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Post by Jaga on Oct 30, 2006 21:17:25 GMT -7
This year my friends went there. They did lots of beautiful pictures, Polish mountainers come there every year. Here is the main website of the festival: www.trailingofthesheep.org/see some photos - the famous shepherds in Idaho are the Basques from Boise. But you can also see wonderful peruvian shepherds and Polish mountaineers: www.trailingofthesheep.org/photos.htm
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Post by Jaga on Oct 30, 2006 21:17:49 GMT -7
Polish mounaineers here in Idaho in Sun Valley:
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Post by Jaga on Oct 30, 2006 21:18:43 GMT -7
These are Basques:
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Post by Jaga on Oct 30, 2006 21:32:30 GMT -7
More photos, this time from my friends: parade - Polish mountain girls:
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Post by Jaga on Oct 30, 2006 21:33:24 GMT -7
Polish mountain boys (they came mainly from Vancouver)
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Post by kaima on Oct 31, 2006 0:39:42 GMT -7
More photos, this time from my friends: parade - Polish mountain girls: Jaga, It is obvious I have wasted my life hanging around the wrong mountains! Kai
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Post by leslie on Oct 31, 2006 3:48:11 GMT -7
Jaga There seems to be a very obviously big difference between sheep trailing in the US and in the UK. Yours seems to be a very festive occasion, whereas ours is a very serious affair during which a lot of money can change hands
I UK the event is held on a hillside so all the spectators and judges can see the action clearly. There are, say 12 shepherds, with their sheepdogs. In turns they work with a flock of sheep, using their dog which is controlled by the shepherd's whistles only to take the sheep from point A to point B, and after various manoeuvres the sheep are herded by the dog into a pen. Marks are given for control, speed and use of the dog, and deducted for time lost, the sheep getting out of control and so on. The winning shepherd takes the prize and the punters either take their winnings from the bookmakers or go home sobbing over their losses!! This activity was so popular two or three years ago that regular TV showings of sheep trials or herding were made and the programme became for many viewers 'a must see'. Does anything like this happen with your events?. Leslie (The shepherds are also 'mountaineers' as most of the flocks live on the fells (mountains) in Scotland, Wales and Northern England and they have to practice their mountaineering skills mainly in the winter when the flocks of sheep are in danger with snow drifts and the like - the shepherd/farmer has to go up into the hills to rescue them and bring them down to the lower ground)
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piwo
Citizen of the World
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Post by piwo on Oct 31, 2006 7:27:13 GMT -7
There's a joke in there somewhere, just has to be!
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Post by bescheid on Oct 31, 2006 10:19:11 GMT -7
That was very interesting, I had not idea of Basque living in Idaho or for that matter any where in the USA. Or of such a sheep industry in that area. They certainly do know how to have fun though Thank you for sharing.. Charles
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Post by bescheid on Oct 31, 2006 10:30:13 GMT -7
Leslie has brought to mind an interesting differance in language. This being that of {Trailing}. Perhaps I have this mixed up, but perhaps not.
Perchance that being of in the UK: Trailing would be an event of displaying the skills of various handlers with their use of dogs and herding of sheep as of a contest.
Where as: In the US {Idaho} the event is centred upon the final gathering of the sheep from the high mountain pastures, to the winter feeding grounds. And the relief and celibration of the sucessful completion of this venture.
I could be wrong in this perception {as noted with earlier topics}
Charles
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piwo
Citizen of the World
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Post by piwo on Oct 31, 2006 11:38:03 GMT -7
That was very interesting, I had not idea of Basque living in Idaho or for that matter any where in the USA. I recall clashes between sheep herders and cattle ranchers at the turn of the 20th century, and the end of the open range. In a recent made for TV movie featuring Robert Duvall, the sheep herder they encountered was a Basque: so I'm sure the producers researched this. Interesting stuff when movies actually try to embrace history, instead of recreating their own reality.
