Hello and Happy Saturday!
Today, I want to share something very special with you.
On Thursday, we had the incredible honor of witnessing a moment in history — the release of Frank Kuntz’s Nokota horses onto their new 4,000-acre home on Standing Rock.
We shared a post and video on our Facebook page Thursday, but I wanted to take some time to truly absorb everything we experienced before trying to put it into words.
And even now, I’m not sure words can adequately describe the day.
It was incredible!
Watching those beautiful horses being released and running across their new home was absolutely breathtaking!
When I first greeted Frank that morning, he smiled and said, “It’s a good day for the horses!”
Indeed, it was, Frank.
Indeed, it was.
But as the day unfolded, it became about so much more than the horses.
It became a celebration of Frank, his late brother Leo, their family, the Standing Rock community, and nearly 50 years of promises kept.
And I don’t think Frank or his family expected what was coming.
A Community Comes Together
First, I cannot say enough about the Standing Rock community.
There were easily hundreds of people who came out to witness this incredible moment in history. People traveled from near and far, and it was wonderful to see so many familiar faces and friends.
Before the horses were released, the community held a private ceremony honoring the horses, Frank, and his family.
There were, rightfully, no phones or photographs allowed during the ceremony.
I will simply say that watching the horses respond to the drumming and chanting was something I will never forget.
At one point, a vehicle pulling a horse trailer drove by, and even the horses inside that trailer seemed to want to join in, calling out as they passed!
It was one of those moments that made you smile through the emotions of the day.
Then came the moment we had all been waiting for.
The horses were released.
Watching them run across that beautiful landscape, knowing what it had taken to get them there, was overwhelming.
For a moment, nearly 50 years of struggle seemed to give way to something beautiful.
The horses were home.
Honoring Frank and Leo
After the release, everyone gathered to share a meal and pay tribute to Frank and his family.
And what a tribute it was!
Jon Eagle spoke about meeting Frank and Leo and learning about the horses and their history.
At one point, Jon said something that perfectly captured the emotions of the day:
“I don’t know how to feel today.”
I think we all understood exactly what he meant.
How DO you feel when your community welcomes descendants of Sitting Bull’s horses back to their people?
How do you feel about two brothers who dedicated nearly 50 years of their lives to protecting these horses?
How do you feel watching hundreds of people gather to witness a moment that, for so long, must have seemed almost impossible?
How do you put all of that into words?
I can tell you that Thursday, I was feeling ALL the feels!
And looking around the room, I certainly wasn’t alone.
During the celebration, a video was shown sharing some of the history of Frank and Leo’s incredible journey to save these horses.
There were five words in that video that stopped me in my tracks:
“Your existence saved our existence.”
I cannot imagine a more powerful way to describe the relationship between Frank, Leo, and the Nokota horses.
For almost 50 years, Frank and Leo fought for the horses.
But somewhere along the way, those horses became just as much a part of their lives as the brothers became a part of the horses’ history.
Frank’s daughter Christa also spoke.
She shared a memory from her childhood. Her dad had told her that she could love the horses, but she couldn’t fall in love with them.
Why?
Because one day, those horses would have to go back to their people.
Imagine that.
Even all those years ago, Frank understood that the horses he was working so hard to protect were part of something much bigger.
Christa admitted that, despite her dad’s warning, she DID fall in love with the horses!
I think anyone who has ever loved a horse can understand that.
Frank, his wife Shelly, and their three daughters were each presented with beautiful quilts.
Frank and Leo’s sister also spoke on Leo’s behalf.
Then something truly remarkable happened.
Everyone gathered for the celebration lined up to personally thank Frank and his family.
One by one, people approached them to express their gratitude.
Some had followed Frank’s journey for just a few years. Others had been there for decades. Some had been part of the story almost from the beginning.
And everyone had something in common.
They understood the sacrifices that had been made.
They understood the determination it took to keep going.
And they wanted Frank and his family to know that those sacrifices had not gone unnoticed.
It was beautiful.
What If…
As I watched the events of the day unfold, I couldn’t help but think about our own beloved wild horses at Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
And I kept coming back to two words.
What if…
What if park management had listened to Frank and Leo all those years ago?
What if they had recognized the unique historical significance of these horses?
What if, instead of fighting to preserve their existence for nearly 50 years, Frank and Leo had been able to spend those years celebrating them?
How different might this story have been?
Throughout Thursday’s celebration, there was a lot of discussion about the past.
We cannot change the past.
No, we can’t.
But we CAN learn from it.
And that brings me back to Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
What if park management, like the Standing Rock community, recognized the incredible blessing that exists within the boundaries of our national park?
