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STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK There was a time that the aspen trees around Sun Valley served as mini-diaries—records left behind by Basque sheepherders. Carving their names and the dates of when they camped in an area gave them a way to say, “I was here” while engaging in the oft-lonely profession of sheepherding. Sometimes, they even carved pictures into the bark of the trees—from the church that was important to their lives to a self-portrait of themselves on horseback. These arborglyphs are aspen tree carvings left by the sheepherders during their time spent tending sheep in the mountains and forests of Idaho's Wood River Valley. Many of the arborglyphs were carved more than 50 years ago and are fading away as the trees age and the bark deteriorates.
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The big sheep parade doesn’t just happen during the Trailing of the Sheep Festival. As locals can attest, sheep can be found trailing through the Wood River Valley every spring and fall.
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Recognizing this, the 29th annual Trailing of the Sheep Festival is examining Basque Tree Carvings in the American West in this year’s Sheep Tales Gathering, which will be held 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10, at The Argyros in Ketchum. Presenters are John Bieter, professor of History at Boise State University, and Inaki Arrieta Baro, head of the Jon Bilbao Basque Library at the University of Nevada-Reno. The talk will be accompanied by an installation on stage--“Immigrant Shadows”--designed to bring an aspen grove into the theater. Idaho artist Amy Nack cut images of aspen trees and leaves into paper panels and Earle Swope made plaster or silicone casts of arborglyphs. “We’re excited to present a program on the arborglyphs—what they’re about. Additionally, we’ll have a virtual element that was put together for the Jaialdi Basque Festival that was held in Boise this summer,” said Laura Musbach Drake, the executive director of the Festival.
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Navajo rugs are always a big draw among the vendors at the Championship Sheep Dog Trials.
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The virtual reality piece was created by Daniel Fergus, director of @One, Digital Media Technology at the University of Nevada-Reno, and it will be at the Sheep Folklife Fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, at Roberta McKercher Park in Hailey. “It’ll give people a chance to walk in the footsteps of a sheepherder, and we’re going to project it so that more people can see it,” said Musbach. “Other highlights of the week, of course, include the Championship Sheepdog Trials, which are always exciting, and the Big Sheep Parade on Sunday.” The Festival has gotten a slew of accolades over the year including Top 7 Best Fall Festival in the U.S. from National Geographic, 9 Fall Festivals Worth Traveling For from Forbes.com, America’s Wackiest Fall Festival from The Huffington Post and top Offbeat October Festival from MSN. And this year is no different with the Festival being named a USA Today 10Best Fall Festival. This year’s Festival kicks off tonight with a Farm to Table dinner at Sage School in Hailey. The following days are jam packed:
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You’ll find men and women both spinning during the fairs at Roberta McKercher Park and the Championship Sheepdog Trials.
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WEDNESDAY, Oct. 8 Noon-5 p.m. FESTIVAL HEADQUARTERS opens at The Argyros, 120 Main St. S., in Ketchum. 3 p.m. COOKING WITH LAMB CLASSES featuring Paul Brown of the Sun Valley Culinary Institute and Mary Clare Griffin cooking up such dishes as Lamb Shoulder Bocadillo with Muhamarra, Labneh and Quick Pickles on Potato Brioche Basque Piment d’Espelette Lamb Rack with Moroccan Apricot Almond and Pomegranate Israeli Couscous. 6:30 p.m. FARM TO TABLE DINNER at The Sage School.
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People followed the dust kicked up by the sheep as they made their way from Ketchum to their bedding place following the 2024 Big Sheep Parade.
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THURSDAY, Oct. 9 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. WOOL CRAFT classes include felted pumpkins, needlepoint keychains and wet felt bowls. 10:30 a.m. COOKING WITH LAMB class featuring Chris Kastner of CK’s Real Food 1 p.m. CHEESE MAKING CLASS
3 p.m. COOKING WITH LAMB Class featuring Kathleen and Fiona Bean of Lava Lake Lamb 6:30 p.m. FARM TO TABLE DINNER at The Sage School. FRIDAY, Oct. 10 9 a.m.-5 p.m. CHAMPIONSHIP SHEEPDOG TRIALS on the east side of Buttercup Road north of Hailey. The National Point Qualifying Sheepdog Trials will feature dogs trying to pen sheep provided by the Schwandt family, who trail sheep from Bliss to Ketchum.
