Wyoming Sheepherders: Glenrock festival represents sheep industry
The Fifth Annual Glenrock Sheepherders Rendezvous took place Aug. 26-28 at the Glenrock Town Park in Glenrock. All day events included sheep wagon viewings, an alpaca show, Dutch oven cooking, food concessions, unique vendors, spinners and weavers, sheep industry history, a blacksmith demo, dog trial demos and music.
About 20 wagons attended the event, with owners from Idaho, Nebraska, Kansas and Wyoming.
“It was an amazing event,” said Glenrock Sheepherders Rendezvous Coordinator Rita Redig. “It’s a lot of fun. I would say this year’s event was a great success.”
Dog trials
The Third Annual Dick Grabow Memorial Sheepdog Trial offered intense competition for visitors to view.
Michal Bagley and dog Kody took first place in the competition. Wendy Auzqui with dog Quirt finished second. Becky Combs and dog Sadie placed third.
Michelle Miller and dog Josey placed fourth. Cheryl Barker and dog Lara took fifth place. Dorrance Eikamp and dog Meg were awarded the Judges’ Choice Award.
Bagley, from Jonesboro, Texas, competes in many competitions with her dogs Beau and Kody. She’s been actively working with the dogs since 2015 and thoroughly enjoys competing.
“My favorite part about the dog trials is the partnership between the handler and the dog and accomplishing a goal,” she said.
She takes pride in her success with sheepherding.
“This win is incredible,” she said. “We worked very hard and this is our first win.”
“I enjoy this wonderful sport and all the wonderful people,” she continued. “I have met so many really incredible people through our dog sports and I cherish all of those friendships.”
Highlighted events
The rendezvous featured “fiber fun” events including demonstrations and products by Izzy Knits and Hannah, The Girl Who Wears Wool Socks. A popular activity for attendees was making wool socks.
“People brought antique and new sock knitting machines and sat and cranked the machines to makes socks,” said Redig.
Izzy Knits makes a wool shawl from start to finish at the event each year. This year, the shawl featured Converse County wools.
“They don’t wash the wool at the rendezvous because it takes too long to dry, but they spin the wool and comb it – whatever needs to be done to process the wool to be put into the shawl,” Redig said. “The shawl is then woven.”
The Dutch oven contest was another popular attraction.
“We had nine contestants in the Dutch oven contest,” said Redig. “It was totally amazing.”
Vendors educated visitors on wool products and provided displays.
“The vendors were a huge success,” said Redig. “It was totally packed the whole time we were there. It is such a boost for the wool industry.”
The Glenrock Sheepherders Rendezvous educates on the history of sheepherders in Wyoming and celebrates sheep, wool and the many products made with wool.
“That’s what this is all about – to preserve and promote the history of our sheep and wool industry,” said Redig. “We want to educate and preserve the heritage of Wyoming’s wool and sheep industry. The wool and sheep industry was one of the first things in Wyoming, and it’s what brought a lot of people here to Wyoming.”
Kaitlyn Root is an editor for the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
