Canon City, CO BLM adoption 12/3/10

Tom and I spent yesterday down at the Canon City, CO BLM facility. There are many, many beautiful horses there that need homes. I have posted an album of some of them on my Facebook page (“Pam Nickoles Photography“). If you see any in this album that may be of interest to you, (I fell in love a hundred times over) the next adoption day is December 17th (you’ll need prior approval to attend – (719) 269-8539). Horses with red tags are Colorado (Piceance Creek HMA) and the blue tags are Wyoming horses (Salt Wells and Adobe Town – mixed). E-mail or message me if you’d like me to try to get the tag numbers for you on any of these horses. I can also pass along an e-mail address for the person to contact down at BLM. Please feel free to share. I’d love to see these beauties in some loving homes. Thanks!

BLM Public Workshop-Advisory Board Meeting Reminder

Just a reminder that this is coming up this Monday, June 14th through Tuesday, June 15th. Please attend if you can. The schedule is printed below.

Related post: https://nickolesphotography.wordpress.com/2010/05/18/blm-public-workshop-in-denver/

BLM WILD HORSE AND BURRO ADVISORY BOARD MEETING and PUBLIC WORKSHOP – scheduled for June 14 & 15, 2010 in Denver, Colorado.

Please attend if you can, this is an important opportunity to speak out for the horses and burros. Please encourage the press to attend as well-this board has done little to represent the public for years but many people will be attending for the horses and burros and it is time to ask the Board to consider the public’s opinions and solutions.

If you are not able to attend please submit a written statement to the board. Comments may also be e-mailed to: Ramona_DeLorme@blm.gov. Those submitting comments electronically should include the identifier “WH&B Advisory Board Meeting Comments” in the subject of their message and their name and address in the body of the message.

The event will take place at the Magnolia Hotel in Denver, Colorado.

Schedule:

I. Advisory Board Public Workshop Monday, June 14, 2010 (8 a.m.–4 p.m.)
8 a.m.—Open Workshop & Introduce Board Members
8:15 a.m.—Meeting Format and Guidelines
8:30 a.m.—Introduction of Secretary’s Initiative
Break—(8:50 a.m.–9 a.m.)
9 a.m.—Treasured Herds
Break—(9:50 a.m.–10:10 a.m.)
10:10 a.m.—Preserves
Break—(9:50 a.m.–11:15 a.m.)
11:15 a.m.—Sustainable Herds
Lunch—(12:05 p.m.–1:30 p.m.)
1:30 p.m.—Adoptions
Break—(2:20 p.m.–2:45 p.m.)
2:45 p.m.—Animal Welfare
3:35 p.m.—Process-Related Feedback
4 p.m.—Adjourn

Tuesday, June 15, 2010 (8 a.m.–5 p.m.)
*sign up by noon to speak at 3pm, expect to have only 2 min to speak.
8 a.m.—Call to Order & Introductions
8:15 a.m.—Old Business, Approval of December 7, 2009, Response to Recommendations
9 a.m.—Program Updates: Gathers, Adoptions, Budget, Facility and Pipeline Reports
Break—(9:45 a.m.–10 a.m.)
10 a.m.—Program Updates (continued)
Lunch—(11:45 a.m.–1 p.m.)
1 p.m.—New Business
Break—(2:45 p.m.–3 p.m.)
3 p.m.—Public Comments
4 p.m.—Board Recommendations
4:45 p.m.—Recap/Summary/Next Meeting/Date/Site
5 p.m.—Adjourn

For the sake of our wild ones...

BLM Public Workshop In Denver

BLM PRESS RELEASE:

The National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board Will Conduct Public Workshop and Meeting in June in Denver.

The Bureau of Land Management announced today that the National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board will conduct a public workshop and hold a regular meeting in June at a two-day event in Denver. The workshop on Monday, June 14, will provide the public with a unique opportunity to express their views, comments, and suggestions regarding Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar’s wild horse initiative, which he and BLM Director Bob Abbey announced last October. The Board will hold a regular meeting on wild horse management issues on Tuesday, June 15.

The public workshop and the Board meeting will take place in Denver, Colorado, at the Magnolia Hotel, 818 17th Street, Denver, Colorado, 80202. The hours of the Monday workshop are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time; the Tuesday Board meeting is set for 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. local time. The hotel’s phone number for reservations is 303-607-9000. The business agendas for the public workshop and Board meeting can be found on page 26990 of the Thursday, May 13 Federal Register (http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-11351.pdf).

