Sheep ranchers, Guy Edwards and his father, Rich were making repairs and getting everything ready for lambing season at the beginning of May. However, everything took a drastic turn and the Edwards family ended up facing every farmer and rancher’s worst fear.
On May 5 in Wright, Wyo., on their family ranch, around midnight, Guy and his wife, Anna, went out to the lambing barn, where 170 of Guy’s pregnant ewes were bedded down for the night, to do a nightly check. All of the ewes looked content, and everything seemed perfectly normal, so Guy and Anna went off to bed. Around 5:15 a.m., a cousin of Guy called Debbie, Guy’s mother, to let her know that it looked like the barn was on fire. Debbie then called Guy around 5:30 a.m., saying that the barn was engulfed with flames.
Rich then went out to the barn, but by the time he got there, he couldn’t even walk inside, due to the enormous amount of smoke. By this time, they knew the ewes were already lost to the fire. Firefighters arrived on scene to ensure the fire was out and helped the Edwards clean up the debris. The family is still unsure of what exactly caused the fire. “There was not a single heat lamp in the barn,” Guy
said. There also weren’t any storms that night, so lightning didn’t strike anything, causing a fire. “The only thing that was different from all the other nights, was that I left the light on,” Guy said.
Eighty of Rich’s ewes were close to being brought into the barn, but Rich and Guy are grateful they had waited on moving them. Rich still has about 600 head of ewes, whereas Guy now only has a small number of yearling ewes, which won’t be lambing this year. There will be no lambs hitting the ground this year in Guy’s flock. Not only did Guy lose all of his bred ewes and two years’ worth of income, he lost years of high-quality genetics, in which he took great pride.
High-quality livestock does not just come about after one year of breeding the animals. It took years for Guy to develop a strong sheep herd he was proud of. He kept extensive records of all of his sheep and knew the genetics of each one. The only genetics left are of his yearling ewes, which he had planned on selling. His plans may have to change in order to keep some of the genetics within his herd.
“They weren’t just livestock, they were family. I depended on them and they depended on me,” Guy said. They were like pets, different from a dog or cat, but still friendly companions. Guy had a bond with those ewes, handfeeding them before he left, and could tell you the ear tag number and age of each ewe that was in that barn. All of the ewes will be greatly missed by Guy, and he is thankful to them for everything they’ve provided for him in the past.
The U.S. sheep industry is declining, as there are only about 5 million head of sheep, significantly less than the 51 million in the late 1800s, so this loss hits even harder. Guy plans to grow his flock again, while maintaining the high-quality genetics in which he takes great pride. The sheep industry may be declining, but that makes Guy even more determined to overcome all the challenges he and his family have faced and continue moving forward.
The Edwards family also lost their 60’x200′ family barn that has been part of their family for three generations of sheep ranchers. The barn was built in the late 1940s and was purchased in 1952 by Guy’s grandfather, who then built onto the original barn in the 1960s. There was priceless history and heritage within those walls. The barn meant a great deal to Guy and his family, having grown up with it. Guy’s goal is to rebuild the barn for his parents. Even after losing his livelihood, he strives to put his parents first.
Guy, along with Anna, Rich and Debbie, are all devastated by the tragic loss. They are all still trying to navigate how to proceed. The community has come together to support the Edwards family during this trying time. Donations toward the rebuilding of the family barn are being accepted through First National Bank of Gillette, under “Edwards Family Relief Fund”. If anyone would like to provide any financial assistance for the family, the mailing address for First National Bank of Gillette is listed below.
Overcoming this significant obstacle will inspire and make a huge impact on other farmers and ranchers, along with the sheep industry.
First National Bank of Gillette
P.O. Box 3002
Gillette, WY 82717-3002
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