Running of the Wools sheep races return to Washington’s streets
Festival to honor memory of North Beth farmer who supplied flock
This year无毛视频檚 Running of the Wools will be a celebration of life for one of the original organizers who shepherded his flock through the streets of Washington, along with the farm that lost all of its sheep in a terrible barn fire, but is now making a triumphant return to the races.
The annual Running of the Wools festival that features sheep races down South Main Street in the city will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, with vendors and demonstrations telling the rich history of the wool and fiber industry in Washington County.
Washington County Historical Society Executive Director Clay Kilgore, who is one of the event无毛视频檚 organizers, said they will pay homage to Drew Ross Manko, who died Sept. 17 at age 30 following a brief illness. Ross Manko supplied the sheep for the first three years of the races from the Ross Farm he operated in North Bethlehem Township up until his death.
无毛视频淲e want to honor Drew this weekend. That无毛视频檚 a big part of it,无毛视频� Kilgore said. 无毛视频淗onor the work that he has done. He was just incredible.无毛视频�
The winner无毛视频檚 circle where the fastest sheep will be crowned will honor Ross Manko, and it will have a portrait of him so he is remembered as part of the championship photographs.
The tragedy of Ross Manko无毛视频檚 death was compounded by the Feb. 2 fire at the 无毛视频渙ld barn无毛视频� at the Ross Farm that killed 147 sheep, including the ones that had participated in the past three years of Running of the Wools. But Ross Manko无毛视频檚 mother, Amy, has worked tirelessly with others to slowly rebuild the flock over the last three months and now has 65 sheep living in other barns on the farm as they work to rebuild. Amy Ross Manko will be bringing some of those new sheep with her to Washington for the heat races, which begin at 1 p.m.
无毛视频淭hose are really big shoes to fill. Everyone is doing this for the love of Drew,无毛视频� she said, adding that she won无毛视频檛 be wearing makeup and will probably be hiding her eyes behind sunglasses Saturday. 无毛视频淚 expect I无毛视频檒l be crying the entire time. In between bawling fits I无毛视频檒l probably be laughing my (butt) off hearing Drew stories. 无毛视频� Hugs are free and I无毛视频檓 coming for the hugs.无毛视频�
After the devastating fire, Ross Manko said she would 无毛视频渂eg, borrow and steal无毛视频� to ensure her farm无毛视频檚 sheep would be at the starting line for Running of the Wools this year. With the help of friend Melinda Wamsley, who runs Boss Mare Shearing and had been caring for the animals to help following Drew无毛视频檚 death, they have slowly rebuilt the flock with people donating sheep or selling them at a reduced price. Ross Manko said a couple of the heritage breed sheep that were raised on the farm and given to young farmers last year through the youth conservation program were returned by the families who received them in order to help Ross Manko maintain the original bloodline.
无毛视频�(Drew) is missed greatly and we want to honor him,无毛视频� Kilgore said. 无毛视频淏ut also the perseverance Amy and Melinda and Ross Farms have shown continuing to work. They无毛视频檙e not going to let what he did to work go away. They were adamant for it not to go away.无毛视频�
The Running of the Wools, which had coincided with the Kentucky Derby since its inception in 2023, was moved back a week this year since it had also been the same weekend as the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival near Baltimore. That means more vendors and experts will be around this year, with demonstrations on cooking, spinning, weaving and sheep shearing happening every 15 to 20 minutes at the Main Street Pavilion near the starting line.
无毛视频淲e无毛视频檙e trying to really expand it into a sheep and fiber festival to really lean into the history and heritage and importance of the agricultural heritage of Washington County,无毛视频� Kilgore said. 无毛视频淭he sheep races are fun, and that无毛视频檚 the draw, but we want to use that platform to also reach people about the importance of the sheep and fiber industry. It played such a big role in our past and continues to do so today.无毛视频�
The event is promoted by the Washington County Tourism Agency in conjunction with the historical society. New this year, the National Road Heritage Corridor is 无毛视频渏oining the flock无毛视频� as a co-organizer, which Executive Director Sarah Collier said is a great way for people to learn the agricultural and economic history of the region.
无毛视频淥riginally, it was kinda just a silly sheep race. But with the historical society involved, it becomes such a great celebration of Washington County无毛视频檚 history,无毛视频� Collier said. 无毛视频淲e were really honored to be able to step in this year. Really, one of the main reasons the road was built was to help move agricultural products of farmers from the western part of the country to the eastern seaboard.无毛视频�
While Washington & Jefferson College无毛视频檚 commencement is also scheduled for Saturday, Kilgore doesn无毛视频檛 think it will cause much of a problem with logistics or parking. Instead, he无毛视频檚 inviting the soon-to-be grads and their families over to the festival as an exclamation point on commencement.
无毛视频淭here无毛视频檚 a chance for them to flock over to Main Street,无毛视频� Kilgore said with a laugh.
More information on this year无毛视频檚 Running of the Wools can be found online at www.therunningofthewools.com.