Hopscotch is one of those reindeer in the herd who isn’t up in your face and super greedy but is very reliable when it comes to catching and handling because of how very tame she is. She has aged into a really sweet old girl and having had her fair share of calves over the years it’s so great she has passed that on as they too are very sweet. She’s a funny one Hopscotch because her mother, Fada, really had quite a wild character and always gave us the run around but Hopscotch couldn’t be sweeter or tamer if she tried. Luckily she has passed that onto her calves and Fada’s aloof streak has been phased out.
Juniper is her oldest daughter and she is unique as she doesn’t grow any antlers. This however doesn’t stop her dominance within the herd and she certainly won’t be pushed off her food in a hurry. That is where her front feet come into play! She has also had two calves so far – Fab and Cha Cha. Like the rest of their family they enjoy their food!
Her next born is Busby. He is one of our lovely ‘Christmas reindeer’ who is trained to harness and pull the sleigh. His character is super tame, friendly and inquisitive. He is certainly one of my favourite Christmas reindeer to work with because he actively seeks out attention, which usually revolves around food, but makes him great to work with but also a really good role model to the younger, less experienced reindeer. As a calf when he was still with mum Hopscotch he actually came in from the free range in quite poor condition, for whatever reason. However, we worked hard on turning him around and now I’d say he is one of our fattest reindeer in the herd! That is a compliment, nobody wants a skinny reindeer.
Zambezi is a young female at only 3 years old. Like her mum and sister she spends most of her time out on the free range then comes into our mountain enclosure at certain times of year whether it’s for the rutting or calving season. She grows quite a similar shaped antler to her mum which I’d say is very upright and tall. Her nature is greedy but she’s not quite got her brother Busby’s tameness. Probably the female in her as opposed to her dopey brother 😉. As a calf she was a real mummy’s girl and they were never seen too far apart.
Hopscotch’s last calf was born in 2025 and he is called Foxtrot. He is the palest in colour compared to his siblings and has a white patchy face. Having worked with him over the Christmas period and general handling since then he is showing all the signs to be just like big brother Busby. Sweet and greedy but not pushy, just a lovely natured wee chap. I’m really looking forward to watching him grow into the herd.
Now Hopscotch is 15 years old she is definitely retired from calving and will go on to live her life out free ranging on the Cairngorms. She can leave the breeding now to her two daughters Juniper and Zambezi. Busby will do her proud when it comes to showing off on Christmas events and being chief hand feeder on our guided Hill Trips and little Foxtrot will navigate through the next few years as a young bull and if we decide not to breed from him then, like his brother, he will become a Christmas reindeer too. She’s got a lovely succession of family behind her, Hopscotch, but equally she’s doing great herself even at her grand age.
Fiona