In The News

Mule train annual trek to Death Valley Encampment

A handful of wagons pulled by mules will head out of a lot across from Terrible's Lakeside Casino Monday morning on the annual ride that will end up at the '49ers encampment in Furnace Creek almost two weeks later.

]]> The mule train travels at a leisurely pace of about 4 mph. Participants will camp out under the stars at night and participate in two parades -- one in Shoshone, Calif., for Old West Days and upon their arrival at Furnace Creek in Death Valley National Park.

Click here to read more about this exciting adventure in the Pahrump Valley Times.

Local cowboy hauled by mules to final resting place

Today a unique funeral service will be held for a local cowboy who left his brand on the community. William Alan Freeland "Wild Bill" will be hauled in a wagon by a pack of mules to his final resting place.

]]> At the age of 61 Wild Bill lost his 12 year battle with a brain tumor October 15th. His family says it isn't how he died that mattered, it was how he lived. He was a caring and kind man who loved his country, his family, the mountains and hunting.

By trade Bill was the owner of Freeland Construction and specialized in custom home and small business construction. He also was the proud owner of the Lucky 7 Mule Ranch. Bill and his wife Judy owned several jacks and brood mares throughout their time. They were known for the great mules they produced and sold.

Click here to read the rest of this story in the ABC4 News

Man, dog, donkey and friend walk across the country, pass through Craig

Eric Sheets stood on the side of Colorado Highway 13 north of Craig on a sunny autumn day with a dog, a donkey, a friend and a vision.

]]> Ten years ago, Sheets was studying to be an orthodontist in Ohio.

A car wreck in summer 1999 left Sheets with the possibility of losing one of his arms, and a wake-up call from the universe.

Click here to read more about their trek from Ohio to Seattle, in the Craig Daily Press.

You can also follow their journey on their website, Miles of Smiles Forever

Premature Sidmouth donkey in You Tube video

A little donkey, which was born so premature she couldn't even walk, has progressed by leaps and bounds thanks to staff at Sidmouth's Donkey Sanctuary.

]]> Aptly named Zena was found by staff curled up in a stable after her birth three weeks ago.

Follow this link to read more of Zena's story and watch a video of her on Devon 24.

Award puts smile on horse dentist

A horse dentist whose love of animals extends to treating donkeys when on holiday in Greece is being given an international award for his work.

]]> Equine dentist Andre Majerski, 61, from Harlech, Gwynedd, has helped with animal welfare on Zakinthos, Kefalonia and Corfu for seven summer holidays.

Mr Majerski, who works in north Wales, is being honoured by the International Fund for Animal Welfare on 21 October.

Click here to read more about his story in the BBC News.

Mule races draw crowd to Grandstand

The fun and excitement the mule races have to offer was finished in a little less than 40 minutes on Tuesday at the Grandstand.

]]> But that was plenty of time for John and Linda Burmeister to get all the enjoyment they needed out of the annual event.

"It's kind of homey," John said. "It's a special cultural experience, because how many times and at how many places can you take in the mule races."

Click here to read the rest of this story in the Lancaster Eagle Gazette.

Working donkeys seek holiday home

Donkeys who spend the summer working on a Norfolk beach have been looking for a place to spend the winter.

]]> The charity The Donkey Sanctuary wants animal lovers with more than an acre (0.5 ha) of land to volunteer to house at least two of the hard-workers.

Each year the donkeys spend Easter to October working in Great Yarmouth.

The sanctuary is looking to re-house them in Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Suffolk.

Follow this link to read the rest of this article on BBC News

Grand Canyon considers limits on mule trains

For more than a century, mules have been carrying people into and out of the Grand Canyon. Teddy Roosevelt saddled up wearing a black felt hat and a tie. The Brady Bunch rode down with Alice. And today, another group of tourists will hit the trail.

]]> Yet the mules, while iconic and beloved, are brutal on the trails. Their hooves hit the ground like a pickax. The hardened earth crumbles. The paths erode more quickly.

That is why the National Park Service is considering a limit on mule rides into the canyon.

Follow this link to read the rest of this article on USA Today.

Donkey Care Workshop Heads for Bedfordshire

A free donkey care workshop will be held next week in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, as part of a nationwide tour.

]]> The workshop, which will take place at Shuttleworth College on July 18 from 10am to 4pm, has been arranged by The Donkey Sanctuary to provide advice and information for donkey owners.

The Devon-based charity is running the Why Does My Donkey summer tour throughout the UK to provide owners and potential owners with practical advice on donkey behaviour.

Learn more in the Community Newswire.

Donkey sanctuary makes a great outing with children

There is something appealing about donkeys. The sad Eeyore in A.A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh books and the always optimistic Donkey in the movie Shrek reflect the close connections donkeys and people can form.

]]> The Donkey Sanctuary of Canada is a non-profit organization that rescues and provides a home for donkeys, mules and hinnies. It's located between Cambridge and Guelph on the north side of Highway 401 and makes for an interesting outing.

Wivelsfield: Pantomime Donkeys in training

There are definitely no cowboy builders in Wivelsfield: Alun Gedrych would describe himself as preferring donkeys!

]]> When organisers of Wivelsfield Village Day approached Alun, who owns Alun Gedrych Ltd a ground work company, and asked him if his business would like to be involved with the day, he leapt at the chance to sponsor the soon-to-be-famous pantomime donkey derby race.

Read the rest of this article in the South Downs Living Magazine.

No use being stubborn with Canyon mules

Anybody who has hiked into and out of the Grand Canyon can appreciate why mules have a history there.

]]> The question today is what kind of future do they have?

Canyon trails are steep and narrow, and in summer the heat can be brutal. Just getting yourself out of the Canyon can be a chore, much less your gear.

Mules, however, are hardy, sure-footed and, with proper training, calm and reliable. Most important, they are strong enough to carry hundreds of pounds of gear — or a human passenger.

Read the rest of this article in the Arizona Daily Star

Americans moved West on the backs of mules

Although there were many treasures in early America such as gold and silver, for a period of years from 1823 to 1850, another treasure generated huge profits for those involved. The treasure? Mules!

]]> Hard-headed, stubborn, unpredictable, ornery and ugly, the critters were sorely needed to pull the plows and wagons of the settlers and carry supplies to the miners and armies.

Originally started by Mexican traders from Mexico when they drove herds of Jacks, Jennets and mules to Missouri to trade to the power-hungry settlers needing mule-power for many reasons. The trade grew year by year with ever-increasing demand.

Read the rest of this facinating history lesson on Amarillo.com

Everything’s coming up Rosie

A newborn donkey who will be a regular on the Furness and South Lakes carnival scene in years to come is one-week-old today.

]]> Rosie is the first foal of the season at Low Greaves Farm in Pennington, which is home to South Cumbria’s only childrens’ donkey ride company – Orchard Donkeys.

Read the rest of this story in the North West Evening Mail.

'Mule Man' passes through town

Gregory Kuehmichel, 49, of Texas entered Centerville in his covered wagon along Highway 2 on Thursday, before turning south onto Highway 5.

]]> Kuemichel is on a trip from Marshfield, Wis. to Texas. He has already traveled from Texas to Wisconsin, and written a book, "To God Be the Glory," based on his travel journal, which is currently available on his Web site, www.jubileetrump51.googlepages.com. Kuemichel hopes to publish a version of his book this winter.

He, along with his mules Courageous, Constance and Charity and kitten Sarah are making the return journey to Texas along a slightly different route than the original trip.

Read the rest of this story on TCM Net.