ADOPTION MADE IN HEAVEN
By Cathy Barcomb, Administrator,
Commission for the Preservation of Wild Horses

     It was November 4th , 1999 and the Nevada Wild Horse Commission was meeting in Reno, Nevada. After the Commission meeting, Gracian Uhalde and Julie Gleason , both Commissioners, traveled with me out to the BLM Palomino Valley Adoption Center outside of Reno to view the facility and look at the wild horses and burros that were currently there.

     Rod Coleman, Assistant Manager, of the corrals took us around the horses and burros up for adoption and explained the herd areas they had come from. This was all very interesting. We came across a pen full of wild burros that had come in from a recent gather. Of course you all must know that there is nothing more adorable on God's earth than a baby burro. Two feet of ears with a body underneath. It was the right time of year so each of the Jennies (female burro) had a youngster with her. The babies were running and playing with each other in the sun under the watchful eyes of their mothers, which of course were intently watching us from across the pens. The babies didn't seem to mind us but weren't old enough to be afraid. The mothers I'm sure would have come over the pens if we hadn't kept our distance or been a viable threat to their young. We respected their space and they were content just keeping a close eye on us.

     Gracian Uhalde is from an old Nevada ranching family whose grandfather originally settled in the west moving to Nevada. Gracian has been a long time Nevada sheep rancher. He and I discussed the fact that burro's are well know to be excellent protectors of sheep herds. Llama's and burro's have become known for this. They will protect the sheep and lambs from predators such as coyotes. I hinted to him that he should adopt a few and take them home to his ranch. He noted that he had used burros in the past with great success. We finished our tour and Gracian went on his way back across the State to Ely, Nevada and Julie Gleason, back to Las Vegas.

     The next day I came to work and there was a message from Gracian that Laurel Etchegaray wanted to adopt one of the mother and baby burro pairs for her daughter Julie. They are also from a long time Nevada ranching family. I talked with Laurel and she explained how active her daughter was in 4-H and that they had probably one of every kind of animal on their ranch since her daughter Julie tends to bring home every animal she can find. In fact she felt she wouldn't be surprised to find her daughter moving from the house to the barn at some point with her intense love of all the animals and caring for them. They wanted to adopt the pair and train them to drive carts and be pets around the ranch. I thought, what a wonderful life for these two, we can only hope that all wild horses and burros could go into such loving homes.

     Because of work, they could only come over that week-end to adopt. Unfortunately, the BLM corrals are not open on week-ends. Since they would be making a six hour drive it was important that they be picked up and brought safely across the State during good weather and daylight hours. Dawn Lappin, from Wild Horse Organized Assistance (WHOA) arranged to help and take them to her home in Reno and hold them until the week-end when they could come for them. We went out to the corrals to get them. The baby jumped in like a little jackrabbit, no fear, just that this looks like fun. Mom took her time to check everything out and then stepped quietly in with a little gentle urging from Rod Coleman. Actually, I think she was trying to sit down and not go in, Rod had his work cut out for him convincing her to go. Poor Rod, we were laughing so hard at mom that I'm afraid we weren't much help to him. He has such a gentle way with the animals and the patience of God.

     They made the trip safely and are now in a wonderful home with the Etchegaray family in Battle Mountain, Nevada, under the loving and watchful care of Julie Etchegaray. What a dream come true. She is training both the mother and daughter by herself and will be bringing them to the National Wild Horse and Burro Show in Reno, Nevada, on June 9th , 10th , and 11th, 2000. To find out more about the show, please visit the website at: wild-horse.org .Also, to find out more about the BLM adoption program you can access the BLM site from the horse show site. Happy shopping.......
We'll keep you posted on Julie, Mrs. Fininigan, and Beatrice Finigan's progress.

Here are some pictures and a recent letter from Julie

     THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HELPING US GET MY BURROS. THE MOM IS NAMED MRS. FINIGAN AND HER BABY IS BEATRICE FINIGAN. I LOVE THEM! MY MOM SAYS WE CAN GO TO THE BURRO SHOW IN RENO. I AM SO EXCITED. WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO SEND ME SOME INFORMATION ON IT? I TOOK THE CLOSE UP PICTURE BY MYSELF, I THINK BEATRICE LIKES TO HAVE HER PICTURE TAKEN! MOM TOOK THE OTHER ONE. THANK YOU SO MUCH AND I HOPE I CAN MEET YOU SOMEDAY. LOVE, JULIE ETCHEGARAY P.S. THIS IS MY NEW 4-H PROJECT!

(Editors note: What a wonderful adoption, can't wait to see them in June.)