Nevada Business Leaders and Conservationists Advocate for Mustangs in Reno

On October 23, 2019, the American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Campaign) organized a successful press conference in Reno to counter the messaging of an anti-wild horse propaganda film. The film, 'Horse Rich Dirt Poor,' blames wild horses for destroying BLM lands in the West, ignoring the greater impacts of livestock grazing.

Press Conference Highlights

AWHC Board President Ellie Price opened the press conference, stating that wild horses are victims of a sophisticated PR campaign aimed at eroding public support. She highlighted the misleading narrative that wild horses are overrunning the range, which is used to justify a plan to round up 130,000 wild horses over the next decade.

Storey County Commissioner and Northern Nevada business leader Lance Gilman spoke about the false accusations against wild horses regarding overpopulation and environmental damage. He emphasized that at the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center, the wild horse population has remained stable for 15 years. Gilman highlighted the role of mustangs in attracting major companies like Tesla and Google to the area, underscoring their importance as local icons.

AWHC Director of Field Operations Greg Hendricks discussed his decision to decline participation in a panel discussion following the film screening. The organizers demanded the removal of critical content from AWHC's video, which Hendricks refused to accept as it constituted censorship.

Expert Opinions

Western Watershed’s Executive Director Erik Molvar, a wildlife biologist, closed the press conference with a forceful argument against scapegoating wild horses. He stated that cattle, not wild horses, are the primary cause of overgrazing and habitat damage on western public lands, labeling the contrary claims as 'fake news.'

Film Screening and Media Coverage

The film screening that followed was a missed opportunity for genuine discussion, as it was tightly controlled and prevented audience interaction. Despite this, the press conference successfully countered the anti-wild horse messaging, as reflected in the media coverage the next day.