2023 AUCTION AND ADOPTION INFORMATION

Each year raises new questions and auction procedure awareness which causes us to put our thinking caps on and attempt to erase some glitches in procedures to make them better for everyone and hoping to not create new ones. Better for the horse, the MYWY competitor/trainer and for you ~ the auction adopter. Thanks to a MYWY supporter and potential adopter from 2022, a message received from her caused us to dig deep for a better solution to auction procedures we have had in past years. No one wants to bid against the competitors who have put their heart and soul into these animals for the past 3-6 months. They have spent countless hours gentling, training, doctoring, feeding, caring for, laughing, crying and preparing to say good-bye. It is not an easy task and we believe some of them are far more nervous about the auction than they ever were about stepping into a pen with a wild animal. They care. They want to know where their horse is going and who will care for him/her next. They want to hand select the perfect home but auctions do not allow for that to happen. So they trust. They trust the process in place, they trust you are who you say you are and how you will care for the live being they will hand over. They know there is not enough money in the world to cover the hole that will be left in their heart when that lead rope is handed over to a stranger.

Good horse training is hard to find and when you do find it - it is expensive. This year, these horses have had daily handling/training for a little over five (5) months. The horse you will receive has been exposed to domestic life on a whole new level. We hope you have a lifetime with your new partner and remain in contact with the original trainer. No one knows this horse better than them.

Our procedures this year are a little different. Each horse will have a minimum bid of $500. The competitor, if they choose, will be setting a reserve price on their horse as well. If the reserve is not met, it will be a “no sale” and the horse will go home with the trainer. The reserve price will not be publicly listed, however, MYWY, the auctioneer and the trainer will be the only people knowing the reserve dollar amount for that particular horse. The trainer will also have the ability to put a “Buy It Now” price on their horse. This amount must be agreed upon at a minimum of seven (7) days prior to our event. , For 2023, that date is August 2nd, 2023. This still allows us to place the horse in the Auction Catalog for our sale occurring on August 13th, 2023. In order for a trainer to agree to the “BIN” price, they would like to meet you. They want to know who you are, what your plans are for the horse, where they will be living etc. Remember, you are taking a piece of that trainer along with the horse. All horses will carry a ten percent (10%) buyers premium and will be added at checkout. This fee will pay for the BLM transfer fees, any incurred extra stall fees and the credit card fees charged to the MYWY organization. 100% of the auction price goes to the trainer.

Step by Step Procedures:

1. Send in your BLM Application to cpresley@blm.gov. Identify your app with “MYWY application” in the subject line. You must be pre-approved by the BLM to bid on and adopt one of our horses.

2. Want to Buy It Now? Contact the competitor with the information given to make arrangements to visit. You must provide the competitor with a copy of the email indicating you are an approved adopter. A non-refundable deposit will be required. You must attend the event in Cle Elum, WA on Sunday August 13th, 2023 to pick up your horse and consummate the sale.

3. There will be no online bidding but we do allow phone bids. With phone bids there is no internet delay and no interruptions. It is just like attending in person with a disinterested third party acting as your surrogate. Our past phone bidders hhave become successful adopters. Please send an email to theboard.mywy@gmail.com to make these arrangements along with a copy of your BLM pre-approval.

4. Horses need to be removed from the Horse Park by noon on Monday, August 14th, 2023. All stalls need to be cleaned before departure or an additional fee of $25 will be assessed.

Questions? Shoot us an email at theboard.mywy@gmail.com

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

I AM INTERESTED IN ADOPTING A MYWY ANIMAL.  WHAT STEPS SHOULD I TAKE?

MYWY competitors have until summer to decide if they are keeping their in-hand competition animal (all mustangs in the mounted division will automatically go to auction).  During the summer a list of animals that will be available at the auction will be listed here on the website and shared in the Facebook group.  If possible, reach out directly to the trainer of the animal and arrange a visit to get to know the animal and the trainer better. 

One month before the final event in Cle Elum, MYWY will post the BLM application necessary for you to complete and submit for pre-approval before arriving in Cle Elum. We highly recommend pre-approval. Those applications will be available here, on this website and in the Facebook group.  All prospective adopters will need to meet BLM Adoption Requirements (see the bottom of this page for more details on those).

DO I NEED TO ATTEND THE CLE ELUM EVENT IN PERSON IN ORDER TO BID ON AN ANIMAL?

While we encourage you to attend in person, phone-in bids are allowed during the auction.

HOW MUCH DO THE ANIMALS TYPICALLY SELL FOR?

There is no easy way to answer this question, as sales prices can vary dramatically based on the amount of interest in a given animal, current economy and various personal reasons.  Through the years, prices have varied from the minimum bid to $10,000. We can never predict what someone is willing to pay for an animal with which they have fallen in love. We are not comfortable quoting prices due to the unpredictability of the market in any given year.

HOW DO I PAY FOR MY NEW HORSE OR BURRO?

