Basque Sheepherders of the American West: A Photographic Documentary (Basque Series)

From DJ flap - For more than a century, Basque sheepherders have been an integral part of the development of the American West. Leading a near solitary and nomadic existence in the region's vast deserts and mountains, the Basque herder was both pioneer and backbone of a frail human presence in an otherwise undisturbed natural setting.

While Basque sheepherders were once ubiquitous on the open range of the thirteen western states, today they numbers have declined greatly. Each aspect of the sheepherder's work is surveyed in this study, including lambing, trailing, shearing, docking, shipping and winter and summer herding. The sheepherder's personal life is also explored, from the lonely sheep cams o the Basque boarding house to the colorful festivals held in the West during the summer. (Description by http-mart)