A wild horse and burro sale on Aug. 24 and 25 is something that Wyandotte County hasn’t seen in a long time.
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management is bringing wild horses and burros to a sale at the Wyandotte County Fairgrounds, 137th and Polfer Road, this week, according to Crystal Cowan of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.
The sale will begin with an auction at noon Friday, Aug. 24, then continue through 6 p.m. Friday, and again from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Aug. 25, she said. After the auction at noon Friday, the horses and burros will be for sale on a first-come, first-served basis, she said. The fairgrounds is east of K-7 highway, east on Polfer Road to the fairgrounds at 13700 Polfer Road.
About 50 horses and burros from western states will be available for sale to good homes, with fees starting at $25. All the animals are untrained, Cowan said.
According to the Bureau of Land Management, excess animals are periodically removed from the range in order to maintain healthy herds, and to protect other rangeland resources. The population of wild horses and burros would double every four years without the adoption and sale program and herd reduction program.
The adoption and sale program is essential for achieving these important management goals, according to the agency. Since 1973, the BLM has placed more than 235,000 of these animals in approved homes across the country.
Those who want to purchase an animal will receive an application to fill out, along with information about what it takes to care for an animal, a place for an animal such as a barn or corral, and how to feed an animal. Buyers should bring a stock trailer to take the animal home.
The BLM will accept payments in checks, cash and credit cards, she added. The animals will be staying at the fairgrounds while the sale takes place.
“The folks are very nice to work with and we’re excited to be here,” she said.
Often, 4-H members attend the wild horse and burro sales and purchase an animal, usually a yearling, for $25, then raise it and show it at the fair, she said. The youth are able to sell the animal at the end of the project, if they wish, she added.
For those who live in Kansas City, Kansas, there are zoning rules that apply to having an animal on the property, including rules about how much property is necessary for an animal. The city requires a permit if property is not zoned for agriculture. For information, visit https://library.municode.com/ks/wyandotte_county_-_unified_government/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=CH7AN. There are also stables in the area where animals might be boarded.
For more information on the Bureau of Land Management program, visit www.blm.gov/whb.