You will be directed to a payment table to finish signing the necessary BLM paperwork and will pay MYWY with cash, check, money order or a credit card. All credit card transactions will be assessed a 4% handling/processing fee at the time of payment. This fee will be on the total amount of the sale plus the stall fee. 

HOW DO I RETRIEVE MY HORSE/BURRO IF I AM AWARDED THE BID?

Come prepared. Bring your truck and trailer to the event in Cle Elum ready to take your new animal home. This is especially true if you live a distance from the Horse Park. The competitor may have prior commitments and may not be able to bring the horse/burro to you. If you do not own a horse trailer, please make arrangements before arriving ~ just in case. It is now your responsibility to care for and transport the animal as the new adopter. It is also a good idea to have a water bucket and hay available as well for a potential overnight stay.

CAN I LEAVE MY ANIMAL AT THE HORSE PARK FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS TO GO GET MY TRUCK AND TRAILER?

Unfortunately you cannot. The Horse Park is a busy place with events coming in one right after another. All of the MYWY animals must be removed with stalls stripped and cleaned by NOON on the day following the auction. These arrangements must be made ahead of time with the competitor that was training the animal.

WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY THE STALL FEE FOR THE HORSE/BURRO FOR THE NIGHT OF THE AUCTION?

As soon as you are awarded the winning bid on the horse or burro, you are now the person responsible for all of the care and payment of any incurred fees such as the overnight stall (typically this is Saturday night to Sunday morning). This fee will be collected at the same time payment is made for your horse or burro.

WHAT IF I AM LATE IN REMOVING MY ANIMAL AND DO NOT RETURN BEFORE NOON?

It is a huge inconvenience for the MYWY Board and volunteers that stay behind to make sure all animals are being fed, watered and are retrieved by their rightful adopters. It has been a long week for all of these people and they just want to get home to their families and decompress. Being respectful and honoring their time is greatly appreciated by all.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

ONCE YOU ARE HOME WITH YOUR NEW HORSE OR BURRO, PLEASE ALLOW THEM TIME TO GET TO KNOW YOU AND CREATE A NEW BOND WITH YOU. SOME OF THESE ANIMALS BOND DEEPLY WITH THEIR TRAINERS AND GO THROUGH A GRIEVING PROCESS.  FORCING ANY TYPE OF RESPONSE FROM THEM MAY CAUSE THEM TO SHUT THEM DOWN COMPLETELY. IT IS RARE BUT IT CAN HAPPEN. 

Dear Prospective Adopter,

The horse you are about to bid on was once wild and untamed. He/she trusted me enough, once I proved myself to be trustworthy, to allow me into his/her life in a capacity where only horses were once allowed. Until we met approximately 100 days ago the only thing this horse had to do was survive and he/she was very very good at doing just that. I, the trainer, was willing to give this horse as much time as he/she needed to feel comfortable in my world. I was not willing to demand he/she do what I wanted and to do it now. I have put an immeasurable amount of time, care and patience into this horse over the last 100+ days. I love her/him as if she were my own and I am now trusting you to do the same and pick up where I am leaving off and to not treat him/her as if he/she is just another animal or piece of livestock that can be manhandled into what you might need. This horse is not a finished product and what you are going to see here at this event will be what he/she is willing to do for me because of my knowledge of him/her and my solid trusting relationship with him/her that the two of us have built over the last 100 days. What you see this horse do here at this event is the very best he/she can do right now – for me. It does not mean that he/she will do this for you immediately upon arrival at his/her new home with you. So please do not be upset with him/her if this cannot be done for you right away. This horse will need time to adjust to you and your methods and style of riding and communicating as no two of us are alike. You will even smell different to him/her and that may startle him/her in the beginning as he/she will be looking for me and the familiarity of my scent, face, and voice.

I have done my best to prepare him/her for life without me, for life with you, but I can’t promise what he/she will be once he/she is out of my hands. If you get him/her home and don’t continue to put in the time with him/her and just put him/her on a shelf, do not think for a minute that this horse will continue to be what you saw at the Makeover. Even if you do continue with his/her training, cut him/her a break, I’m all this horse has known for the last 100 days and the only constant in his/ her world that has been flipped upside down. My biggest request to you, as his/her adopter, is to give him/her everything you have and give him/her the opportunity to be everything I know he/she can be. And if for any reason you decide it’s not working, you get in touch with me immediately and I will come get him/her with no questions asked, anywhere, at any time. This horse is a part of me and I will do anything for him/her for the rest of his/her life. Won’t you please do the same?

Sincerely,

Heart and Soul of a Mustang Trainer

BLM WILD HORSE AND BURRO ADOPTION REQUIREMENTS

All prospective adopters will need to be approved by the BLM prior to the 2023 Washington Mustang Madness auction. Applications will be available the month before the 2023 Washington Mustang Madness event. Below is an overview of the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Adoption Requirements.