853rd Sheep Crossing Through Water Festival in Denizli

The 853rd Sheep Crossing Through Water and Shepherd Festival was held on August 22-23 in the Aşağıseyit neighborhood of Çal, Denizli. Recognized on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List, the event commemorates a centuries-old legend involving a Karakoyunlu tribe shepherd and the daughter of an Oğuz bey.

During the competition, approximately 63 shepherds guided their flocks across the Büyük Menderes River using specialized “elci” sheep, which are trained flock leaders. In this year’s race, Orhan Karakoç secured first place with his sheep ‘Mor Fişek’, followed by Zekeriya Karakoç in second and Necip Yatıcı in third.

The event was also marked by charitable acts of solidarity. Second-place winner Zekeriya Karakoç donated his gold prize to Erkan Yeşiltaş, a child battling DMD muscular dystrophy. Local official Saffet Oğuz donated a sheep to the same cause, while other participants provided animal feed to support the medical campaign.

While organizers previously noted that regional droughts and livestock diseases presented challenges to the continuity of the practice, Çal Mayor Ahmet Hakan reported significant participation for this year’s event and emphasized ongoing efforts to secure a permanent place on the UNESCO list. The tradition continues to attract thousands of spectators and photographers from across Turkey.