Sheepherders Rendezvous: History comes alive at annual Glenrock event
The eighth annual Glenrock Sheepherders Rendezvous was held Aug. 22-24. Hundreds of people gathered at Glenrock Town Park throughout the weekend for the beloved event to celebrate the history and heritage of the Wyoming sheep industry.
Every year, the event features an impressive display of historical sheep wagons brought in from across Wyoming, in addition to a variety of other family-friendly activities.
Glenrock Sheepherders Rendezvous Co-Chair Rhonda Dilts says this year’s rendezvous was a great success, made possible by several supporters and local community members.
Friday highlights
The festivities kicked off on Aug. 22 when sheep wagons began to roll into Glenrock Town Park to take their places in the sheep wagon showcase.
The sheep wagon showcase is interactive and educational. Each year, several wagon owners show off their wagons and answer questions about the history of sheepherding in Wyoming.
“Our main focus is history,” Dilts says.
“We want to preserve the history of the sheep industry in the state of Wyoming, and sheep wagons are an integral part of this. Every sheep wagon has a story – where it’s been, whose ranch it was on, who stayed in it and how it got from there to here,” Dilts adds.
The showcase featured 22 different wagons from Wyoming, Kansas and Montana. Dilts notes most wagons are return exhibitors, but this year, three new wagons made their debut.
“The sheep wagon people are like a family,” Dilts says. “We all watch out for each other.”
The fun continued throughout the afternoon with a vendor fair comprised of nearly 30 different vendors, a square-dancing lesson from the Wonder Yonder square-dancing group and an evening of live music by Byron and Nancy Miesse.
In another tribute to Western heritage, volunteers dressed up as Pony Express riders and gave visitors the chance to send mail to the local Post Office horseback.
The Pony Express, sheep wagon showcase and vendor fair continued throughout the weekend, in addition to daily pioneer cooking demonstrations, livestock exhibits, spinning and weaving demonstrations, more live music and blacksmithing demonstrations.
Saturday highlights
Excitement continued on Aug. 23 with the Dick Grabow Memorial Dog Trials, mutton bustin’ and a Dutch Oven Cookoff. The day concluded with a live auction raising funds for next year’s rendezvous.
The Dick Grabow Memorial Dog Trials were organized by Charlie Castelein, and 40 four-legged contestants showcased their sheepherding skills alongside handlers who guided their efforts with spoken, whistled and gestured cues.
The mutton bustin’ was new this year and was massively successful. Entries had to be capped at 20 participants, but Dilts notes interest far exceeded this number. Two children from Casper took top prizes in the event, with Mesa Kammerer earning grand champion and Woodrow Murphy earning reserve champion.
Sheep for the dog trials and the mutton bustin’ were provided by the Boner Ranch of Glenrock.
The Dutch Oven Cookoff was judged by Bridget Combs Paich and Tammy Moore, both of Douglas. Kyle Gray won the sweet category with a peach cobbler and Gena Jensen won the savory category with Salisbury steak meatballs.
The contest also featured a People’s Choice Award, won by John Rose of Lingle with a blueberry crumble.
The day concluded with a live auction featuring donated items from several local businesses, sheep producers, wool growers and other supporters of the rendezvous. Donations were plentiful and included an antique quilt, a mandolin, sheep-centric artwork, legs of lamb and even a stay at the Antelope Ranch in Savery.
Sunday highlights
The rendezvous wrapped up on Aug. 24 with gospel music and Cowboy Church in the morning. The sermon was delivered horseback by Pastor Ted Schowengerdt of Lighthouse Ministries in Glenrock.
Following the service, attendees said their farewells and headed home.
The Sheepherders Rendezvous will return to Glenrock in August 2026 for another year of fun, food and friends while preserving Wyoming history.
Grace Skavdahl is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