Spectators are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs. Leashed dogs are permitted but coolers are not. Food and beverages are available for purchase, as well as Festival merchandise and the wares of 30-plus vendors. Cost is $10 for bikers and pedestrians on Fridays and Saturday and $5 on Sunday. Vehicles with two-plus passengers cost $20 a day, or $45 for three days. Vehicles with single occupancy cost $10 per day or $25 for a three-day pass. Children under 5 are free. 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. WOOL CRAFT CLASSES include wet felted scarves made with power tools and knit and needle sheep hats. 10: 30 a.m. COOKING WITH LAMB CLASS taught by Chris Kastner of CK’s Real Foods
2:30-4 p.m. SHEEP RANCHING Q&A with Idaho ranchers at The Community Library, 415 Spruce Avenue, Ketchum Mike Guerry, who runs sheep and cattle in the Jarbidge area, will moderate a discussion featuring Rupert sheep rancher Henry Etcheverry, whose father came to Nevada at age 16 from the French Basque town of Bidarray to herd sheep; and Liz and Brett Wilder, sixth-generation ranchers and owners of Boise River Lamb, a direct-to-consumer and lamb wholesale business based in Caldwell. Free. 4:30 p.m. FOR THE LOVE OF LAMB eat-around. A $25 passport guarantees at least five small lamb dishes prepared by Ketchum restaurants. Rasberry’s will serve up lamb pizza; Marketita Oaxaguena, lamb tacos; Limelight Hotel Lounge, lamb curry, and Fiamma, lamb shank agnolotti with lamb caramel. Salted Sprig will serve a spiced lamb meatball with Indian-style curry; Scout Wine Bar, lamb dumplings; Serva, salsa criolla; Sun Valley Culinary Institute, lamb green chile stew; The Sawtooth club, Idaho Meets Italy Lamb Bolognese, and The Village Market, Greek Souvlaki Lamb Skewers.
Passports are available at Festival Headquarters at The Argyros between noon and 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 8, between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 9, and between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10. 7 p.m. SHEEP TALES GATHERING at The Argyros in Ketchum This year’s gathering will examine Basque Tree Carvings in the American West. Presenters are John Bieter, professor of History at Boise State University, and Inaki Arrieta Baro, head of the Jon Bilbao Basque Library at the University of Nevada-Reno. Bieter is the co-author of “An Enduring Legacy: A History of the Basques in Idaho; Baro has focused on the Basque Diaspora in the United States.
Tickets are $25, available at Festival Headquarters. SATURDAY, Oct. 11 9 a.m.-5 p.m. CHAMPIONSHIP SHEEPDOG TRIALS on Buttercup Road 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. WOOL CRAFT CLASSES will include needle-felted penguins and Santa and Snowman ornaments, along with needle-felted Sheep or Highland Cow tote bags.
10 a.m.-4 p.m. SHEEP FOLKLIFE FAIR at Roberta McKercher Park in Hailey The free fair offers craft vendors featuring soaps, sheep cheeses and handmade items made of wool, a Kids’ Fluff booth of children’s activities, sheep shearing demonstrations and sheep camp displays and more. Music and dancing will be provided by the Boise Highlanders Bagpipers, Drummers and Dancers, who could be seen Saturday morning practicing their tunes in Boise’s Ann Morrison park, along with the Oinkari Basque Dancers and Peruvian Dancers and Musicians. Look also for a virtual reality experience in which visitors can walk in the shoes of a Basque sheepherder.
11 a.m.-4 p.m. LAMB FEST AT FOLKLIFE FAIR Food trucks feature such dishes as lamb chili, pulled lamb sliders, Carnero al palo, lamb street tacos, lamb kofta kebab and gyro pizza served up by South Valley Pizzeria, Salted Sprig, La Parilla, KB’s Burrito and Better Ask Brenda. 7:30 p.m. CONCERT featuring the SHEEP BRIDGE JUMPERS at The Argyros Performing Arts Center. The indie folk group, known for their heart-wrenching ballads and punk inspired songs, features Zach Herbert on trumpet and electric guitar, Cam Bouiss on drums, Connor Wade on violin, Mark Oliver on guitar, Pat Sebastian on bass and Mariah Priddy, vocals. SUNDAY, Oct. 12
9 a.m.-2 p.m. CHAMPIONSHIP SHEEPDOG TRIAL FINALS on Buttercup Road 9:30-11 a.m. HISTORY OF SHEEPHERDING IN THE WOOD RIVER VALLEY at Ketchum’s Limelight Hotel. Featuring fourth-generation rancher Tom Peavey of the Flat Top Sheep Co., third-generation sheep manager Dennis Burks of the Flat Top Sheep Co., and former Ketchum Mayor Jerry Seiffert. Free. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. HAPPY TRAILS FESTIVAL CLOSING PARTY at Ketchum Town Square
Vendors will be on hand to sell wool products and artisanal cheeses and breads, while Wood River Sustainability Center and La Parilla provide lunch options. CINDY AND GARY BRAUN will play music from the 1940s, ‘50s and 60s, including some classic country, from 10 a.m. to noon. UP A CREEK will perform from 1 to 3 p.m. The foursome features the yarn spinning tales of guitar players Raul Vandenberg and Bill Sprong, drummer Scott Seaward and bassist Jeff London. Noon-1 p.m.BIG SHEEP PARADE on Main Street, Ketchum
Gooding sheep rancher John Faulkner will trail 1,200 sheep through town as they exit the Sawtooth Mountains bound for winter grazing in the desert. The Rev. Kathleen Bean, associate rector of St. Thomas Episcopal Church, will bless the flock during the parade, while historic sheep wagons, Scottish bagpipers and others make their way through town ahead of the sheep.
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