President's Message

When people think about Virginia Beach, Virginia, they think about tourists, beautiful beaches, hotels and sunny summer days. When you tell them that the south end of Virginia Beach has been home to wild horses, whose ancestors were brought to Virginia in the early 1500's, they look at you in disbelief.

Wild horses' descendents of the Colonial Spanish Mustangs (Banker Ponies) and a true living American Heritage, still roam the sandy beaches of the outer banks of Virginia and Currituck County, North Carolina.

I am President and co-founder of the Virginia Wild Horse Rescue, a non-profit equine organization, incorporated May 2006, to continue to enhance the education and preservation of these magnificent wild horses.

My husband and I have been involved in the protection and preservation of the wild horses for over 11 years. It has been because of our undying love and passion for the wild horses that we have dedicated our life to try to help make a difference with their continued existence and preservation.

We have watched in awe as these beautiful wild horses roamed the sandy beaches and dunes in the Sandbridge area of Virginia Beach. In the early 70's my husband had a part-time job at the Back Bay Wildlife Refuge and I was a Virginia Beach Animal Control Officer. It was then that we first began to be involved with the wild horses and their protection.

It wasn't until the November of 1996, when the wild horses began to clash with vehicles, that we started to work very closely with the Sandbridge Civic League and together we built a response team to quickly capture and return the wild horses to the beaches of Currituck County, North Carolina where they were able to roam free within the wild horse sanctuary. Together, with the Sandbridge Civic League and the City of Virginia Beach, we formed a Task Force that worked with Currituck County, North Carolina towards a common goal of saving the wild horses. On April 15th, 1999, our Task Force received the Eleventh Annual City Manager's Award for Excellence in Creativity, Innovation and Public Service.

Together, with the Virginia Wild Horse Task Force, we hope to continue our support to North Carolina, with our common goal being the welfare and preservation of the wild horses.