Category: Arizona sheep history

Auza’s Sheep Company

I don’t know how many times I have taken this journey, but it is always fun, educational and worth the time to travel to the Auza’s Sheep Company. From my house to their office driving through the Phoenix metropolitan traffic can be a challenge but worth it once I arrived.

The day started at the Auza’s seeing the new Great Pyrenees puppies. I had never seen the puppies before and could have spent the day with them. They are so adorable and friendly but watch when they are out with the sheep. A different story if you mess with their sheep! But these little guys have some training to go through first.

After leaving the puppies we drove to see the lambs which are also adorable and so cute.  I could take them home with me! Several were close to the road and came to visit. These lambs were being bottled feed.

Mama’s with older babies were in the adjacent field.

Our last stop was the shearing operation. This is organized chaos. Lambs crying for their mamas which are being sheared, ewes wanting to get ahead or see what the line hold up is, men pushing the ewes along the line for the next available shearer, the shearing, the gathering of the wool and putting it in the machine to be pressed down until the bag is about 400 pounds!

The last step after shearing is the vaccination process and the camp is broken down and moved to the next location. But the men will stop first for their lunch before shearing all afternoon.

As soon as I can upload a couple of videos I will put on another post. For now enjoy. I hope to see you back for my next post.

Research

If you have sent requests for information about a sheep owner rest assured I am working on trying to answer your questions. I hope to post this Friday about Eldon Thude and Whitten and I’ll check for other requests too.

With Christmas and everything I got behind in my research but that should change now!

Just please be patient.

Thank you!

The sheep finally appeared!

The last of the sheep events at Friendship Village, Tempe took place a few weeks ago. The last event was without the lambs as they could not be brought by the FFA students. But sheep were still present.

The event location was changed from an enclosed patio space to the “circle.” Four, approximately 125 pound, eight-month old sheep belonging to Tony Lucas were brought by the village for everyone who wanted to come by and see them. Tony also talked about being on the trail with the sheep.

The stars of the show!
The event would not have been complete without Ann and her lambs visiting the sheep!
Sheep camp and trailing items.
Friendship Village residents!
Just fooling around at the end of the day!

I wish to thank Friendship Village for their interest in the Arizona Sheep Industry and allowing me to be a part of a great events!

The Last Sheep Drive

Based on the movie “Morning Star” by Francis Line, a resident of Friendship Village, Diane Delaney, did a series of pictures depicting the story. It really wasn’t the last sheep drive as the movie was done in the late 1940’s/early 1950’s but it was the only time this trail – The Heber-Reno trail or any trail in Arizona- has been documented. A book and an article in the National Geographic (1952) were also written by Mr. Line.

April 16, leaving the Salt River Valley near Tempe, Herder Rosalio Lucero and cook, Pablo, led 1,547 sheep, 2 dogs, several donkeys, and a horse on a 52-day trek to their summer range in the White Mountains.

April 19, reaching the Salt River, it was difficult to herd the sheep and other animals across the narrow bridge, but crossing the swift river was not an alternative.

The cholla and other cactus of Tonto National Forest took a toll on the sheep and animals. Spines had to be removed from faces, bodies, and feet almost constantly.

After three days of thirst the sheep stampeded down the slope when they smelt the water in Tonto Creek. A moment of temporary tranquility.

Days were spent traversing the rocky and wooded Sierra Ancha Range, making it difficult to see the herd amongst the pine and other vegetation.

The final barrier – the 7,300 foot Mogollon Rim – was reached, and total chaos ensued. It was everyone for himself – they jumped, fell, climbed, slid, pushed, stopped, and jumped again for hours. That evening all made it to the top.

June 6, and all 1,547 sheep made the trek to their summer pasture at White Mountain Ranch. In fall they will retrace their migration route back to the Salt River Valley.

How Diane made her artwork.

More pictures of the artwork as done by the residents of Friendship Village will be posted in the next couple of days. I want to congradulate all that participated in the event. It was a good week even though we did have to cancel a couple of events due to weather and family issues.

Sheep, Dogs, Donkeys and Shepherd

That was the title of my presentation at Friendship Village on Monday.

The first order of business was herding the flock into the Skirm, the auditorium at the Village. They came by twos and threes walking, pushing their walkers or wheeling in their wheel chairs. They were joyful, smiling, talking to each other. I needed a couple of sheep dogs to keep them moving but they finally listened to directions!

One lady brought her own small flock.
They sat talking to their neighbors and friends.

Some just sat and stared at the screen. It made me really think they were a flock of sheep.

With the flock settled down to take a rest, chew on their breakfast, announcements were made, and then it was time for Melanie Aja Lanford to introduce the speaker. That would be me!
The early history of sheep moving in and out of Arizona was first on the agenda.

Then the speaker, that’s me, presented the cyclical cycle of sheep in Arizona.

The speaker in her wool granny square skirt. It was made especially for this week of Sheep September.
Concluding the presentation the speaker discussed why the sheep industry has declined in Arizona and what people could do to help the industry not only in Arizona but also nationally.

To conclude the day activities the film by Francis Line following the sheep on the Heber-Reno Trail was shown. More on this tomorrow.

Day One of Sheep September is in the books.