.
by CNB