The annual Trailing of the Sheep parade, scheduled for Sunday at noon in downtown Ketchum, includes the following participants, each identified by sign-bearing dancers from the Footlight Dance Centre:
-Color guard, Boy Scout Troop 192, Ketchum.
-Basque Family Guests:
Pete Cenarrusa, Idaho secretary of state for 36 years and retired Carey sheep rancher and former owner of Biskay Land and Livestock with his wife, Freda. Dave and John Bieter—Dave is the mayor of the city of Boise and his brother, John, is the director of the Cenarrusa Center for Basque Studies in Boise. Representatives of the Jimmy Jausoro family will also join.
-Dantzariak children's dance group and the Txantxangorriak musicians. They honor the contributions of the Basque people to the sheep industry and Idaho. The children accompanying the dance musicians are from local Basque families.
-Latino X, Peruvian musicians and dancers from the Wood River Valley. Former sheepherders, these artists represent the contributions of the Peruvians to sheep ranching in the West.
-The Polish Highlanders of North America from Chicago are descendents of shepherds from the Tatra Mountains of Poland.
-Boise Highlander—bagpipers, drummers and dancers play in honor of the Scottish families who were among the first to run sheep in Idaho.
The Sheep
The band of sheep belongs to Faulkner Land and Livestock of Gooding, Idaho. The Faulkner family has run sheep in the valley and shipped the animals from the railroad turnaround in Ketchum for more than 60 years. Today, their sheep are moving from summer pastures to winter grazing areas.
In front of the trail of sheep, the Faulkner family and friends will be walking together to set the pace for the animals so the sheep stay together. With them is Bishop Craig Anderson of St. Thomas Church in Ketchum, who will bless the sheep when the parade reaches the center of town.
Behind the sheep will be more members of the Faulkner family, sheep foreman John Etchart, friends from Flat Top Sheep Co. and other local sheep family members.
After the parade passes, you may walk with the families herding the animals to the sheep rest stop place several miles south of Ketchum.