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Institute of Range and the American Mustang add board members, staff

The Institute of Range and the American Mustang (IRAM) announces their new program, “Preserving the American West – One wild horse at a time,” board members and staff appointees to the non-profit foundation.

Three new board members have been added to IRAM’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 IRAM. New board members join the three existing IRAM board members 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.”



The IRAM, founded in 1988 by Dayton O. Hyde, owns 11,000 acres of private land dedicated to range preservation and a balanced ecosystem. IRAM’s finest gift is the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary, whose purpose is to provide not only freedom for unadoptable and unwanted wild horses, but also a research area dedicated to solving wild horse herd management that will contribute to the well-being of wild horses everywhere. The Sanctuary receives over 10,000 visitors year-round.

The Sanctuary Staff and volunteers are devoted to the spirit of the wild mustangs by giving America’s unwanted wild horses a quality life. The Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary is a showcase where the public can see large herds of wild horses running free and come to understand the efforts toward land conservation and the preservation of our western heritage – America’s Wild Mustang!

The Institute of Range and the American Mustang (IRAM) announces their new program, “Preserving the American West – One wild horse at a time,” board members and staff appointees to the non-profit foundation.

Three new board members have been added to IRAM’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 IRAM. New board members join the three existing IRAM board members 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.”

The IRAM, founded in 1988 by Dayton O. Hyde, owns 11,000 acres of private land dedicated to range preservation and a balanced ecosystem. IRAM’s finest gift is the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary, whose purpose is to provide not only freedom for unadoptable and unwanted wild horses, but also a research area dedicated to solving wild horse herd management that will contribute to the well-being of wild horses everywhere. The Sanctuary receives over 10,000 visitors year-round.

The Sanctuary Staff and volunteers are devoted to the spirit of the wild mustangs by giving America’s unwanted wild horses a quality life. The Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary is a showcase where the public can see large herds of wild horses running free and come to understand the efforts toward land conservation and the preservation of our western heritage – America’s Wild Mustang!