On Monday, June 14, the public will be able to provide feedback and input concerning Secretary Salazar’s initiative, the details of which can be accessed at the BLM’s Website (www.blm.gov); the specific Web address is http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/wild_horse_and_burro/national/initiative.html.

On Tuesday, June 15, the public may address the Advisory Board at an appropriate point in the agenda, which is expected to be about 3 p.m., local time. Individuals who want to make a statement should register with the BLM by noon on the day of the meeting at the meeting site. Depending on the number of speakers, the Board may limit the length of presentations, set at three minutes for previous meetings. Speakers, who should address the specific wild horse and burro-related topics listed on the agenda, must submit a written statement of their comments, which may be sent electronically to the BLM by accessing the following Web address: http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/wild_horse_and_burro/wh_b_contact_us/enhanced_feedback_form.html. Alternatively, comments may be mailed to the National Wild Horse and Burro Program, WO-260, Attention: Ramona DeLorme, 1340 Financial Boulevard, Reno, Nevada, 89502-7147. Written comments pertaining to the Advisory Board meeting should be submitted no later than close of business June 7, 2010.

For additional information about the meeting, please contact Ramona DeLorme, Wild Horse and Burro Administrative Assistant, at 775-861-6583. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may reach Ms. DeLorme at any time by calling the Federal Information Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339.

The National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board provides input and advice to the BLM as it carries out its responsibilities under the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act. This law mandates the protection, management, and control of these free-roaming animals in a manner that ensures healthy herds at levels consistent with the land’s capacity to support them. The BLM manages about 37,000 wild horses and burros that roam BLM-managed rangelands in 10 Western states; the agency also feeds and cares for more than 35,000 horses and burros that are maintained in short-term corrals and long-term Midwestern pastures.

The Advisory Board meets at least twice a year and the BLM Director may call additional meetings when necessary. Members serve without salary, but are reimbursed for travel and per diem expenses according to government travel regulations.

Please, if you can attend this meeting, do so. It’s important that we have as many people show up for this workshop as possible.

Pryor Mountain wild horses of Montana

DC’s March For Mustangs Highlights

So many of us wished we could have attended this rally in DC. For those that couldn’t, here are some highlights from the event. My thanks to all of you that were there on behalf of our wild horses!

(Click on the individual links below)

Some of the best coverage of what is actually happening to our wild horses was in this segment by CNN’s Jane Velez-Mitchell. A must watch: http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/bestoftv/2010/03/25/jvm.horse.round.up.cnn

DC Rally (from The Cloud Foundation): http://thecloudfoundation.wordpress.com/2010/03/26/dc-rally/

Getty Images

Wild Horses Kick the BLM in the “Burro” in DC by Steven Long as it appeared on R.T. Fitch’s blog: http://rtfitch.wordpress.com/2010/03/26/wild-horses-kick-the-blm-in-the-burro-in-dc/

Singer/songwriter Clay Canfield performs during the March for Mustangs rally in Lafayette Square, across from the White House, in Washington, Thursday, March 25, 2010. (The actual link to the photo: http://1click.indiatimes.com/photo/0fHD80FftNe1w?q=White%20House

Clay singing his awesome song, Wild Horses

Purchase/download the song, “Wild Horses” – part of the sale proceeds goes towards helping the wild horse preservation efforts: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/canfield3

Horses, People and a Meeting of Minds (by R.T. Fitch):
http://rtfitch.wordpress.com/2010/03/27/horses-people-and-a-meeting-of-minds/

Wild Horse Documentary Wows Crowd in DC (by R.T. Fitch): http://rtfitch.wordpress.com/2010/03/25/wild-horse-documentary-wows-crowd-in-dc/

March for Mustangs… the Call to Stop the Roundups Goes Global (from The Cloud Foundation): http://thecloudfoundation.wordpress.com/2010/03/28/march-for-mustangs-the-call-to-stop-the-roundups-goes-global/

Video from R.T. Fitch:

By John Holland (President of Equine Welfare Alliance – as posted on Horseback Magazine)

WASHINGTON, (EWA) – The demonstration was great, but you really got the feeling of being in a dictatorship! Much of this might be because of the recent anti-health care bill demonstrations and threats, but I have not felt this atmosphere since the 60s.

A guy came around us, climbed the stairs and stood at the top with the armed guards and used a zoom lens to take photos of all of us individually. Funny thing was that one of the guards thought he was with us and tried to throw him off the steps because we were not allowed to touch a single step. Another of the other guards stopped the first guard. It just shows what a stupid bunch we are dealing with. I just couldn’t help thinking about the Keystone Cops.

