RENO, NV (May 9, 2023) — Today, the American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC) unveiled a new Spirit of Nevada billboard campaign celebrating the wild mustang’s emblematic status in Nevada. 

The billboards—which flank the US 395 corridor between Reno and Carson City—are part of the organization’s support of SB90, legislation that would officially designate the wild mustang as Nevada’s state horse. It is similar to legislation passed in previous years to designate other state emblems such as the state bird (Bluebird), reptile (Desert Tortoise), insect (Vivid Dancer Damselfly), flower (Sagebrush), rock (Sandstone), and fish (Lahontan Cutthroat Trout).

“Wild mustangs are intrinsically tied to the history and culture of our state,” said Tracy Wilson, AWHC’s Nevada State Director. “They truly embody the spirit of Nevada because much like Nevadans, these incredible animals are tough, tenacious, independent, and freedom-loving.”

Mustangs in the Silver State are an attraction for tourists from throughout the world. In fact, Smithsonian Magazine named the state as one of the best places to see wild horses, and Travel Nevada, the official state tourism site, gives wild mustangs an “honorable mention” under state emblems. Polling shows that 86 percent of Nevadans agree that mustangs should be considered important symbols for the state.

In April, the bi-partisan piece of legislation passed the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and the full Senate and is now with the Assembly Committee on Government Affairs, before it heads to be heard by the full Assembly. 

The new billboard features an image by local photographer John T. Humphrey of a Nevada stallion known as Onyx, who runs wild and free on public lands outside of Gardnerville, Nevada. 

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About the American Wild Horse Campaign

The American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC) is the nation's leading wild horse protection organization, with more than 700,000 supporters and followers nationwide. AWHC is dedicated to preserving the American wild horse and burros in viable, free-roaming herds for generations to come, as part of our national heritage. In addition to advocating for the protection and preservation of America's wild herds, AWHC implements the largest wild horse fertility control program in the world through a partnership with the State of Nevada for wild horses that live in the Virginia Range near Reno.