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EQUUS Film & Arts Fest is galloping its way into Corrales and Albuquerque on Nov. 16-19.
While many films and events related to the festival will be held at the Hotel Chaco in Albuquerque, Loving Thunder Therapeutic Riding in Corrales will host a Mustang Summit and have trainers on hand working with wild horses in Loving Thunder’s arena, 1 Calle Caballo on Corrales’ north side.
The Mustang Summit was created as a part of an initiative to expand Mustang education to the horse-loving community, according to the festival’s website.
“There will be presenters from all over the nation coming in,†Twuana Raupp said during a recent Village Council meeting.
Raupp said presentations and panel discussions will be a part of the Mustang Summit on Nov. 17-18. Also, six trainers from around the country will spend time with six yearling mustangs at the arena, working to “gentle†them over a three-day period. The mustangs will then be put up for adoption.
“The BLM (Bureau of Land Management) is going to have six untouched Mustangs that they gathered and there will be six trainers from around the country that will come here and then work their magic,†Dana Quinn, Development Director at Loving Thunder Therapeutic Riding, said in a news release.
At the end of the summit all yearlings will be auctioned off into approved homes.
The event will bring attention to Corrales, known as “The Horse Capital of New Mexico.â€
“They chose our center out of everybody else in Albuquerque, so this is something great to give to Corrales. I feel very proud about it,†said Mike Raupp, Twuana’s husband and co-founder of Loving Thunder Therapeutic Riding.
Loving Thunder will start their hosting duties on the first day of the festival by hosting the Opening Evening VIP event. This first event will allow attendees the opportunity to meet presenters, authors, and trainers, who will be featured at the event. The dinner itself is set to have brisket, roasted vegetables, apple cobbler, along with beer and wine from around the region.Â
“It’ll be really fun and so it’ll be a kind of rustic outdoor ranch dinner,†Quinn said.
After dinner, the main events of the festival start, including the Mustang Summit. Tickets to the fundraiser are $100.
“The Mustang Summit is an educational component to tell people about some of the issues, questions, and things that are going on with Mustang horses right now,†said Lisa Diersen, Founder/Director of the EQUUS Film & Arts Fest.
The panels will include discussions on issues, such as healthy mustang gathers, mustangs in holding, competitive events, kill pens, youth programs, and more.
In Albuquerque, the festival will be screening a selection of mustang and wild horse documentaries at Hotel Chaco. The films will start showing at 4 p.m. and will go until 9 p.m. on Nov. 17-19.
Following the final screenings on Sunday, Nov. 19, the EQUUS Film & Art Fest will host its EQUUS WINNIE Awards. Tickets to that event range from $20-$250.
Anyone interested in attending the EQUUS Film & Art Fest whether it be to see the Mustang Summit or the unique selection of horse films can purchase tickets at http://www.equusfilmfestival.net.