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28
Trailing of the Sheep V (The Parade)
October 28, 2011 | Comments Off
October in Sun Valley, Idaho in the foothills of the Sawtooth mountains.
The annual Trailing of the Sheep Festival highlights the sheep-herding tradition of central Idaho.
… sheep migrate north each spring from the lower elevations of the Snake River plain of Southern Idaho, traveling in bands of close to 1,500 sheep, through the Wood River Valley to summer high mountain pastures. This traditional route takes them up Highway 75 through newly populated, residential areas and the towns of Bellevue, Hailey and Ketchum. Some continue their journey over Galena summit into the Sawtooth Mountains. In the fall, the animals retrace this trail south to desert fields and it is this return migration that we celebrate as the Trailing of the Sheep Festival. (Source)
These pics are from last year (2010). The festival ends with a parade that goes through the centre of several towns in the area. The sheep express their profuse gratitude to the local townsfolk by spraying the asphalt with showers of manure. Before that, the sheep-herding communities who have settled in the area highlight their ethnic traditions.
SCOTTISH
BASQUE
POLISH
PERUVIAN
“To create man was a quaint and original idea, but to add the sheep was tautology.” ~ Mark Twain
There they come, jogging through the centre of Ketchum ….
over 1500 sheep en route to warmer climes …
… along with an assortment of other equally bewildered creatures.
The diligent ones tend to the herd.
The slacker secures a mobile tent – just in case it rains. It’s important to stay at the front end of the tent to avoid the periodic torrent of manure.
“I wish people would turn off their computers, go outside, talk to people, touch people, lick people, enjoy each other’s company and smell each other on the rump.” ~ Tre Cool
“They’re cloning sheep. Great! Just what we need! Sheep that look more alike than they already do!” ~ Dave Barry
The pastor’s arrival signals the end of the parade.
Filed Under: Idaho, Photo Essays, PHOTOGRAPHY, Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Sawtooth range, sheep, Sun Valley, Trailing of the Sheep Festival, TRAVEL
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