What if, instead of continuing a long history of efforts to remove these horses, park management embraced their history and celebrated their presence?
What if the horses were viewed not as a problem to be managed away, but as an irreplaceable part of the history and landscape of Theodore Roosevelt National Park?
What if…
For those of you who have asked about the possibility of returning Nokota horses to Theodore Roosevelt National Park, I want you to know that I have brought that subject up in several conversations with Superintendent Rachel Daniels.
Whether that will ever happen remains to be seen.
But the seed has been planted.
And Thursday was a powerful reminder that sometimes things we once thought impossible really CAN happen.
The True Meaning of Advocacy
More than anything, I want to take a moment to talk about our dear friend, Frank Kuntz.
One of the things I have always admired about Frank is that no matter what he was doing, he always made sure it was about the horses.
Their history.
Their heritage.
Their importance.
Their future.
It was never about Frank.
It was always about the horses.
But Thursday was different.
Thursday, a community came together and made it about HIM.
And as I watched everything unfold, I couldn’t help but think about how special that moment really was.
For someone who has spent so much of his life making sure the horses were seen, Thursday was a day when the people around him made sure HE was seen.
They recognized his dedication, his sacrifices, and his unwavering commitment to keeping a promise he and his brother made nearly 50 years ago.
And I am so incredibly grateful that Gary and I were there to witness it.
Frank has set an incredibly high bar for what wild horse advocacy should look like.
He and Leo made a promise to these horses.
And they dedicated nearly 50 years of their lives to keeping it.
Think about that for a minute.
FIFTY YEARS.
Frank talked about how he could have taken the easy way out.
He could have quit.
I understand those feelings all too well.
There are days when the battles seem endless. When the disappointments pile up. When you wonder whether anything you are doing is actually making a difference.
And I cannot begin to imagine the mental, physical, emotional, and financial toll that nearly 50 years of fighting must have taken on Frank and his family.
But he didn’t quit.
Neither did Leo.
They kept going.
Not because they were looking for recognition.
Not because they expected anyone to thank them.
They kept going because they had made a promise.
And Frank Kuntz is a man of his word.
Thursday, I watched an entire community recognize that.
People weren’t just celebrating the horses.
They were celebrating a man whose integrity, determination, and unwavering commitment helped make that historic moment possible.
And they were honoring his brother Leo, whose absence was deeply felt.
There were understandably many people who wished Leo could have been there to witness this day.
I wish he could have been there, too.
But I am so incredibly thankful that Frank was able to experience it.
To see the horses running across their new home.
To witness the gratitude of the Standing Rock community.
To be surrounded by his wife, daughters, family, and friends.
And to know that after all these years, the promise he and Leo made was being fulfilled.
What an incredible gift.
A Day We Will Never Forget
Kuntz Nokota Ranch has been sharing wonderful coverage of Thursday’s events on its Facebook page, including news stories, photographs, and videos from people who attended.
You can follow their page here:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090066303428
I have also put together a video using photographs and footage we captured throughout the day. You can watch it on our YouTube channel:
I wanted to write this blog because so many of you reached out on Thursday, asking about the release and how everything went.
We weren’t ignoring anyone!
We were simply trying to be present.
To take in every moment.
To celebrate the horses.
And to celebrate our friend.
I hope this gives those of you who couldn’t attend a little glimpse into what we experienced.
But as Jon Eagle so perfectly expressed, there really aren’t words for all the feelings that came with this day.
Thank You, Frank
Frank, Gary and I cannot thank you and Leo enough.
Thank you for your integrity.
Thank you for your determination.
Thank you for showing all of us what it means to stand up for something you believe in, even when the odds seem impossible.
Thank you for keeping your promise.
And to the Standing Rock community, we couldn’t be happier for you!
Thank you for welcoming these beautiful horses home and for honoring the men and family who dedicated so much of their lives to protecting them.
We look forward to watching this next chapter unfold for your community and these incredible horses.
Please know that Chasing Horses Wild Horse Advocates will always be here, ready to help in whatever way we can.
Thursday was a day about horses.
It was a day about history.
It was a day about family, community, sacrifice, gratitude, and promises kept.
And for me, it was also a reminder of something I believe with all my heart.
One person CAN make a difference.
Sometimes that difference takes years.
Sometimes it takes decades.
Sometimes it takes nearly 50 years.
But when people refuse to give up, incredible things can happen.
Frank and Leo Kuntz are living proof of that.
Thank you for letting me share this very special day with you.
Have a wonderful weekend!
And Frank — it really WAS a good day for the horses! ❤️
Leave a Reply