Photos and article by Hallie Richwine
BLM Sale of horses and burros 063019
BLM Wild Horse and Burro Sale
The auctioneer sells horses and burros
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BLM Wild Horse and Burro Sale
An overview of the sale area
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BLM Wild Horse and Burro Sale
A friendly burro that found a home
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BLM Wild Horse and Burro Sale
A group of mares up for sale or auction
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The Bureau of Land Management hosted a Wild Horse and Burro event at the Southwest Horseman’s Arena Rodeo grounds in Silver City on June 28 and 29. Seventy-five wild horses and burros were available for adoption and/or purchase.
Participants bid on mares, geldings, yearlings, and burros. Animals over ten years of age and those that have been up for auction at three previous auction events were available for sale outright while the others were adoptable. The BLM offers an incentive of up to $1000 for adoption of the wild animals, half in roughly 60 days from adoption and the remainder at the completion of the year.
The BLM oversees nearly 27 million acres of land where wild horses and burros live. The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 gave the BLM the responsibility of protecting the public land and managing the wild herds. This is accomplished by monitoring herd size and vegetation. Left unchecked, wild herds double within four years and endanger themselves and other animals competing for resources.
At the local event, BLM staff had brochures encouraging adoption of the wild animals. Gates opened at 10 am and the public was encouraged to walk around the pens to inspect the animals prior to the noon auction time.
Visit the BLM website here to learn more about the Wild Horse and Burro program.