Make New York Post a Preferred Source A talented teenage roper and her horse helped end a monthslong sheep-scapade in Ohio.
Reagan Crumpler, 14, had attempted to catch the American Blackbelly sheep that had been running amok for 45 days in Wadsworth but never had any luck — until Wednesday.
That’s when the young lassoer struck gold with the help of her trusted horse Catalena, the Akron Beacon Journal reported.
“Catalena, you want to go catch a sheep today?” the teen remembered asking her 18-year-old horse before the pair embarked on an hours-long journey trying to catch the sheep.
Every time the pair got close to it, the sneaky sheep would turn around and Reagan wasn’t able to rope the animal.
But as Reagan was beginning to lose hope, she remembered telling her horse, “Come on, Cat. We got this. Keep going.”
“It felt like she knew what I was saying, and she immediately kicked in the high gear, and we got right in front of it,” she recalled.
Reagan and Cat then finally roped and captured the sheep, ending the animal’s monthslong adventure that caught the attention of the entire town.
While the sheep was on the lam, Whispering Acres Farm Animal Sanctuary owner Janine Smalley and farm volunteer Rebecca Roxberry launched a Facebook campaign to rescue the AWOL animal.
“I just didn’t want to see her get hurt,” Roxberry said. “I love animals, all animals, and I was like, ‘Oh, we gotta do something.’”
The runaway sheep was spotted several times during the 45-day period with volunteers, the sheriff’s department and even aerial drones all banding together to return the sheep to safety.
“The people of Wadsworth, they were so helpful,” Roxberry told News 5 Cleveland.
After the sheep was finally captured, Roxberry said everyone shed tears. “We actually can breathe because she is safe.”
“After 45 days of hard work, patience, and teamwork, Whispering Acres Farm Animal Sanctuary, our volunteers, and an incredible community were finally able to catch this sheep and bring her to safety!” she gleamed.
The sheep, who has been named Gerri Reagan after the heroic teen roper, is doing well on a 72-hour hold at the sanctuary.
No potential owners have come forward and if no one does, the sheep will become a permanent resident of the farm.
“It made me feel really good, just knowing that the sheep was gonna go to somewhere that they would take care of it and it would get the best life,” the teen lassoer said.
“And also just knowing that I could help out and just make a lot of people happy.”
