Skier Stops Photoshoot to Carry an Injured Sheep Down a Mountain
In the middle of a high-alpine photoshoot in New Zealand’s South Island, professional skier Pete Oswald noticed something unusual.
While waiting for a photographer to set up a shot in the Hector Mountains near Otago, a small slide of snow hit the back of his ski boot. When he turned to look uphill, he saw what he later described as a “bundle of wool” sliding awkwardly down a steep, rocky face. It was a sheep, and it was in trouble.
Oswald, who grew up on a sheep farm, could tell right away the animal was exhausted and injured. It struggled to stand, slipping repeatedly on the icy terrain, and showed signs of distress, including a bleeding nose. Sheep aren’t built for steep alpine slopes, and once hurt at that elevation, survival without help is unlikely.
A Decision Made on the Spot
Image via Facebook/Pete OSWALD
The shoot stopped immediately. Oswald skied over to the animal and found it alive but barely able to move. With no realistic way to get it airlifted out, he made a quick decision. He lifted the sheep, later estimated to weigh around 40 kilograms (88 pounds), secured it against his body, and began skiing down the mountain.
The descent was slow and physically demanding. Carrying that much weight while navigating icy, uneven ground meant every turn had to be deliberate. Oswald later said he nearly lost his balance several times, with wool brushing his face as he worked his way down hundreds of meters toward safer terrain.
Eventually, he reached a flatter, grassy area below the snow line and set the sheep down. After resting, the animal was able to stand. Oswald stayed nearby until it regained enough strength to walk away on its own.
Why the Story Never Went Away
Photos from that day, captured by the shoot’s photographer, quickly spread across New Zealand media and then internationally. The image of a skier carrying a sheep down a mountain felt unexpected and oddly timeless. More than a decade later, it still resurfaces online every few months, often reaching a new audience each time.
Oswald has said the attention never turned into money or a career pivot. Friends occasionally message him when the image pops up again, and then life continues. The sheep wandered off that day, apparently unharmed beyond its brief ordeal, and Oswald returned to skiing, work, and eventually raising a family.