News.bytes Extra, issue 329

 Horse associations help spread the word at wild horse and burro adoption event in San Jose

Glorious spring weather and about 200 horse and burro enthusiasts greeted the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program when it hosted an adoption event Saturday, April 26, at the Santa Clara County Horsemen’s Association arena in San Jose.

By day’s end, 28 animals (20 of 30 available mustangs and 8 of 10 burros) went home with new owners and dozens of visitors left with new information about wild horse and burro adoption opportunities.  Several visitors were making plans to attend the next adoption event, Friday, May 3, in Santa Rosa.

The horsemen’s association and the Ohlone Riders, a unit of the Back Country Horsemen of California, helped the BLM host the event, attracting visitors with a yard sale, tack sale, food and refreshments, and equestrian clinics and demonstrations.

Above, fresh off the truck from the BLM’s Litchfield Corrals, horses bolted into a holding pen at the arena.  Families were on hand to see the new arrivals, and seemed especially drawn to the yearlings and weanlings, below.

For this young photographer, the event provided the opportunity to learn first hand about wild horses and burros. She collected information and photos for a school report.

As always, mustang and burro adopters participated, showing off the abilities of their trained mustangs.  At least six adopters brought their horses.

Sisters Tiffany, left, and Jennifer Lamprecht of Santa Cruz (yes, they’re twins) halter trained two young horses, Sedona (pictured) and Belle, for the adoption, and both were adopted.  Tiffany and Jennifer have been involved with the adoption program since attending their first event in Chowchilla in 2004.  The sisters brought Sedona and Belle home from the King City adoption event earlier this year to prepare them for adoption at San Jose.

Another adopter success story was Janett VanNuland, shown with Siouxnika, a 14-year-old mare from the Litchfield Corrals.  Siouxnika was 6 when Janett adopted her in 2000. The adoption, Janett’s first, came years after her fascination with mustangs was kindled by a 1970s article in “Ranger Rick” magazine.  “I took this horse from the wild, and she will be with me for the rest of my life,” she said.  Janett has also adopted and trained a
2-year-old mustang, Renegade.

BLM Volunteer Becky Delaney, center, regularly halter trains mustangs for adoption, and two of her charges were with new owners in San Jose.  At left, Janett VanNuland brought Renegade to the event, while Becky’s latest project, 10-month-old Brawney, was adopted by Dace Taylor, right, of Paso Robles.

Becky gets in one last hug before Brawney heads home with Dace.

Santa Cruz horseman Mac McKenzie showed the close bond he and his Modoc County mustang, Captain Jack, have developed.  “I’ve done a lot of things in my life, from restoring old sailboats to working with startup companies.  This,” he said, “is the best thing I’ve ever done.”

Mac’s wife, Elizabeth Workman, brought her mustang, Marshall, to the San Jose event.  Below, she rides along the adoption area as Ruby, a mustang adopted and trained by Napa resident Mike Kerson, watches carefully.  Marshall is from the Ravendale Herd Area; Ruby is a Twin Peaks mustang.

Mustang enthusiasts closed out their day with a Mustang Parade, showing all their pride in America’s Living Legends.  Becky Delaney leads the way.

- text and photos: Jeff Fontana, 4/08

BLM-California News.bytes, issue 239