THE BEST IDEA I EVER HAD!

By Denys Koyle: 

In about 2002, I was thinking about hosting an appreciation dinner for the sheepherders out here on the West Desert who had gotten me through some really tough winters when they were the only customers I could count on. By 2004, I got organized enough to announce I wanted to host what I jokingly called the Old Sheepherders’ Party (because there are no young sheepherders). The party was scheduled for January for a couple of reasons. First, that is when the herds are on the desert and secondly, because we have hardly any business in the winter months and it would give us something to do. Steve Fitzgerald was one of the first that I approached about the idea. He said if I had the party that he would donate the lamb. Every year since then one of the owners has donated a lamb for the party including Brian Okelberry, Kim Aagard, Christine Lee, Baker Ranches, and Lois Sheets. Next year’s lamb will be donated by Terry Mahoney and Colleen Collers.
News of a party spread fast from one sheep camp to the next on the desert. Besides word of mouth, Bruce Nielson of Producers’ Livestock Auction provided the phone numbers for some of the owners that had herds out here over the years. Most of these were people who even pre-dated me and I have lived here 34 years. Newell Johnson was one of these people. I gave him a call and we had such a nice visit and he said he would be here. Bruce had told me that Newell was in his nineties and I was a little concerned that he might not remember the call. A couple of hours later I called his daughter, Christine Lee (whom I had never met either) and told her I had talked to Newell. She reported that he had already called her with the news and that they WERE coming to the desert for the party.
That first year I had no idea how many people to expect but I thought fifty or so would come. Over ninety people showed up! Besides Newell and the Lees, other attendees included some real old timers-- Morris Cook, Van Warnick, Vernon Fairchild, Jack Ingram, Wayne Jones, Morgan Larsen, Eldon Anderson and the Pharris Nielson girls--Ellen and Lois. The place was crowded but everyone had a great time visiting and telling stories and I proved to the crowd that I DO know how to cook lamb.

Before the evening was over, several people came up to me and said, “You’re going to do this again next year, aren’t you?” And that’s how it became a tradition. One of Morris’ sons had the presence of mind to grab a notebook and circulated it to get names and addresses of the attendees which became the beginnings of my mailing list which now had over 250 names.

By 2005, I had gotten lots of requests from people who hadn’t come the first year but wanted to come this time. I asked Dave Tilford from Ely whose ties are strong in Snake Valley to come and videotape the party. Besides visiting and dining, I added an open mike program where anybody could get up and tell a story or two. Newell yodeled and sang a couple of songs. And that became the standard format for Friday night. By this time, about 150 people were attending the party which was all the capacity we had.

In 2006, Dave Tilford began recording oral histories of the old timers. We now have a really good collection of tapes of the sheep industry in the Great Basin. The Great Basin National Heritage Area became a co-sponsor of the events and has written grants for the tapings and entertainment. We recorded Newell that year. It was the last time he yodeled. He passed away that March. At the end of that party, Morgan Larsen suggested that we revive the tradition of a Sheepherder’s Ball.

Attendance was a little smaller in 2006 because the Utah Woolgrowers’ had rescheduled their convention for the same weekend. Both Paul Freshnect, National President, and Jamie Gilmore, Utah President both called me before the party and apologized and said they would never do that again. At the end of the program on Friday night, I received the best compliment that I have ever received. Newell got up and said it was the first time in sixty years that he had missed a Utah Woolgrowers’ Convention but he had his priorities straight and he was in the right place.
To allow more people to participate, in 2007 I expanded the party to a two-day event so that those who couldn’t come on Friday could come on Saturday and vice versa. Dave Okelberry offered to cook sourdough pancakes on Saturday morning and added a Basque family style dinner followed by the Sheepherders Ball. And people appreciated the second day to have more time to visit and enjoy themselves. Hank Vogler from the Needs More Sheep Co. in North Spring Valley, Nevada emceed the Friday open mike party and had us shaking our heads at his hilarious but true stories. Besides noting the passing of Newell, Kim Aagard paid tribute to his dad, Welby, who had passed away just a couple of weeks before the party. After the Basque dinner, Buster Dufferena from Winnemucca, Nevada told me I could come cook in his camp anytime.

In 2008, we kept with the two day schedule and had a wonderful time. However,
the Sheepherder’s Party taught us that we could do successful special events and make a buck too. But the main building at the Border was just too small. Beginning right after the party in January, we commenced remodeling our building and added 3000 square feet which doubled our floor space. We have a new dining room and a party room with a stage for dances. The doors can open so we can use the dining room and party area for the big parties. We moved into this space in August, 2008 and everything was in place for A really BIG party.

The 2009 Old Sheepherders’ Party was the best ever. Hank Vogler emceed Joe Freshnect, Edna Forsgren and Jack Madson among others, told stories that reflected
the importance of sheep ranching in their lives and made me proud that in our small way we are preserving that heritage. Reita Berger, who had taken over the Terry Motel and Store and ran the Outlaw Bar and Café, told some of her experiences with sheepherders. Randy Livingston jumped up at one point and shouted, “It’s true. I was there!”

On Saturday afternoon, Sourdough Slim was in concert at the Border Inn and received the first ever standing ovation at the Border. He sang, yodeled, played his accordian and guitar. Everyone there from two year old Matthew Baker to ninety-five year old John Sims laughed and sang along and wished for the good old days.
The Seventh Annual Old Sheepherders’ Party will be held on the third weekend in January, the 15th and 16th, 2010. A newsletter will go out in November with information on the Party. If you would like to be added to the mailing list, please call the Border Inn
At 775-234-7300 and ask for Denys Koyle. It IS the best idea I ever had!