Wild Horses Take Center Stage: A Documentary and Fundraiser Event

Join us for an engaging evening with 'Roaming Wild,' a documentary that delves into the lives of wild horses and the challenges they face. This event, set for July 10 at 5:30 p.m. at the KSJD Sunflower Theater, serves as a fundraiser for the Colorado Chapter of the National Mustang Association. Directed by Sylvia Johnson, the film explores the controversy surrounding wild horses and the hope for a sustainable future.

About the Documentary

“Roaming Wild” is a modern-day Western that highlights the personal stories behind the statistics of wild horses. It features inspiring characters, including a fiery California activist, an intrepid New Mexico mountain man, a persevering Nevada rancher, and a wild horse herd in Utah.

Wild Horses in the West

More than 40,000 wild horses roampublic landsacross 10 Western states, including southwestern Colorado. However, the number of horses in captivity now exceeds thosein the wild, costing taxpayers $60 million annually.

Local Wild Horse Populations

In Disappointment Valley, theBLMmanages the Spring Creek Basin herd, a group of 60 wildmustangsprotected under the federal Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act. Meanwhile, Mesa Verde National Park hosts over 100 free-roaming horses, which, although not protected under the act, have become a tourist attraction.

Conservation Efforts and Challenges

T.J. Holmes, aBLMvolunteer and board member of the local mustang association, reports that the Spring Creek Basin herd is healthy, thanks to recent rains and fertility treatments using the contraceptive PZP. This method has successfully controlled the population, reducing the number of new foals and improving the health of the mares.

Holmes emphasizes that theBLMuses fertility controls to slow population growth, not stop it entirely. The local mustang association also aims to protect the free-roaming horse herd at Mesa Verde National Park, where drought conditions have previously led to horse deaths.

Fundraiser Details

The fundraiser will help finance water delivery and development for the Spring Creek herd, as well as fencing and corrals for potential roundups at the park. At the event's conclusion, Rodriguez and Holmes will host a Q&A session about wild horses.

Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door, including appetizers, giveaways, and access to a cash bar featuring the “Red Roany Pony.” A silent auction with local artists and businesses will also be held.

To purchase tickets, visitwww.nationalmustangassociationcolorado.organd click on the “Roaming Wild Fundraiser Event” tab.

“The management of wild horses and burros is a challenge, but we believe they are essential to the landscape,” Holmes said. “They helped build the West, and it’s an amazing gift for the public to go and see them run free.”

Originally Posted By Cortez Journal