WILD HORSE AUCTION SATURDAY

JACKSON -- Area residents can see and purchase a piece of American history when wild horses and burros arrive at Flickerwood Arena near Jackson today.

Some 125 equines will arrive between 1-5 p.m. for the Adopt-A-Wild Horse and Burro program sponsored this weekend by the Department of Interior's Bureau of Land Management. The animals will be available for adoption by competitive bid on Saturday between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., and if necessary, on Sunday from 8 a.m. until noon.

Minimum bids of $125 from qualified bidders will be accepted for each animal, and officials said nearly all animals will be purchased for less than $200. The animals are all healthy and trainable, and range in ages from very young to 6 years old.

The adoption program began in 1973 to control a wild horse overpopulation in the western states. Each year, some 10,000 horses and burros are rounded up, fed, immunized and dewormed for the program.

To date, over 170,000 horses and burros have been adopted through the program.

Professional horse gentler and equine educator Dave Seay will be a featured performer during the event. Seay will select one horse today and another Saturday and work with each for two hours to gentle them enough to wear a halter, saddle and lead.

"If no one has ever seen a horse whisperer they should definitely come out and see this," said Shayna Banks of the Bureau of Land Management. "They rarely work with wild horses and it's really a treat to see them in action."

Banks said the free event will be fun and entertaining for anyone interested in wild horses. They make very good pets once tamed, but owners will need to practice patience, she said.

"We encourage people to come because it is a free event and very interesting," she said. "People wanting to adopt should keep in mind it will take some time to train them because they are wild animals, but they can be trained."

Qualified applicants can adopt up to four wild horses during the event. Those wishing to adopt must have an application reviewed and screened prior to the event. Those who have previously applied for adoption need to contact the bureau at 1-800-293-1781 to update their records. Those who have not previously applied should call the bureau to start the process.

To qualify for adoption, applicants must be at least 18 years old; have no prior violations of adoption regulations; have adequate facilities, including a sturdy corral at least 6 feet high and a shelter or stall space at least 12-by-12 feet per animal; transportation; and the means to care for the animal.