Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary |
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Pictured Left to right: Susan Watt, Robert Friese, Dayton O. Hyde, Randy,Wright, Deb Black, Richard Blue Board of Directors Karla R. LaRive, Communications and Marketing Director Three new board members have been announced to the Institute of Range and American Mustang’s Board of Directors. The Sanctuary welcomes Randall Wright, resource manager of Pierre; Deb E. Black, Publisher, Today’s Horse Magazine of Rapid City and, Susan Watt, Program Director of Development for the Institute of Range and the American Mustang. New board members join the three existing IRAM Board; Dayton O. Hyde (Founder/President), Robert Friese (Secretary) and Richard Blue (Treasurer). An Alabama native, Susan Watt came to South Dakota in 1995 with a passion for the wild horses. With a background in education and business she has been the Program Development Director for IRAM’s visitor and educational programs for the past 16 years. Her goals for the Sanctuary include continuing to provide a place where wild horses can live a quality life of freedom. Plans to expand IRAM’s tourism program for 2012 include expanding year round visitation with tours focusing on the cultural exchange of wild horse, pioneer, and Native American history of the location in South Dakota. The on going volunteer program allows for caring people to come and help provide care for the wild horses. As the non-profit program expands, they hope to offer sessions for people to come and spend a week with the mustangs. IRAM continues to support and develop the local economy by bringing in tourism dollars to the Southern Hills community. Deb E. Black is a native to Rapid City where she grew up “begging” her parents for a pony. Her diversified horse experience has enabled her to have a better understanding of the total impact that horses have in our lives from being a business to just admiring them and their beautiful mystical spirit. In addition to being the publisher and doing the advertising sales for Today’s Horse Magazine she rides her horses as often as possible either in the Black Hills or in the arena. Deb is a former barrel racer but now competes in the versatility ranch horse competitions. She appreciates the opportunity to share her love of horses with her two grandchildren. One of the reasons for being an IRAM board of director is to ensure this type of experience for future generations. In addition to the new Board Member appointees; Hot Springs producer and publicist, Karla LaRive has been named Communications and Marketing Director at the Sanctuary. “It is our goal to foster a greater cultural exchange and expand the awareness of the Native American and American West legacy to our International visitors.” said Watt. “Karla is an award-winning producer, whose company has produced three documentaries for the Sanctuary; including Imagine A Place, the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary, Free to Run and We Are The Land. Her own production company has hosted many feature films and television projects here at the ranch.” |
