Wild Horses & Burros

Wild Horse and Burro program logo Mustang Challenge 2008Mustang Heritage logo

The Bureau of Land Management and Mustang Heritage Foundation are bringing the Western States Mustang Challenge to the Western States Horse Expo for the first time June 6-8, 2008, at Cal Expo in Sacramento.

Thirty-two top trainers (see list below) received 32 wild mustangs on March 6-8 in Sacramento, CA. They have 100 days to gentle and train the mustangs.   At the end of the 100 days, horses and trainers are competing for $7500 in prizes at the Horse Expo.  Trainers will be evaluated on the body condition of the horse, their ability to handle the horse "in-hand" through a series of maneuvers and obstacles,  and a mounted "horse course" of obstacles and requirements to demonstrate the level of competency the horse has accomplished. 

At the end of the competition, the horses will be available for adoption to the public in a competitive bidding process.  The same adoption conditions that accompany any BLM adoption will apply. 

Pick your favorite horse in the Mustang Challenge!  See the "Before" photos of selected horses taken at BLM's Litchfield corrals.                                          

A wary mustang look over the loading gate on pick-up day

A wary mustang looks over the loading gate on pick-up day 

 Photos of training progress

List of trainers (click on highlighted name to see news release):

Name

HometownNameHometown
Destry Campbell Alturas, CARandy Ford Valley Springs, CA
Matt Replogle 

Las Vegas, NV

Joe MisnerJohnson Valley, CA
Matt Eric Zimmerman Adrian, ORKathe Smothers Oak View, CA
Jamie Thomas Auburn, WARachel Thorp Rigby, ID
Gena Wasley Roseville, CATracey Westbury Bellingham, WA
Charles Wilhelm Castro Valley, CA  
Steve Boyles Santa Clarita, CACorinne Elser Burns, OR
Mary Jessberger Carson City, NVHarry Schneider Eagle Point, OR
Sandi Anderson Perris, CASaunya Bolton Reno, NV
Bill R. Bumgardner Boron, CAKeith Danielson Hooper, WA
Gavin Jordan Yucca Valley, CAAngi Keitel Antelope Acres, CA
Jenna Nelson Loma Linda, CARobin Orefice Agua Dulce, CA
Matt Sheridan Tehachapi, CAShelley Simmons Redmond, OR
Janet Titus Mammoth Lakes, CABeverly Vreeland Livermore, CA
Madelyn Wagner Valley Center, CADixie LaFountain Weaverville, CA
Stacey Spangler Red Bluff, CAAndrew Stephens Lewiston, CA

TV cameraman take video of mustangs on pick-up day

A local Sacramento TV cameraman gets video for the evening news

Photo of Litchfield Corral horses

Horses at the Litchfield Corrals

Wild horses and burros are managed in California in accordance with the Wild Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act of 1971. This act gave the Bureau of Land Management the responsibility to protect wild horses and burros while ensuring their populations are managed to maintain or restore a thriving ecological balance.
 
California’s free roaming wild horses and burros range over 7.1 million acres of public land with an additional 2.3 million acres of non-BLM land. When the appropriate management level is reached, California will maintain 1,746 horses and 453 burros. California contains 33 herd areas (HAs) with 22 herd management areas (HMAs). Herd areas are geographic areas where wild horse or burro populations were found at the passage of the Wild Horse and Burro Act in 1971. Herd management areas are areas within the herd areas where it was decided, through land use plans, to manage populations of wild horses and burros. Each herd management area was studied to determine the appropriate management level (AML), taking into consideration other natural resources such as vegetation and wildlife, and other uses such as livestock grazing and recreation. 
 
The horse herds in California consist mostly of released Spanish stock and cavalry mounts from World War I. The average California horse is 14 to 16 hands high and weighs 800 to 1100 pounds. Historical data shows that burro herds come from abandoned or escaped mining stock. The wild burros average 11 to 12 hands high and weigh 500 to 600 pounds.
 
When herd sizes exceed the appropriate management level, animals are gathered and offered for adoption. Other factors may come into play when gathers are required, such as drought, lack of forage, public nuisance or wildfires.
 
California is a leader among the Bureau of Land Management’s 12 western states with over 1,000 animals adopted annually. Satellite adoptions are held throughout California along with adoptions at the states two holding facilities. On average 2,000 compliance inspections are conducted annually by employees and volunteers. 

  National Wild Horse & Burro Program