“You get what you work for, not what you wish for.”  ~ Howard A. Tullman

Hello and Happy Sunday to everyone!

Hopefully you are staying warm in your part of the world!  We broke records here – it was -70 with the windchill in Dickinson North Dakota yesterday! A warm-up is on the way though!  By next Saturday, it will be +40!

Wild Horse Annie is talked about A LOT in wild horse advocacy.  I found these 5 fun facts on Cowgirl Magazine’s website:

Check out these fascinating facts about this influential horsewoman!

1. Velma Johnston was born in Reno, Nevada on March 5, 1912. Her father ran a freighting service with the use of horses. Many of them had mustang lineage.

2. At age 11, Johnston was stricken with polio. Ultimately, this left her disfigured. She developed great empathy for animals that were confided or suffering, due to her many months in the hospital.

3. In 1950, when driving to work, Johnston witnessed a truck crammed with wild horses heading to slaughter. In a gruesome event, a yearling on the truck was trampled to death. It was this moment she decided to expose the cruelty to the public.

4. Johnston was a charming and skilled public speaker. She began her campaign in her hometown of Storey County. It was around this time she received the nickname “Wild Horse Annie”. And in 1959, the “Wild Horse Annie Act” was implemented. This stopped the use of motorized vehicles (planes and trucks) in the capturing or killing of wild horses.

5. With encouragement from Johnston, the public wrote thousands of letters to Congress in hopes of saving wild horses. The Wild-Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act was then signed into law in 1971. Johnston played a huge role in making this happen!

Wild Horse Annie was a regular person – just like the rest of us.  It sounds like she did EXACTLY what Theodore Roosevelt said we should do:

“Do what you can, with what you have, from where you are!” ~ Theodore Roosevelt.

Wild Horse Annie made some MAJOR accomplishments!  And imagine – she did it WITHOUT the internet!

When Joe Barrett came to Medora from The Wall Street Journal, Medora’s TR – Joe Wiegand, met him personally.  TR told our WSJ friend that was his favorite quote.  He added, “The Kman’s are doing just that!”

What we have accomplished over the last two years has only been possible with the help of each one of you!

We are coming up on TWO years now since the Park announced that they would be working on a management plan for the wild horses of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.  With your help, we have worked tirelessly to bring attention to this issue and bring about much needed change in NPS policy. 

As a good friend of mine says – “I love it when a plan comes together!”

These last two years have been tough!  There has been A LOT to learn and A LOT to do.  Deadlines to meet – and we have met them! 

Every little thing we have done has led to the next thing on our list. 

LOOK AT HOW FAR WE HAVE COME since March 16, 2022!!!

Hopefully you read and completed the Calls to Action in our Let’s Get Loud blog from the other day!  If you haven’t – it is NOT too late: https://chwha.org/2024/01/06/lets-get-loud-2/! 

We have no doubt that those of you that did are responsible for helping to get the story about our beloved wild horses in The Times in LONDON!!!

YES!  The global news community has picked up on this story!  If you have not read it yet, you can read the article here: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/roosevelt-wild-horses-run-out-of-badlands-america-r9t7smhjw

Are you up for another Call to Action?

I looked up some email addresses yesterday and sent out over 40 emails.  A few bounced, but I do have a list that everyone can use to email other newspapers! 

This is the basics of what I sent – feel free to customize your email! The links to the other articles are important, so make sure you include them!

We are a nonprofit organization in North Dakota that is fighting for the freedom of 200 wild horses that call the Park home.

The Park plans to eliminate all 200 horses from their boundaries!  The story is getting louder as it has gained national and now global attention!  Today, The Times (London) reported on the story!  https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/roosevelt-wild-horses-run-out-of-badlands-america-r9t7smhjw

That is in addition to the following new stories that have covered the horses in the last month:

The Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/us-news/wild-horses-remove-theodore-roosevelt-national-park-north-dakota-e12d5fd6
The Washington Post: https://wapo.st/48yQydS
KFYR TV report: https://www.kfyrtv.com/2024/01/05/trnps-wild-horses-gain-national-attention/?fbclid=IwAR3Ab9uglOa59QtSOHImp5N7sgVIjRV1G4f0gWbKGJgZufxXmHLPWF3E5a4
Jay Thomas Show (we were on at 2:06:33): https://www.wdayradionow.com/show-episodes/71695-jay-thomas-show-housing-ordinances-skating-on-crime-and-wild-horses-1-5-24?fbclid=IwAR3IhtIv4GDdcTjWOhUnVZGqyVXoCFJ_cqJ5-UCyW6c-lQVbzH4v-bfBxOE
Towner County Herald: https://chwha.org/2024/01/05/towner-county-record-herald/

I hope that you will consider a story on these horses.

Sincerely,

Don’t forget to make sure that Superintendent Richman (Angie_Richman@nps.gov), Regional Director Frost: (Bert_Frost@nps.gov), NPS Director Sams (charles_sams@nps.gov) and Secretary Haaland (exsec@ios.doi.gov) have also seen the NEWEST article!  We will also have something fun to share about this later this week 😉

Here is the list of emails that I sent my letter to yesterday.  Remember, the more that mainstream media hears from us – the more they will know there is an interest in wild horse stories!  You NEVER know when your email might be opened by the right person, at just the right time! Please, feel free to contact us with any questions! Also, please let us know if you have contact information for anyone else that we should contact!

Superintendent Richman said they would know by the end of this year (2024) what their decision will be and IF they will be getting rid of 150 horses or all 200!  We can’t sit here hoping and wishing.  We have not done that for the last two years and we are not going to start now!

We have to do all that we can to keep this story hot and continue to reach as many people as possible!  Thank you in advance for helping us do just that!

Can you help us get LOUDER?!

THIS is how we change things!!!

Thank you for your support and have a wonderful Sunday!  Stay Warm!