Hello and Happy Tuesday to everyone!

Did you get your copy of The Washington Post today? If you are able to get your own copy, be sure to pick up a second copy for NPS Director Sams!  You can send his copy here:
Director Sams
National Park Service
1849 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20240

The Washington Post has been GREAT about helping to raise awareness about these horses!  I have to say a HUGE THANK YOU to them!  They released this online last week.  The next day they shared it on social media and they have been continuing to share our Facebook posts about this Op-Ed!  How AWESOME is that?!

“Consistent pressure, constantly applied.” Our lawyer has said this to me several times.  It is a very true statement.

It’s been over a year since Theodore Roosevelt National Park announced their plans to eliminate the ENTIRE herd of wild horses from the park. 

Remember how outraged we all were? (and STILL are!)

Remember that shock when they said out loud what we have known all along?

I remember feeling pretty defeated in that moment. I had no idea at all how we would go about saving these horses. 

I knew we had to do SOMETHING!

That is where this story changed.

I know as wild horse advocates we are rightfully outraged about so many different things. 

It’s what you do with that outrage that has the power to change things.

What if…

We didn’t do the things we did?

What if we didn’t hire the law firm of Eubanks and Associates, PLLC?

What if we just sat here and complained to each other?

What if we told the press “No Comment” when they called?

What if we didn’t consistently reach out to national organizations like American Wild Horse campaign (AWHC) for help?  What if we quit the first time we did not get a response?

What if we said “Oh ok.” To the first ND legislator who said they would NOT sponsor what came to be SCR 4014?

What if none of you made calls, wrote letters and sent emails to any of the Calls to Action we have given?

What if we didn’t go to Washington DC and lobby congress?  Did you know that when we first met with Senator Hoeven, he said that he was confident that the horses would be able to stay, but the numbers would have to be reduced.  We explained to him how SCIENCE defines a genetically viable herd of horses.  NOW a genetically viable herd is now part of his language when he defends the horses. 

What if that conversation never happened?

What if we didn’t meet with Bert Frost in July?

What if we didn’t hold a rally last year?

What if we did not make the friends and allies we have over the last year?

What if we just sat silent or didn’t acknowledge any of these things that were happening to try to save these horses?

WHAT IF – we didn’t do a lot of things?

These horses would be gone, we can guarantee that!

But the horses are still enjoying their freedom.

And we still have A LOT of work to do.

The national press is calling!  It’s exciting!  My anxiety goes through the roof every time I have a meeting with a new reporter lol  I let my heart speak and allow the words to flow.  I have another new meeting in a couple of hours. 

My friend Robert Utley always said that the way to get change within the National Park Service was to embarrass them.  He said, “They don’t like to be embarrassed!”

Do you think they are embarrassed that the spotlight is on them in a very negative way for wanting to destroy a part of North Dakota and Native American history and culture and what we all know is a huge driver for North Dakota’s economy?

In spite of everything, The Park is staying the course – they plan to remove these horses the first chance they get. 

For us personally, we have no choice.  We have to keep fighting. 

Other “advocates” give CHWHA members dirty looks when they are in the park.  What are they upset about?  Do they want us to stop fighting? Personally, I would LOVE some free time!  It would be great to be able to be in the park more often!  I personally haven’t been able to get back since Christmas Day between advocacy commitments, work and personal demands.  I often wonder if they know if we stop fighting, they won’t have anything to take pictures of? The horses would be gone. 

Park law enforcement finds their way behind us soon after we enter the park.  It happens too often to be a “coincidence”.

Last week, as one of our board members left the park, a vehicle was parked in nearby Chimney Park.  The vehicle sped out from their parking place and followed them for quite some time on the interstate.  We have no idea who they were, or why they were following us. 

Consistent pressure, constantly applied. 

We will not be intimidated by anyone.

We will not give up this fight.

We have said that we are fighting from every angle possible.  We won’t stop.  We will continue to turn over every stone we find with the hopes of finding a piece to the solution to help save these horses.  To be clear, there hasn’t been a gift waiting for us under every stone.  That doesn’t mean we stop looking.  That doesn’t mean we stop fighting. 

NONE of what we have accomplished this past year has come easy.  All of it has taken consistency, hard work, follow up and dedication. 

It has required ACTION beyond spoken words. 

Every little thing that we have done over this past year has helped us accomplish what we have and has brought us to the national recognition we are getting now. 

It’s been an incredible couple of weeks, hasn’t it?! 

The Park has said it will be the end of the year before we know their final decision.  That doesn’t mean we stop talking about this!  It means we have to work harder to keep people engaged and educated. 

2024 promises to be A LONG YEAR!

We hope you will continue to stay with us through this fight. We really do have A LOT of work to do!

Thank you for your support and have a great day!

---