A HUGE victory for the Wild Ones...

We heard that our presence is requested at the State Capitol Please see the following Media Advisory:

Salt River Wild Horse Management Group and supporters will Celebrate with Horses & Flags at State Capitol celebrating the bill to protect the Salt River Wild Horses

Phoenix, AZ (May 10, 2016) …. Dozens of Salt River Wild Horse Management Group (SRWHMG) members and supporters, including riders on horseback waving flags , will be on 17th avenue in front of the State Capitol in celebration of HB 2340, the bill to protect the Salt River wild horses. The street will be closed to regular traffic.

The advocates will gather in anticipation of a 10:30 am press conference with Rep. Kelly Townsend, the sponsor of the bill, and Simone Netherlands, president of the Salt River Wild Horse Management Group, as well as other very important officials. The bill cleared its final hurdle in the legislature with a 53-3 passage in the House last week. 

What: Celebration for Salt River Wild Horses proceeding press conference. 

When: Wednesday, May 11, 2016, 10 a.m. to Noon

Where: 17th Avenue, which will be closed off to all other traffic.
AZ State Capitol, 1700 W. Washington St., Phoenix, AZ 

HB 2340 criminalizes the harassment or killing of a Salt River wild horse, clarifies that they are not stray livestock, and establishes a process for implementing a humane management program in cooperation with federal, state and local agencies and a private entity.

The Salt River Wild Horse Management Group, with 100 active volunteers on the river, has confidence that all parties will work together to implement an effective and humane management protocol to permanently protect the horses that mean so much to the people of Arizona. 

We did NOT let them become History!

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Today I was proud to sign ‪#‎HB2340‬, which will protect Arizona's majestic Salt River horses and their ability to roam free. Thanks to Rep. Kelly Townsend and the Salt River Wild Horse Management Group for championing this effort -- and for the beautiful painting!

The fight isn't completely over, though.  They still need to come to a management process with the forestry service, who also needs to sign off on the bill, but at least the horses are no longer considered 'stray livestock' and it's illegal to harass them.  I hope the bozos I've seen get too close to them see that.

This is such a great day for the Salt River Wild Horses and if I could, I would hug Governor Ducey.  I didn't vote for him, but right now he's my hero.  Thank you, Representative Townsend for sponsoring the bill and Governor Ducey for signing the bill into law.  And a great big thank you to Simone Netherlands and the dozens of SRWHMG volunteers who worked tirelessly to protect our horses.  If I had known this was going to happen today I would have gone down to the Capitol Building to show my support.  I think it's great they shut down the road in front of it for the celebration.