Colorado’s Wild Horse Advocates Name New Foal 'Reis'
Named in Honor of Colorado First Gentleman Marlon Reis for His Advocacy in Humane Wild Horse Management
Craig, Colorado (June 2, 2022) – The Sand Wash Basin Herd Management Area (HMA), located on public lands west of Craig, is home to an extraordinary herd of wild horses and now includes a new foal, named in honor of Colorado’s First Gentleman Marlon Reis, who has emerged as a powerful voice on behalf of the wild horse and burro protection movement.
During a recent outing to Sand Wash Basin, Denver-based photographer and spokesperson for the American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Campaign) (AWHC), Scott Wilson spotted the new foal. According to tradition, the first person to document a Sand Wash Basin newborn is invited to name the animal for the official archives held by the Sand Wash Basin Advocate Team (SWAT), the local advocacy organization which also implements a humane fertility control program in the HMA.
Wilson, who was recently named Open Photographer of the Year at the 2022 World Photography Awards, chose to honor the First Gentleman's advocacy for the welfare of wild horses and burros by naming the newborn foal “Reis,” a move celebrated by AWHC.
“The American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Campaign) commends the leadership of Governor Jared Polis and First Gentleman Reis in protecting Colorado’s wild horses and burros and going above and beyond to ensure their health and safety in both the wild and in federal holding facilities. We’re pleased to see the state’s animal welfare advocates acknowledge their leadership through the naming of the new foal - now known as Reis,” said Suzanne Roy, American Wild Horse Conservation Executive Director.
The First Gentleman’s and Governor Polis’ leadership comes at a critical time as recent events have put a spotlight on how the state’s wild horses and burros are being treated.
Both the First Gentleman and Governor Polis played a significant role in securing an early end to the helicopter roundup which took place in Sand Wash Basin in 2021, removing more than 600 wild horses, and they have continued to advocate for improvements in the welfare of Colorado’s wild horses, including closer cooperation between state and federal bodies.
Last month, Governor Polis called for a halt in plans to round up more than 1000 wild horses from Colorado’s Piceance East Douglas HMA after a preventable disease outbreak at the BLM’s Cañon City Off-Range Corrals, which led to the deaths of 145 wild horses.
AWHC has since declared the situation in Colorado as a crisis, and called for an emergency halt to roundup operations nationwide, citing the agency’s Comprehensive Animal Welfare Program internal assessments, which illuminated widespread animal welfare violations.
About the American Wild Horse Conservation
The American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Campaign) (AWHC) is the nation’s leading wild horse protection organization, with more than 700,000 supporters and followers nationwide. AWHC is dedicated to preserving the American wild horse and burros in viable, free-roaming herds for generations to come, as part of our national heritage.