What is a Karakul Gathering? Breeders getting together to exchange ideas, trade sheep, participate in a show, and learn a few things. They are FUN memorable times!
It has been a long time since US Karakul shepherds have had a Gathering to bring us together. Gathering 1 was Estes Park 1993, Gathering 2 was Maryland 1997. After 25 years, the Alliance was considering 2022, a 2-day sheep and fiber show in the US Heartland.
What could prevent a Gathering from coming together? First-lack of funds. Second-shortage of people, lack of volunteers to pull show details together. And what about enthusiasm from Karakul shepherds-Do they even want to participate in a Gathering?
As KSAR Registrar here is another issue of importance—the Karakul Registry database needs to be well underway before the Alliance attempts a national show. This is not just to manage the sharp increase in registration certificates, but most importantly for tracking the Bloodlines. During Karakul Gatherings sheep are moved around the country, the genetics shift. Before our next Gathering the Alliance needs to be prepared with the tools to manage the Bloodlines, to generate pedigrees, to help plan breeding programs. American Karakuls are close to losing one Bloodline. As we monitor this line, hopefully to be bred back to higher population numbers, we will also preserve the other Karakul Bloodlines.
I will keep you posted as the projects unfold….until then, become absorbed in the photos below of Karakul Gatherings from the 1990s, when Karakul sheep experienced heightened popularity after the Black Sheep craze of the 1970s and 80s. Enjoy! ~ Deborah
1993 Gathering Estes Park, Colorado June 10-13
Dr Maurice Shelton, Texas A&M University, Sheep Research Station, San Angelo, TX was the honored speaker and Glen Eidman, Strong City, Kansas was the sheep show judge. This was a coming together of two of the most acclaimed US experts on Karakul sheep, both involved with the breed for a decade and a half. It was an honor to hear them speak about their experiences and to receive their opinions on our sheep and fleeces. Three of Dr Shelton’s papers have links on our Karakul Sheep page about halfway down.
A month after our First Gathering Myrtle Dow sent a thank you letter to all the participants. Here are some of the details she shared:
° First Gathering took two years of planning. The main organizers were:
- Roy & Myrtle Dow as sheep show committee organizers for Estes Park Wool Market
- Leslie Johnson for suggesting the idea, assuming many parts of the project and providing moral support
- Julia DeVlieg for sending out an interest survey, writing promotional articles and contributing funds.
° Fifteen breeders brought 89 Karakuls to Estes Park. It was breathtaking.
° Seven flocks (five sheep each) were in the showring at once. Thirty-five Karakuls was most impressive! (A show flock is 1 ram any age, 2 yearling ewes, 2 ewe lambs.)
° “It was a privilege to work with such enthusiastic, cooperative, and easy-going people—a most memorable experience. Sheep people are very special…Karakul breeders are even more special.” Myrtle Dow, July 19, 1993
- 1993 Gathering Booth Sign
- 1993 Estes Park Glen Eidman Judge, Karakul Aged Ram class
- 1993 Aged Ram class-Myrtle Dow, MC Buchholz, Page Jacobs
- 1993 Aged Ram class-MC Buchholz, Genia Gardner, Page Jacobs
- 1993 Aged Ram class-Page J, Myrtle Dow, Wim S at end
- 1993 Aged Ram class Myrtle Dow & Wim Schoonhoven with Hagerman Jake, an 11 year old ram, non-fading black
- unknown on left, Letty Klein & ram lamb PLF Luka, Caren Glotfelty
- 1993 Ram Lamb class, son Jake & dad Wim Schoonhoven, Page Jacobs
- 1993 Ram Lamb class string, exhibitors Wim S, Letty K, Myrtle D, Page J, Evamarie Bourche (red shirt)
