October 2022 BLM Nevada and Northern Nevada Correctional Center saddle-started wild horse adoption a success
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The Bureau of Land Management and the Nevada Department of Corrections – Silver State Industries conducted a saddle-started wild horse adoption event at the Northern Nevada Correctional Center on October 8, 2022.
All available horses were successfully adopted at the event. Fifteen saddle-started wild horses from herd management areas located on BLM Nevada, Oregon, and California public lands, trained for approximately four months by inmates were offered for adoption. One haltered-started filly trained by a local 4-H group was not bid on but will continue her training with the inmate crew at the Northern Nevada Correctional Center.
"We ended this year’s in person events with another super adoption” said Hank Curry, NNCC Lead Trainer. “The combined bids were a tad lower than previous events, but the point is to find good homes for the horses. I am grateful for any opportunity, no matter how small, to get these awesome animals into loving homes.”
Successful bidders paid a total of $27,550 for the animals. With bids starting at $150, the event’s saddle-trained wild horse top bid of $6,100 went for “Dillion”, a 5-year-old gaited, buckskin gelding, from the Sheephead-Heath herd management area located in Oregon.
The successful bidders officially adopted their horses. After properly caring for their adopted animals for one year, the adopters are eligible to receive title, or ownership, from the Federal government. The BLM uses its adoption program as a primary tool to place these iconic animals into private care. The animals available for adoption typically come from overpopulated herds on public lands where available vegetation and water can become scarce as populations grow. There are no natural predators that can effectively control wild horse and burro population growth on public lands.
The BLM has placed nearly 305,400 wild horses and burros into private care since 1971. Many of those animals have become excellent pleasure, show, work, or companion animals.
The next saddle-trained wild horse adoption and competitive-bid auction at the Northern Nevada Correctional Center is scheduled for February 11, 2023. The public can start planning a trip - what better gift for Valentines Day then adopting one of theses unique animals? Additional information on this partnership, including past and current event catalogs, is posted on-line at https://on.doi.gov/2jE05uy.
For more information about these special adoption or sale events and how to adopt or purchase your own wild horse or burro visit BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program webpage at https://www.blm.gov/whb.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.