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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT NEWS RELEASE
High Desert District
 
Release Date: 05/03/11
Contacts: Serena Baker    
  307-212-0197    

Riata Ranch Wild Horse Event Attracts International Adopters

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) wild horse adoption held last weekend at the Riata Ranch in Cheyenne, Wyo. attracted horse enthusiasts from not only the Rocky Mountain Region, but into Europe as well.

Photo of Riata Ranch Adoption.
Click on image to view Riata Ranch event album.
Horse lovers from Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado and Austria came to look at the horses, learn training tips and watch demonstrations. Twenty halter-started colts and fillies gathered last fall from the Adobe Town/Salt Wells Herd Management Areas (HMA) south of Rock Springs were offered for adoption through competitive bidding Saturday. Twelve yearlings, gentled by the Mantle Wild Horse Adoption & Training Center in Wheatland, Wyo., were available for adoption via video, and eight from the Wyoming Honor Farm in Riverton, Wyo. were offered for adoption onsite. Sixteen of the young mustangs are going to new homes, including two which were adopted by Austrian award-winning documentary producer Erich Proell who will be importing the first Wyoming mustangs to Europe.

“This is a dream come true for me!” exclaimed Proell. “Ever since I was a child I’ve wanted to be able to own and ride a mustang from the American West. Now, thanks to the BLM, it will happen.” The film maker plans to produce a full-length documentary chronicling his journey of adopting wild horses in America. His adopted horses will stay in Wyoming for a year in order gain title before heading home to Europe. “Once imported to Austria, the animals will be considered exotic novelties that invoke images of cowboys and the Old West,” said Proell.

Mustang adopter Kathi Wilson and her horse Snickers were true crowd pleasers. Wilson adopted Snickers nearly eight years ago from the Mantle Ranch. She and Snickers showcased their skills by kneeling for the crowd, lying down to mount, trailing without a lead rope, and being gentle enough to allow Wilson to walk underneath the horse. More information on Wilson and Snickers can be found at: http://www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/programs/Wild_Horses/snickers.html.

The next BLM Wyoming wild horse adoption will be held at the Wyoming Honor Farm, in Riverton, Wyo., on May 20-21. For adoption application, requirements, and complete schedule visit: http://www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/programs/Wild_Horses.html. BLM Wyoming oversees 16 HMAs with an Appropriate Management Level of between 2,490-3,725 wild horses. For specific questions, contact BLM Wild Horse Program Lead Jenny Lesieutre, 307-775-6097.

Media Coverage

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
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High Desert District   280 Hwy 191 N      Rock Springs, WY 82901  

Last updated: 01-22-2013