Our Kiger Mustang story….
The Parks first rare breed
“We were bringing the horses home to a new land… a new hemisphere where no Kiger had ever been…”
While searching high and low for an all-rounder horse for my daughter Emily to compete and showcase her skills as a professional horsewoman here in New Zealand, we stumbled onto the Kiger Mustang on google. With an instant love for the beauty, history and obvious ability to survive these incredible and distinctive horses possess we were hooked. One problem, they were thousands of miles away across an ocean! but even more difficult they were WILD!
Wild Kiger Mustangs on the Steens, Oregon, USA
Curious and captivated by the beauty of these horses I reached out to the KMA (Kiger mustang Registry), in Oregon USA for more information. Stacey Harnew responded and advised me that a once in four year auction, held by the BLM (Bureau of Land Management), was going to take place in two weeks, and if we wanted one “best to get here!”
Two weeks later, five of us (Aspen, Bryan, Emily, Matt and I) flew to Los Angeles and proceeded to drive the huge distance to Burns, Oregon. Unable to stop, for fear of missing the auction, we had a “rest” in the car at Yosemite National Park.
An atmosphere of anticipation enveloped the car as we drove closer to the Auction facility, having no-idea what these horses looked like in the flesh. Its safe to say that our expectations were high. Not only were these Kiger Mustangs what we hoped for, they far exceeded our expectations.
The five of us split up and wandered the corrals in different directions, each corral carrying up to approximately six horses; drafted according to sex and age. These magnificent horses had numbers to identify them. We wrote our favorite numbers down and re-grouped, only to discover we had all selected the same horses!
We hoped to be successful at auction and purchase one of our favourites, with our fabulous friend Stacey performing the purchase; as aliens of the country are not able to buy from a BLM auction.
Aragon in the BLM yards before Auction
As any horse lover will fully understand, it is simply not possible to travel this far and see this magnificent Kiger breed, who have never made the journey to the Southern Hemisphere, and only buy one!
Two Kigers were loaded into a trailer to begin their journey. A Stunning grulla colt we named Aragon and a tall, leggy, gorgeous grulla filly we named Arwen.
Arwen with her tag number at the Auction, ready to load onto our trailer.
Due to BLM ownership restrictions we could not immediately ship the two Kiger Mustangs to New Zealand, so we had to do a one-year duration to give title and ownership of the horses.
The first touch. Taming Arwen to accept a human (me). An incredible moment as she relaxed in my presence.
After discovering I had a brain tumor and in critical condition, the horses were placed on the “back-burner” for a few years rather than the one year we had hoped for. A tremendous thank you and shout out to our incredible friends Stacey and Greg for keeping the horses during this time. While I recovered, Bryan and Emily would travel to and from the USA to work with Aragon and Arwen. Starting them under saddle and preparing them for their huge journey to NZ with IRT, an international horse transport company.
Emily working with Aragon while I recovered.
Taking a break at the river. My first ride out of the Arena with Arwen.
My health improved and after a complete recovery, I was on the next flight to the United States. I had ridden the beautiful, once wild, Arwen out in the forests of Oregon; one of the most rewarding and emotional experiences of my life. I dreamed of how they would respond to galloping on the unbound and windswept beaches of New Zealand’s South Island. We were bringing the horses home to a new land and a new hemisphere where no Kiger had ever been. The Kiger breed was about to embark on a new chapter of their history set in New Zealand.
Bryan riding Aragon on his first ride out of the Arena
Before transporting them, our horses received a full vet check and passed with flying colours. Their journey began, taking them clear across the United States to a quarantine facility in Kentucky. It was emotional to leave them in the care of the officials for the long-haul and six week quarantine. Then onto Chicago, where they would be lifted onto a plane and fly to Honolulu. From there, they would depart for the shores of New Zealand.
Aspen preparing Arwen to load for the trip across the USA to Kentucky. Rick and Bobbe Ernzer’s property in Bend, Oregon.
“Until we meet again in New Zealand.” Arwen and Aragon are on their way to Quarantine in Kentucky.
At long last, that day arrived when we could collect our precious horses from the quarantine facility in Auckland. The last stretch of the journey would let the horses have a taste of New Zealand’s unpredictable wild winter weather. With our horse trailer loaded up and ready to go we set off, trailing down the North Island, across the Cook Strait on the Interisland ferry, with a cyclonic storm brewing in the South Island. We docked a Picton and met the nighttime storm head on experiencing horizontal wind and rain along the rugged Kaikoura coast. Finally after an exhausting journey across the world, the Kiger Mustangs arrived at their new home.
Arwen leaving Quarantine in New Zealand. Finally we are reunited!.
Aragon and Arwen on the Ferry between the North and homeward to the South Island.
Tears of joy, relief and disbelief. They were finally here in New Zealand, all the way from the wild Oregon High desert - four years later!
My eyes welled up with tears as we unlatched the horse trailer to let them go into the pasture. We were all home. We removed their halters and watched as they stood, breathing in their new home.
Every day I gaze into the eyes of our two Kigers in awe and disbelief that finally, we can experience the beauty and uniqueness of the Kiger Mustangs.
They both had rugs on for a couple of days as we had a winter storm and they both had fine summer coats. Arwen on her first day HOME.
Aragon after a delicious roll on grass. HOME.
“It’s a new world, it’s a new start” from the movie that features Kiger Mustangs, ‘Spirit: Pride of the Cimarron’. Lyrics that couldn’t be more real for our two Kigers.
Arwen an Aragon have now produced their first Kiger, his name is Elderion a gorgeous Grulla Colt. A new beginning for Kigers oceans away from their origin in the Southern lands of New Zealand..
We were pioneers to introduce this remarkable, gentle, rare and historic breed to the Southern Hemisphere. A living legend, from their origin in Spain brought to the “New World” (USA) as mounts for the conquistadors, the map can now mark their journey to New Zealand.
Arwen remains my faithful ride, as we learn from each other. Understanding her wild Oregon High desert History in Mountain Lion country and Arwen learning my world of crashing waves and crossing swift braided rivers. Aragon is a gentle Stallion, doing what he loves the most, creating beautiful babies. He enjoys being fussed over by us and climbed all over.
Aragon experiencing the Pacific Ocean from the ground not the air.
