The 2026 Wild Horse Virtual Summit
Putting the “A” in Advocacy – Arming Yourself with Knowledge to Effectively Advocate in 2026 Virtual Summit January 3rd – February 1, 2026
Hosted by Chasing Horses Wild Horse Advocates
Equip yourself with knowledge & learn how to effectively advocate for wild horses
Join experts and advocacy leaders for discussions on wild horses & burros, public lands, and what you can do to help.
The summit is FREE to the public! Videos of the presentations will also be uploaded to our YouTube channel. The goal is to educate as many people as possible regarding the fight to protect wild horse and burro freedom and the challenges they face in 2026.
Summit Topics include:
Wild horses and burros on public lands
Public lands and livestock grazing
Roundups and the FY26 schedule
How to talk to members of Congress
Storytelling and social media
How to make your voice heard effectively
Media, letters to the editor, and more
Summit Speakers & Schedule
***A wide range of speakers will give participants a broad view of advocacy and who is involved in wild horse issues. A variety of views will be presented. All participants, speakers, and viewers are expected to remain respectful and polite at all times.***
Click on the Speaker name below to register for their presentation. Once their presentation is over, you can click their names to view the video of their presentation on YouTube.
NOTE: All times listed are Mountain Time
Speakers for Saturday January 3, 2026
10 am – Summit Welcome followed by Chris Kman – Chasing Horses Wild Horse Advocates – Make It An Issue: Update on the TRNP wild horses and how to apply our success to your advocacy
2 pm – Patrick Springer – Tips for working with the press/History of the TRNP wild horses
Speakers for Sunday January 4, 2026
10 am – Cecile Zahorka – Photographer & Author – Free Horses in Europe – Through My Lens and Research
Research document from Cecile’s presentation
1 pm – Craig Downer – Andean Tapir Fund / Ecologist – What’s NEW with Craig Downer? Updates about the Montgomery Pass herd and Craig will expound upon why a proper and caring Reserve Design is the horse- and nature-respectful approach to securing an all-around healthier and balanced mustang herd both here and elsewhere.
3 pm – Janine Dallow – Wild Horse Advocate – Carter Reservoir HMA
Janine’s presentation slides:
Janine WH Presentation 2026Download
Speakers for FRIDAY January 9, 2026
10 am – Scott Beckstead – The Wild Horse Refuge – Celebrating and Protecting Colorado’s Wild Mustangs
Speakers for Saturday January 10, 2026
NOON – Linda Greaves – Saving America’s Wild Horses – 2026 Saving America’s Wild Horses Conference Update
2 pm – Ashley Avis – Filmmaker, Author & Founder of The Wild Beauty Foundation – The Lost Horses/SAFE Act Campaign
4 pm – Mark Meyers Executive Director of the Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue – The Plight of America’s Wild Burros
Speakers for Sunday January 11, 2026
1 pm – Kerry Ferguson – The Cloud Foundation – PIM 2021-007 – Euthanasia Policy for Wild Horses and Burros
An internal BLM policy with irreversible, life-and-death consequences
4 pm – Carol Walker – Living Images by Carol Walker – Salt Wells Creek: Saving and Spending Time with the Herd with the Largest Population of Wild Curlies
Speakers for FRIDAY January 16, 2026
4 pm – Erik Molvar – Western Watersheds Project –Problems and Solutions for Wild Horses on Public Lands
Speakers for Saturday January 17, 2026
10 am – Sabina Pierce – professional photojournalist/photographer/National Geographic Explorer – Still Here: The Nokota Horse and the Power of Survival
NOON – Suzanne Roy – 50 Years of Conflict, 15 Years of Learning: Charting an Effective Course for Wild Horse Protection
2 pm – Chris Kman – Chasing Horses Wild Horse Advocates – Looking for Hope: 2026 The Year of the Fire Horse – What does it really mean?
Speakers for Sunday January 18, 2026
10 am – Ginger Fedak – Wild Horse and Burro Advocate – My experiences with Mustangs in Lesson Programs (and how they differ from domestic horses)
1 pm – Jen Britton, Christian Hunold & Abigail DelGrosso- Drexel University – Wild Horse Photography and Multispecies Justice
3 pm – Mary Koncel – Center for Animals and Public Policy –Revisiting the Devil’s Garden Wild Horses
Speakers for MONDAY January 19, 2026
3 pm – Grace Kuhn Western Watersheds Project – Reframing the Wild Horse Story: How Narrative Shapes Policy, Perception, and Power
Speakers for FRIDAY January 23, 2026
3 pm – Nicole Hayes – AWHC –Successful Implementation of Immunocontraception in a Large Free-Roaming Horse Population
Speakers for Saturday January 24, 2026
10 am – Jon Eagle Sr – Sung Nagi Kici Okiju – Sung Nagi Ksapa: Wisdom of the Spirit of a Horse – RESCHEDULED from 1/3/2026
4 pm – Viktoria Kirchoff – Bonrook: Wild Horse Sanctuary in Australia – Fondation Franz Weber’s Wild Horse Sanctuary in Australia
Speakers for Sunday January 25, 2026
2pm – North Dakota Senator Josh Boschee – How to work with your state legislators
Speakers for Saturday January 31, 2026
NOON – Janelle Ghiorso – The Oregon Wild Horse Organization
2 pm – Stephanie Milton & Julie Nation – Lily’s Wild Heart, Inc – How Being on the Path to Becoming a Wild Horse Advocate Led to Positive Reinforcement
4 pm – Diana McPherson – Photographer – Photographing Wild Horses: For Art, Conservation, and Cataloguing
Speakers for Saturday February 1, 2026
3 pm – Congresswoman Dina Titus
4 pm – Closing Thoughts – A time for an open discussion to reflect on what we learned during the Summit, how we can move forward, and for you to share your thoughts!
For more information on speakers and this event, click the button below to visit CHWHA’s event webpage.