Photo Gallery

Sheep shearing takes place during the months of December and January, in the heart of the southern summer. The work is carried out in a galpón, a building reserved for this purpose that can be seen in all the estancias. The sheep are led to the galpón by ovejeros on horseback. Each esquilador (shearer) shears about 200 sheep a day. He uses an electric shearer set in motion by a motor which, at the same time, provides light to the property. Twice a year the esquiladores cut the wool around the sheep's eyes. The animals cannot see clearly because of the thickness of their fleece. - 1973

In southern Patagonia and especially on Tierra del Fuego and in southern Chile, the climate and vegetation only allow sheep farming. The flocks graze scattered over thousands of hectares of stony wasteland. They are only herded together for three occasions: Disinfection bath, shearing and slaughter. But then the ovejeros, the shepherd gauchos, are often on the move for days with their powerful dogs, keeping in touch with each other with high altitude fires and smoke signals. - Estancia La Luciana, Ayacucho, Province Buenos Aires - 1975