The Film “Unbranded” will be shown on Wednesday, July 13, 2016 at 7:00 pm in the Canyon Community Center.  Admission is free.

 

Click Here to View Trailer

 

Four young cowboys hatch an outrageous plot to adopt, train, and ride sixteen wild mustangs, from the Mexican border to the Canadian border, up the spine of the American West. Their wildness of spirit, in both man and horse, is quickly dwarfed by the wilderness they must navigate: a 3000-mile gauntlet that is equally indescribable and unforgiving.

As the film informs us early on, horses, not an indigenous species, were introduced to this country 500 years ago by the Spanish conquistadors. A 1971 Federal law extended protection and allowed wild horses to run free, much to the consternation of ranchers who claim that they cause irrevocable damage. Reproducing at the rate of 20% a year, their numbers have reached unprecedented levels, with 50,000 horses and burros now living in holding facilities throughout the country.

Culled from some 500 hours of raw footage, procured over the five month journey and spanning five states, this film promotes the adoption of wild horses in the American West. This engrossing real-life adventure brings much-needed attention to an important environmental issue:  how to maintain healthy herds of wild horses and burros on healthy rangelands.

Gorgeously photographed, it is sure to boost visits to national parks, as the crossing took place almost entirely on public land, including Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon and Glacier National Park.

There are plenty of facts and figures shared in Unbranded, as well as a strong element of advocacy. But what viewers will come away with most is a renewed appreciation for the natural beauty of both the western region of the country and the wild animals that inhabit it.