- Julia DeVlieg and 4th place black ewe lamb
- Julia DeVlieg and brown Karakul lamb
- Deborah Hunter-Simon, Leslie Johnson standing, Julia DeVlieg and lamb
- 1993 Shorn Ewe class, Janet Tulloch, Glen Eidman Judge, Norton Jacobs, Joe Bourche
- 1993 Letty Klein & Grand Champion Karakul fleece from shorn ewe class
- 1993 Gathering Champion ram and Page Jacobs
- Champion ram gets a treat from Page Jacobs, PA breeder Wim Schoonhaven & Reserve Champ looking on
- 1993 Leslie Johnson exhibiting a ram, son Jacob, Judge Glen Eidman said “This is the first time I’ve seen an exhibitor in a back-pack”
- 1993 Jacob Johnson in front of the Gathering Booth
- 1993 Gathering-Julie, Leslie & son Jacob in sheep barn
- 1993 Gathering Leslie & Jacob Johnson
- 1993 Frances Buchholz & Jacob Johnson in sheep tent
- 1993 Frances Buchholz in Karakul sheep tent
- 1993 Gathering Frances Buchholz & ram lamb Nick’s son
- 1993 Estes Park , NCWGA class Glen Eidman Judge
- 1993 Estes Park Glen Eidman Judge, NCWGA class
- Dr Maurice Shelton, guest speaker at the 1993 Estes Park Karakul Gathering
- Collage of photos from 1993 Estes Park Gathering, with photo keys
- Collage of photos from 1993 Estes Park Gathering. From top left: Glen Eidman, Judge, Roy & Myrtle Dow sheep show superintendents, Page Jacobs and her big smile, Alice Gaterdam retired Calif breeder sponsored the Get of Sire Trophy, little girl (could be Mary Carol Buchholz’s daughter) hugging a Karakul lamb, AKSR Registrar Julia DeVlieg and black ewe lamb, Artist Leslie Johnson and son Jacob onboard
1992, 1996 & 1997 Mini-Gatherings Estes Park, Colorado
The Estes Park Wool Market sheep show was a favorite amongst Karakul breeders for several years, 1992 through 1997. The NCWGA already had a big presence there and a few shepherds participated in both the Natural Colored and Karakul shows since they were on separate days. It was also ‘home turf’ for Roy & Myrtle Dow who were sheep show committee organizers and superintendents. Karakul people loved hanging out with the Dows and Estes Park, Colorado is a positively beautiful venue, the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park, which contributed to its success as a Karakul ‘gathering’ spot in mid-June. For a couple of years in the mid-1990s Estes Park Wool Market was referred to as a Karakul ‘Mini-Gathering’.
- 1992 Myrtle Dow helping Mary Carol Buchholz with her lamb
- 1992 David Buchholz rear, MC Buchholz with Nick right before winning the Championship
- 1992 Estes Park Champion Karakul ram Nick, Mary Carol Buchholz breeder
- Roy & Myrtle Dow 1993
- 1996 Estes Park Yearling Ram class-Barbara Burrows, MC Buchholz, Julie DeVlieg, Letty Klein
- 1996 Estes Park Show – Myrtle, Letty Klein, Barbara Burrows
- 1996 ram class-unknown, David Buchholz (white hat), Unknown Judge walking around ewe, MC Buchholz, unknown young man on far right
- 1996 group of four sheep-unknown young man, Mary Carol, Frances, David Buchholz holding
- 1996 yearling ewe class – Kelly Ward, Letty Klein, Mary Carol & Frances Buchholz, Unknown Judge walking around ewe, unknown young man
- 1996 Yearling Ewe class-David Buchholz (white hat), Joe Bourche (green shirt), Unknown Judge, MC Buchholz, Myrtle Dow, unk child, unk tall man, Barbara Burrows (pink) with a half-black-half-white ewe
- 1996 Mary Margaret, Mary Carol & Frances Buchholz
- 1997 group of four sheep-Mary Margaret, Mary Carol & Frances Buchholz, Randall Brooks holding
1997 Gathering Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival May 3 & 4
