(Lander, WY) – A new episode of the award-winning Wyoming PBS series, “Our Wyoming,” tells the story of a cattle ranching family who advocates for wild horses. The show is now available on the Wyoming PBS YouTube channel, app, and website.
“Our Wyoming” is a digital-first series that explores the people, places, and events that make Wyoming unique, and the Oldham family in Lander and their wild horse sanctuary fits the bill.
Wild horse populations across the western United States continue to grow. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is tasked with managing the population so that the land is suitable for wildlife, recreation, and agriculture. One solution has been sanctuary and adoption programs.
The Oldham family contracts with the BLM to keep a permanent herd of non-adoptable horses on their property—Wind River Wild Horse Sanctuary. They also help with the BLM’s adoption program for young horses.
The family has strong ties to the Future Farmers of America (FFA) organization, which has helped them develop the nuanced skills to handle their place in the complicated world of wild horse management. According to WY PBS producer Steven McKnight, the combination of running cattle and a wild horse sanctuary creates an interesting dichotomy.
“This, in addition to their deep roots in the community, including on the Wind River Indian Reservation, gives the Oldham family a unique outlook on the wild horse issues,” says McKnight.
The episode shares various aspects of the program, including a required educational component. For example, the Oldhams lead field trips and presentations about their sanctuary. The younger son, Jess, is the main interviewee of the episode and a strong supporter of the educational component.
“He brings a Native American view and new ideas on presenting this complicated issue of wild horse management,” McKnight explains.
Tune in to learn more about the Wind River Wild Horse Sanctuary. New episodes of “Our Wyoming” are added to WY PBS digital platforms monthly.
WY PBS is a non-profit public broadcasting organization serving the state of Wyoming. With a commitment to educating, informing, and inspiring, WY PBS produces and broadcasts high-quality programming that addresses the unique needs and interests of the Wyoming community.