I especially loved it when they called out the mounted patrol on us. Many of us immediately migrated toward them. One of the horses was a huge gray that did not have a body shape we could identify. I asked his mount what breed it was and he ignored me. Only their leader would talk and he was an asshole. I was so tempted to say “I have been around horses all my life and never seen one before who had two assholes” but discretion got the better of me.

I told him that if they were looking to intimidate us, they picked the wrong crowd! I said I face three times that many horses every morning for their feed. He said “We are not here to intimidate you.” So I figured that meant hey must be have been there to do something more physical.

I used to marvel that I was able to roam the halls of Congress as freely as I was, but that is changing. It is darker and more brooding every time I go. Reuters and AP were both there, so we should see more!

From Janet Carabello (Colorado Advocate):

It was wonderful to be a part of this protest/rally! We mingled and made new friends while we exhibited our cause with signs and chants. The march to the DOI took us past the White House, the Old Exec. Office Bldg., and along 17th Street, so we captured the attention of many tourists and vehicles. The reception at the DOI was cold and stonewalling, but we really dialed up the vocal protesting and caused the security guards to be on high alert. We finally got the petition handed out to a staffer who came out to collect it. Then the mounted police showed up and of course we all loved the horses!!! I saw some smiles on the cops faces. My personal highlight was getting to talk to Hope Ryden and sharing the cab ride to the Capitol to meet with Sen. Bennett’s staff. I think our cause was heard, but we have to keep up the fight and do more followup. And more protests!!! We missed you Pam!

Hope Ryden, author of - America's Last Wild Horses

From Linda Hanick (Colorado Advocate):

Thanks for posting this Pam! It was an exhilarating time in DC. I do feel that we were a voice in DC–on the street, in the Senators’ and Representatives’ offices, in the rally and protest, in the hotel and restaurant, and even at Kinkos. I had my poster printed there and the young man who helped me was awestruck by your photo and couldn’t believe that there were still wild horses. We talked about the horses for quite a while, and when I was ready to pay, he just smiled and said “You have a great day!” That made my day! I was at the very end of the march from the White House to the BLM offices, and it was an impressive sight seeing scores of people for blocks in front of me marching down Pennsylvania Avenue–all with banners and signs. I stopped to pass out flyers to people on sidewalks and as made my way to the BLM building.

Linda with Sandy Elmore

The photo below is courtesy of Simone Netherlands:

Simone Netherlands, John Holland, R.T Fitch and Rob Pliskin. Simone said that President Obama has seen this banner three times now. Twice in Las Vegas and now in D.C.

Video, “We Sing For The Horse Nation” by Sandy Elmore (Montana Advocate)

Stay current with Wild Horse News: http://nickolesphotography.com/HTML/wildhorseinformation.htm

Roundup Protest – Boulder, CO 1/30/10

I can honestly say this was the first time I’ve ever stood up with a bunch of like-minded people on a quest to educate and enlighten more individuals on the plight of our wild horses in the form of a peaceful protest. At a time when I’ve felt increasingly helpless to stop the cruelty inflicted upon our American icons, this was something I could actually do. It was something I needed to do.

(Click on the image for a larger view)

At the corner of Broadway and Canyon in Boulder, CO

Our organizer - thanks for your efforts Cathy!

Wild horse loving greyhound Kula came all the way from Estes Park to stand with us!

Kula's friend Hilde is also on board.

Me and my Mom (who just went through a battle with cancer and is now in remission). I can't tell you what it meant to have her there with me, healthy again, sharing the love of our wild horses and joining in the fight to protect them.

My Mom - so cool to share this experience with her

Janet from Ft. Collins

My ever supportive hubby

Monika distributing information to an interested passer-by.

Linda and Kula with another interested person.

Our Mustang mascot (aka Gabriele)

There were some younger folks with colorful signs - I loved their enthusiasm and committment to the cause.

Strong supporter and advocate for our wild horses - Gabriele

Carol taking pictures from across the street

Linda, Kula, Mom and Tom

Kim - who has been out to see and photograph the wild horses for herself

Our young advocates

Me and Mom

Linda and my Mom

Thanks to Boulder Baked Cookies for dropping off freshly baked cookies to appreciative protesters!

These peaceful protests are popping up all over the country. Too many people are not even aware of what is happening to our incredible wild horses of the west. Please, if you feel there’s nothing you can do to stop what our horses are being subjected to, organize or attend a protest and spend some time with people who are as passionate about the horses as you are. It’s energizing and effective. The word is spreading. For the sake of our wild ones, let’s keep the momentum and pressure up while at the same time, creating more awareness and support. Many thanks to all of you that participated…