News.bytesNews.bytes Extra, issue 402

California wild horses to appear on Belgian TV

Northeast California's wild horses, and the BLM Surprise Field Office, will be featured on Belgian television, in a popular documentary show titled, "Tomtesterom."  A five-person crew, including show host Tom Waes, spent two days in the Cedarville area during the week of Sept. 14, capturing on tape horse gathering operations and interviews with Steve Surian, who oversees the wild horse and burro program for the Surprise Field Office.

Cameras capture a group of horses moving toward a capture pen
Cameras were rolling as a group of horses moved toward the capture pen, where a decoy horse waiting to lure them into the corral.

A cameraman tapes two men talking, with horse pens in the background
At the capture site, BLM's Steve Surian, right, explains the process to TV show host Tom Waes.

 Two cameramen tape a band of horses among low brush, at a distance
Alight brown horse grazes amid low shrubs, while the other appears to look somewhat warily at the camera
The crew had the chance to get a close look at horses in the wild, cautiously approaching a band in the Carter Reservoir Herd Management area near Cedarville.

A cameraman films a man holding a book, "Taming Wild Horses," while another man holds a microphone on a long pole over the other two, The brick Cedarville Grocery is in the background
Filming wrapped up with an introductory "standup" on the main street of Cedarville.

The television program is broadcast on Belgian state TV.   It features host Tom Waes who does first person stories, introducing viewers to places and events through his personal involvement.  The style is light and often plays on Tom's lack of experience with the topic.  The show, done in Flemish, Belgium's prevalent language, has a million viewers.

In this episode, Tom will present the WHB program through his journey to the Western US, where he observes a BLM gather operation.  He then works with  a trainer in Texas to gentle a mustang.  The Mustang Heritage Foundation is coordinating a visit to Extreme Mustang Makeover in Fort Worth, and is coordinating Tom's work with the trainer.

- Jeff Fontana, BLM-California, 9/09


BLM-California News.bytes, issue 402