We dove-tailed our second Gathering with the huge annual sheep show in Maryland the first weekend in May 1997. It was chilly and rainy, but good Karakul camaraderie prevailed. We were not granted permission to have a separate fleece show, so we opted to create a Karakul marketplace that looked like a yurt; albeit with corners, not round, to fit the assigned booth spaces. Deborah Hunter-Simon chose, enlarged and cut the letter stencils, with a basic plan conveyed to gifted artist, Mary Jane Coble, who designed the entrance panels. Julia DeVlieg and Diane Magden, Washington state felters, created the eight wall-sized Karakul panels on a mechanical floor-felting machine. Together Julia and Diane had over two hundred Karakuls in the mid-1990s to supply the raw wool for such a large quantity of felt. Michigander Mary Jane Coble had Karakuls about 1980; she was AKSR Flock #9. She bought sheep from Karen Koch, Powell, Ohio soon after Karen bought the registry from Ted Stultz in 1979. Mary Jane has unmatched artistic ability. She created the braided and sewn wool roving techniques, taught Letty, which became the basis for Letty Klein and Ann Brown’s book, The Shepherd’s Rug. They dedicated the book to Mary Jane when it was published in 2006. On the design of our 1997 Karakul Yurt Store, it was positively wonderful creating with the always smiling Mary Jane. It was an honor working with a true Karakul pioneer from the earliest days of the 70s and 80s Black Sheep Craze. ~ Deborah
There are two separate photo galleries–sheep show and yurt store with yurt practice party. Enjoy walking down memory lane with us!
Judge for Karakul sheep show was either Budd Martin or Jim Marshall, Jr.
- 1997 MD 2nd Gathering yearling ram class, not final order judging in progress-L to R Myrtle Dow, Richard Larson & judge, Deb Hunter-Simon & Han, Norton Jacobs, Letty Klein, Ann Brown, Roy Dow partial
- 1997 MD 2nd Gathering pair of ram lambs class, Becky Bailie & Deborah Hunter-Simon having fun!
- 1997 MD 2nd Gathering yearling ewe class-Norton Jacobs, Deborah Hunter-Simon, Becky Bailile, rear Jennifer Bager waiting to hold sheep in the group classes
- 1997 MD 2nd Gathering yearling ewe & Norton Jacobs
- 1997 MD 2nd Gathering yearling ewe class string – probable final order – L to R Roy Dow, Page Jacobs, Myrtle Dow, Richard Larson, Letty Klein, Norton Jacobs, Deborah Hunter-Simon, unk, unk, Becky Bailie, unk
- 1997 MD 2nd Gathering ewe lamb class, not final order judging in progress – L to R Deb Hunter-Simon, Myrtle Dow, Barbara Burrows’ daughter, judge, MC Buchholz head, Richard Larson turned around; L rear Jennifer Bager & Becky Bailie
- Yurt Store May 4 – Deborah Hunter-Simon partial, chilly & wet last day
- Yurt Store May 3 – Mary Jane Coble helping a customer
- Yurt Store May 2-Ready for Customers
- April 26 Karakul Wool Panels drying after moth treatment – for Yurt Store
- April 26 Yurt Practice Day – Deb Hunter-Simon & Mary Jane Coble on the ladder
- April 26 Yurt Practice Day – Mary Jane & Deborah
- April 26 Yurt Practice Day – Deborah inspecting the hanging panels
- April 26 Yurt Entrance – Suzanne telling us how it is – Mary Jane, Suzanne VanNatter & Deborah. Suzanne is a Corriedale breeder & Deb’s fiber booth partner
- April 26 Yurt Entrance – Deborah Hunter-Simon & Mary Jane Coble. Our design worked beautifully!
- April 26 The end lunch – Mary Jane Coble, Marc Bailie, Suzanne VanNatter, Phil Simon & Deborah
2001 Gathering Missouri State Fair, Sedalia, Missouri August 16 – 18
Letty Klein was Fleece Judge. We are currently seeking photos of this Gathering.
If you can identify an unknown person above, or have photos to share from any Karakul show in the past, please send them to info@karakulshepherds.org
Page last updated January 2023
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