WLM Sprinter 2014 | Page 14

WLM

by Kati Hime
photography as credited

| family

Saved By A Million
© Hyla Burleson Photography

T

he discussion
of wild horses,
mustangs and their
adoption is a very sensitive
topic in Wyoming. The
opinions and emotions
involved with them can
quickly turn heated. For one

group, the Mustang Heritage Foundation
(mustangheritagefoundation.org), the
mission is to “…increase successful adoptions
of wild horses in Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) wild horse holding
facilities.” We realize and appreciate that this
perspective is one of many on mustangs.
Our mission with this feature is to share
the story of a Wyoming family along with
the objective of this group, their perspective
and goal to help save wild horses. An
ironic twist to this story is that at the same
time, mustangs helped save this family and
change their lives forever.

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We were told about Torrington resident
Tom Hagwood and his tremendous
success with the Mustang Million, an
event organized by the Mustang Heritage
Foundation (MHF), by fans on our
Facebook page. At the time, we were
impressed by the story of Tom’s 2013 win
and thought that an article sounded like a
great idea. It wasn’t until I spent some time
talking to Tom, however, that I learned just
what a big deal this win truly was for him
and his family.
“I owe that little mustang horse a lot,” Tom
said as we visited. In 2008 Tom and his
wife, Arianne, were living in Idaho in one
of H[