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Post by hollister on Oct 31, 2006 13:19:46 GMT -7
There's a joke in there somewhere, just has to be! You don't joke about the Basques - they will hurt you. Jaga - if you haven't yet look and see if there is a Basques restaurant in Boise - if you like Lamb - Basque food is wonderful - don't plan on a quick meal though - if it is a true Basque restaurant there will be several courses and drinks in between. But wonderful!!!! I am probably going to date myself here but one of my favorite childhood memories is when the sheepherders would come through the area after harvest. They would let their sheep graze the harvested fields for grain or whatever. I loved watching the dogs work the sheep. The headers lived in one of those highly decorated rounded top carts (but pulled by a pick-up not a horse). At night you could see their campfire and if the wind was just right hear them singing. They would stay about a week and then move onto the next farmers field.
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Post by Jaga on Oct 31, 2006 14:49:09 GMT -7
Holly,
I am glad you joined me with Idaho theme and Basques. I have heard about Basques in Idaho but I did not yet participate in this festivities. I also do not go to Boise that often but I hope when I would be there the next time I would try to find a Basque restaurant!
Kai, Leslie, Charles, Piwo
thanks for your nice comments! I will try to post the article with all these pictures. This would be the first time we would have Polish/Idaho theme together!
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Post by leslie on Oct 31, 2006 15:11:07 GMT -7
Charles
As so often you are right (to an extent anyway)! The UK shepherds, when the sheep have summered on the higher mountains, before they have to dig them out of the snow, bring them down before the winter sets in. This is one purpose of the sheepdog trials - exhibiting the shepherd's skills with using his dog, before it has to be put into actual practice. You can imagine that on a fellside there are gulleys, crags and other features that will hide the dog from the shepherd at times - so he has to be skilled in giving the dog instructions when it is out of sight. There is a ridge in the English Lake District that separates two valleys. Farmers on each side of the ridge go to the top areas of it where the sheep have been summering, and have to separate out their own sheep from the mixed up flocks - again here is where the sheepdog comes into its own. Incidentally it is the custom for the farmers to count their sheep as yan, twan, tethera, methera and so on (1,2,3,4 etc). This goes back to Scandinavian when the Vikings occupied this part of England. Leslie
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Post by bescheid on Oct 31, 2006 20:31:17 GMT -7
Charles As so often you are right (to an extent anyway)! The UK shepherds, when the sheep have summered on the higher mountains, before they have to dig them out of the snow, bring them down before the winter sets in. This is one purpose of the sheepdog trials - exhibiting the shepherd's skills with using his dog, before it has to be put into actual practice. You can imagine that on a fellside there are gulleys, crags and other features that will hide the dog from the shepherd at times - so he has to be skilled in giving the dog instructions when it is out of sight. There is a ridge in the English Lake District that separates two valleys. Farmers on each side of the ridge go to the top areas of it where the sheep have been summering, and have to separate out their own sheep from the mixed up flocks - again here is where the sheepdog comes into its own. Incidentally it is the custom for the farmers to count their sheep as yan, twan, tethera, methera and so on (1,2,3,4 etc). This goes back to Scandinavian when the Vikings occupied this part of England. Leslie Thank you Leslie for your excellent discription. I find your impressions and descriptions very excellent. I some how was not even aware of such rough land in your country. For some reason, in my minds eye, the land was flat with rolling hills into Scot Land, that was my previous impression. Now, I have found this to be faulty. Also the reminders of the vikings of old and Saxons with the early settlement of your Island Nation. What a legacy to think of. It is so interesting of the farmers counting thier sheep using the old Scandinavian letters. It is also interesting the simularities in some ways to Niedersächsischen. Very close for the Danish raiders were next door to the land of Saxons in the then swamps and rivers of North Germany. Your yan {1} twan {2} tethera {3} methera {4}- is in- Sächsischen as: een {1} twee {2} dree {3} veer {4} fier {5} What a co-incidence Charles {oh also, almost forgot this: I forget the name of these sheep dogs, they are lively black and white dogs, very good natures. Do the farmers use them for herding their sheep now? Or what type of dog do they use? Just curios....}
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