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Jack,

In case you didn’t know, March is Women’s History Month! To celebrate, we’d like to take a moment to honor a few remarkable women leaders who’ve made herstory in the fight to advance wild horse and burro conservation – both past and present.

Congresswoman Dina Titus

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From left to right: AWHC ambassador Chloe Gosselin, AWHC Exec. Director, Suzanne Roy, Rep. Dina Titus, AWHC NV State Director Tracy Wilson, and AWHC NV Lobbyist Helen Foley.

Congresswoman Dina Titus (D-NV) has been a tireless advocate for the humane treatment and conservation of our nation’s wild horses and burros. Her dedication to ending inhumane helicopter roundups and advocating for humane fertility control measures has made her a beacon of hope for these iconic animals. She is leading the charge in Congress to reform federal wild horse and burro management, including introducing the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act of 2023-2024 (H.R. 3656), which would ban the use of helicopters during roundups. AWHC was proud to present her with the 2023 Freedom Award in honor of her efforts. She is a key ally in our mission, and we are eager to continue fighting alongside her to ensure these icons of the American West continue to roam free on our public lands.

Colorado State Senator Joann Ginal and Colorado House Majority Leader Monica Duran

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From left to right: AWHC Director of Strategy Scott Wilson, Sen. Perry Will, Sen. Joann Ginal, and Sandra Solin who represents AWHC on the Colorado Wild Horse Working Group

Colorado State Senator Joann Ginal and Colorado House Majority Leader Monica Duran are at the forefront of advancing wild horse and burro conservation in their state as sponsors of the transformative Colorado Wild Horse Project (SB23-275), which was signed into law by Governor Jared Polis last May. This key piece of legislation allocated $15 million in state funding to support improved wild horse conservation initiatives. AWHC was honored to present limited edition Colorado wild horse prints – by WilsonAxpe PhotoAdvocacy – to Senator Ginal (and fellow sponsor Senator Perry Will) in recognition of her bi-partisan leadership of SB23-275. Unfortunately, Majority Leader Duran could not be present for the presentation, but we are extremely grateful for her work to make this legislation possible and look forward to partnering with her and Senator Ginal on future efforts to protect Colorado’s wild herds.

Velma “Wild Horse Annie” Johnston

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And of course, we can’t talk about women leaders in wild horse conservation without paying homage to the woman who started it all, Velma Johnston – also known as Wild Horse Annie.

In the early 1950s, after witnessing a truck full of bloodied, injured wild horses captured near Reno, Nevada and taken to a slaughterhouse, Wild Horse Annie decided to dedicate her life to stopping the inhumane treatment and slaughter of wild horses.

She began her fight in Nevada where she convinced the U.S. Congressman Walter Baring to introduce the Wild Horse Annie Act of 1959, banning the use of motorized vehicles, including aircraft, to hunt, capture or kill wild horses running at large on public lands or ranges. It was passed by Congress and signed into law on September 8, 1959. But wild horse populations continued to dwindle, and she continued her fight, spearheading a campaign that resulted in the passage of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 — the foundational law passed unanimously by Congress to protect wild horses and burros from “capture, branding, harassment, or death” and create a program to protect and manage them.

Jack, the best way we can honor these incredible women and their contributions to wild horse conservation is by continuing their important work. That’s why AWHC is fighting around the clock to protect our cherished wild herds, whether that’s in the field, in the courts, or on Capitol Hill. Please consider chipping in to support our efforts to keep America’s wild horses and burros wild. [[link removed]]

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Thank you,

Team AWHC



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American Wild Horse Conservation
P.O. Box 1733
Davis, CA 95617
United States