Brown's passion for nature photography and his love for the wild horses of Wyoming is evident in his work. His photographs have won many awards and have been shown at the Smithsonian and the White House. He began photographing wild horses while growing up because they were close to where he lived. “They were a great subject for me as a young photographer to work with.”
In the recent interview with Brown, he was asked to discuss memories of three stallions he often shared with the public. These iconic North Lander stallions are Elvis, Krazy and Scar. The stallions were removed from their homes on public lands during the Bureau of Land Management’s 2024 summer roundups.
Brown recounted the first sighting he had of Elvis. “I first saw Elvis on a ridge in the Conant Creek Herd Management Area early one spring morning. Elvis appeared like a gift dropped onto the High Plains. When he was young, Elvis was a steel blue. He had a blond mane and tail that blew in the winds. I knew at once he would become an icon for wild horses everywhere. For the next twelve years, Elvis was my focus. I use a symbolism ‘Enjoy the Wild’ to voice the feeling of my work. Elvis is that enjoyment.”
Brown shared his memories of the wild stallion Krazy with these words, “Krazy has a heart bigger than any stallion. I started writing his history. It would have taken me hours to finish. One story after another. This stallion had no back down, no surrender. I first started seeing his personality between 2015 and 2017. I started calling him Krazy. It is hard for me to think a stallion like him is now in a wild horse holding pen with no room. Krazy took up all of the 57,000 acres in his Herd Management Area as his home. Now he lives in about a 50’ x 50’ corral crowded in with others.”
Scar is the third North Lander stallion Brown featured, and his audience came to know. His name reflects his ability to survive in the wild. “Scar was a resilient horse. He almost died from a kick in his side that put him down for a couple of months. The wound is why I called him Scar. Two years later, he lost an eye. Yet never giving up. I did not see him rounded up, and I can only hope he is running free.”
Brown asked the Bureau of Land Management’s area field office to return these stallions to the Conant Creek HMA after the disbanding process is complete. He said, “Only forty-seven horses will be returned to North Lander after removing a total of 2,576. Most of the herds will become part of BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program with their futures unknown.” Members of the public have joined Brown in asking the BLM representative to return Elvis and Krazy to their Conant Creek home to live out their final years.
Jim Brown's photographs of the North Lander wild horses is a testament to his talent and dedication as a photographer. His work serves as a reminder of the beauty of the natural world. Brown's photography is a must-see for anyone who appreciates the wonders of nature.
Readers are invited to learn more about Brown’s award-winning work. Brown and the High Plains Reflections Gallery can be found at 337 West Yellowstone in Casper, Wyoming. For more information, please call 307-262-8923 or visit the website at https://www.highplainsreflections.gallery/.
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American Equine Awareness shares equine issues and news with the public. AEA advocates for the preservation and protection of the country’s domestic and wild equine. The conviction that horse owners in the United States need to have the ability to safely re-home their horse, without a horse trader acquiring it for slaughter, led to the formation of the organization.
Donna Brorein
American Equine Awareness
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