U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORBUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
 
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News.bytes Extra, issue 499 

Napa Mustang Days Festival

Great weather, high enthusiasm and happy wild horse and burro adopters highlighted the annual Napa Mustang Days festival, held Sept. 16 through 18 in Napa.  Over the weekend 22 mustangs and eight burros were placed into new adoptive homes.

A horse trainer, Lesley Neuman, demonstrates a gentling technique on a horse taken from the adoption pens by holding her hand in front of the horse's muzzle

Susan Wirgler, with a lead on a horse, is demonstrating a training technique used for horses that are beyond the gentling phase


Lesley Neuman, a horse trainer from Lostine, Ore. demonstrates gentling techniques with a horse taken directly from the adoption pens (top). Lesley was among several trainers providing demonstrations and mini clinics on topics ranging from gentling to trailer loading. Susan Wirgler demonstrates a training technique for a horse already beyond the gentling phase (bottom).

A group of people are standing around a horse that has an "Adopt Me" sign on it, talking and petting the horse

A project poster illustrating the qualities of Hercules, a horse for adoption


Kelly McBride, left, and Brenda Bateman, from Sonrisa Stables in San Martin discuss the attributes of a yearling horse that young students in the stable’s riding program gentled to halter (top).  A poster developed by riding students shows the pride they have taken in their project horse (bottom).

A person pets Millie, a burro for adoption, while she is meeting a young boy through a gate

Millie, wearing a purple boa and feathers between her ears, is being led by her adopter

A parade of newly adopted horses being ridden by their adopters


Burros were also popular at the event.  Millie, adopted by BLM volunteer Michele DeCamp meets a young festival visitor (ltop) before joining her owner in a proud adopter parade in the main arena (center, bottom).

A horse bows as Midor Morgan, a horse trainer, sings "America the Beautiful" at the start of the festivities


Napa area trainer Midori Morgan opens the festivities with a rendition of “America the Beautiful” as her adopted mustang takes a bow.

Napa Mustang Days was organized by adopters Nancy and Mike Kerson of Napa.  The biannual event is a partnership of the  Napa Valley Horsemen’s Association, the BLM and the California Wild Horse and Burros Volunteer Association.  Sponsors included the Ford Motor Co. Save the Mustangs Program and the Mustang Heritage Foundation. The Kersons have adopted several animals from the BLM and often volunteer their time to promote the program and to help adopters.  They recently produced a video for new adopters providing important information about how to get started with gentling and training.

 

-Jeff Fontana, Northern California Public Affairs Officer, 9/19/11

BLM-California News.bytes, issue 499 -- To subscribe to News.bytes, send an e-mail to: mailto:Join-Newsbytes@List.ca.blm.gov OR visit our News.bytes subscription page .


 
Last updated: 09-22-2011