09/13/2025
Fun day with ram customers yesterday. Gary and Gail (McKerrow) Jorgenson are considering a new ram. Gary stopped by yesterday after the Thursday night Packer game. I didn’t know he had a travel partner, but I recognized Gavin McKerrow immediately even though I hadn’t seen him since my early teens.
It was cool to listen to Gavin talk through the rams with Gary. In the “American Shropshire Registry Association – First Hundred Years”, Doug Chambers wrote, “He possessed a keen eye for excellent breeding animals, a phenomenal memory for pedigrees, loved the show ring and had a reputation as an intense competitor.” Doug wrote that about Gavin’s grandfather and namesake, but it’s apparent there are more similarities between them than a shared name.
I’ve had a box of McKerrow history that Gail gave to me for temporary safe keeping and reading. I sent that box home with Gary and Gavin yesterday, but we also looked through a bunch of the historical information I have in my office from Gail & Gavin's Aunt Isabelle, the Shultz', the Chambers', and Fred…the McKerrow Family’s early 1900s flock books, old sale bills, photos of McKerrow’s Saturn, the ram that links my Grandfather’s sheep to Fred Groverman’s sheep to those out on pasture here today. Gavin appreciated that I have Doug Chambers' old show sign.
A generation younger, I’ve always felt a link to the McKerrows. They started Golden Guernsey Dairy where dad hauled milk out of for 40 years. Dad was friends with them. Grandpa bought sheep from them. The first sheep we ever had at my parents' were some boarded over the summer for McKerrows. I still recall the time dad was returning the ewes to Will and the trailer (calf hutch on a snowmobile trailer) detached as County VV turns south just before Merton. “Don’t tell Will!” is what Dad said. The sheep were fine.
I texted Dad to let him know Gavin was here yesterday. He called immediately. As Dad does to us kids, I handed Gavin a ringing phone. They talked for a while. Then Dad called back and asked to be put on speaker to relay the story of him getting kicked off the Arrowhead track team because he was cultipacking at Vilter’s when he should have been at practice. I’d heard that story many times, but I didn't know it was Gavin that convinced the coach to let Dad back on the team. Then Dad says, “I probably shouldn’t say this with my son on the phone”, and then asks Gavin if he remembers when they stole a bus while on a field trip to Madison. I need more details on that one. I figure Clayton goes to the Musky Tournament with Dad in order to learn these stories of his youth. 😊
In the end, Gary left contemplating their purchase and said they’ll likely be back up from Kansas for a ram. They left with Kestrel Ridge Pellet Company’s new stud buck, Mapleton Mynd 2441.
