Tended by owner Julie Campbell-Hansmire and her crew, the Meeker Sheep recently arrived on the Utah dessert, just east of Cisco, Utah at Salt Wash. Following an annual migratory pattern that leads from the high country up above Vail and Wolcott, Colorado the sheep stopped over in the valley below Mack, Colorado enroute to Utah. Monitoring feed and environmental conditions, Julie makes her management decisions based on what’s best for the livestock and the natural resources.
Now grazing on pasture, these ewe lambs, born in 2018 will be the sheep at the 2019 Meeker Classic.
There’s good snow on the desert now allowing the sheep to graze away from water sources utilizing the snow for hydration. Sheep are efficient converters of the strong desert feed and exist comfortably on the moisture from the snow. This allows for conservation of feed and range areas around reservoirs and stream beds. The sheep will use these areas later in the season when they’re lambing and preparing for the trip towards the high country for summer grazing.
Watched over by Livestock Protection Dogs, these dogs are the constant companions of the sheep. Survival on the open range means one must be watchful and wary.
The migratory lives of these sheep make them tough opponents for handlers and dogs on the trialing field. Their tough independent nature comes from necessity of life on the open range. Big strong lambs, productive ewes and fine merino wool stands testimony to good husbandry and breeding practices that are always a priority for Julie and her crew.
Julie Hansmire and her helpers, Mary Clark and MaryAnn Landini work hard during the trials. They bring sheep in to the trials from outlying pastures and haul them back at the end of the day.