In an effort to expand upon its mission of facilitating successful adoptions of excess Bureau of Land Management mustangs and burros, the Mustang Heritage Foundation (MHF) in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has announced the launch of Americaâs Mustang, a nationwide campaign to celebrate and educate Americans about wild mustangs.
Mustangs in BLM Holding Pen
Since 2007, the Mustang Heritage Foundation has placed over 5,500 American Mustangs into private care through training and gentling programs, such as the Extreme Mustang Makeover and the Trainer Incentive Program.
© 2015 by MHF
As part of the effort, organizers have planned a series of events and community partnerships to inspire everyoneâregardless of their involvement with horsesâto take interest in the all-American wild mustang.
âWhether or not youâre actively involved in the equestrian world, weâre hoping that you can become as excited and passionate as we are for these iconic American mustangs,â said Kali Sublett, Executive Director of the Mustang Heritage Foundation.
âWe want to provide the opportunity for the public to become educated on what the mustangs need, and how we can all help to support, adopt or even purchase one of our own.â
Since 2007, the Mustang Heritage Foundation has placed over 5,500 American Mustangs into private care through training and gentling programs, such as the Extreme Mustang Makeover and the Trainer Incentive Program (TIP), that showcase the recognized value and trainability of wild horses.
MHF also produced Mustang Million in 2013, a milestone wild-horse training event that awarded one million dollars in cash and prizes while placing over 550 mustangs into adoptive homes through a single event.
The America's Mustang Campaign aims to educate Americans through events and activities that help individuals interact with and learn about wild horses. Currently, the BLM estimates that nearly 50,000 wild horses roam on managed rangelands in the western United States.
As the mustangs continue to grow in population, campaign organizers hope to encourage everyone to help maintain, manage and protect national rangelands that support the livelihood of mustangs through shared learning and celebration.
Americaâs Mustang Events
A lineup of events across Americaâs rangelands are planned, each of them offering different opportunities to see, interact with and learn about the impact mustangs have on American traditions, values and heritage. Stop by one or more of these events to participate in the Americaâs Mustang tour for a chance to win or purchase exclusive merchandise.
The programâs signature event, the Americaâs Mustang Celebration Expo, takes place from July 9-11 in St. Louis. The weekend-long program will feature shows, activities and events designed to help Americans learn about and interact with wild horses.
Plus, events in Reno, Nev. and Nampa, Idaho will feature showcase events from Extreme Mustang Makeover, a 100-day competition to train and condition wild mustangs into calm, loyal companions ready for adoption.
âThese events are for families, children, adults or anyone who has been enchanted by the beauty and majesty of a wild horse,â Sublett said. âWhether youâre a horse trainer, an eventer or just someone who enjoys watching horses from afar, these animals are a part of our past, present and future stories. We invite you to learn from, interact with and join us in honoring the American Mustang.â
See full details and register for events at AmericasMustang.com.
- June 12-13: Rock Springs, WY: (adoption and horse show at BLM off-range corrals)
- June 12-14: Napa, CA: (adoption and training demonstrations during Napa Mustang Days at Napa Valley Horsemenâs Association)
- June 13: Coalgate, OK: (marathon and open house at Mowdy Ranch Wild Horse Eco-sanctuary)
- June 19: NV/UT Stateline (Baker, NV and Milford, UT): (trail ride on horseback through the north end of Sulphur HMA)
- June 20-21*: Reno, NV: (Extreme Mustang Makeover adoption event at Reno Rodeo)
- June 24: Fillmore, UT: (ATV/UTV ride through the Swasey HMA)
- June 27*: Sparks, NV: (off-range corral tour and training demonstration at Palomino Valley Adoption Corrals*)
- June 27*: Albuquerque, NM: (adoption event and film screening at Bernalillo County Sheriffâs Posse Arena)
- July 4: St. Louis, MO: (find the Americaâs Mustang float in the Veiled Prophet Parade)
- July 9-11*: St. Louis, MO: (adoption and celebration expo at National Equestrian Center)
- July 10-11: Rock Springs, WY:(adoption and horse show at BLM Off-Range Corrals)
- July 17-25: Cheyenne, WY: (adoption event during Cheyenne Frontier Days)
- July 17-18: Benton, AR: (adoption event and training demonstration)
- July 18: Cheyenne, WY: (find the Americaâs Mustang float in the Cheyenne Frontier Days Parade)
- July 18: Murphy, ID: (on-range trail ride tour of Hard Trigger HMA)
- July 24-25*: Nampa, ID: (Extreme Mustang Makeover adoption event at Idaho Horse Park)
- Aug 1: Nowata, OK: (off-range pasture public tour)
*Indicates a location where the movie Unbranded will be shown.
About Americaâs Mustang
The Americaâs Mustang campaign was created in 2015 to better educate Americans on who the American Mustangs are, where they are located, what resources they need as a breed and what resources they share with other species.
The Americaâs Mustang tour involves a series of events and activities to help inform the public about this iconic American horse and how we all can take action to maintain healthy lands with healthy horses. Americaâs Mustang is led by the Mustang Heritage Foundation in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management.
About the Mustang Heritage Foundation
The Mustang Heritage Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public, charitable, nonprofit organization dedicated to facilitating successful adoptions for Americaâs excess mustangs and burros. Our program areas focus on adopters, philanthropists, youth and horse training professionals. Since 2007, the Mustang Heritage Foundation has placed over 5,500 BLM held mustangs into private care through training and gentling programs.
About the Bureau of Land Management
Since 1971, when Congress passed the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, the BLM has successfully placed over 235,000 wild horses and burros into private care. 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 10 Western states, including Alaska.
The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM's mission is to manage and conserve the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations under our mandate of multiple-use and sustained yield. In Fiscal Year 2014, the BLM generated $5.2 billion in receipts from public lands