On May 24, 1994 several mmembers of the MWHL, along with our attorney, Doug Kennedy, met with the National Park Service to discuss a proposal for the MWHL to take over the responsibility of the horses. The proposal was presented to Superintendent Art Sullivan, who has since retired, which included a maintenance plan to be initiated by the MWHL so that the horses could remain wild and free. The proposal would have been beneficial to the National Park Service, the Missouri Department of Conservation, and the MWHL, as it provided for the cleaning up of several fields which were overgrown with multi-flora rose bush, thorn trees, and weeds so that they were of no use to any wildlife. The proposal also provided that while cleaning up these fields certain acres would be left for wild game cover. In August proposal would be accepted in the future if it included a way for the horses to remain free. We were very disappointed with this decision and continued our efforts to protect the horses through our United States Representative and Senators.

In October 1994, Congressman Bill Emerson presented a bill to Congress which would make the wild horses a permanent part of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. The bill, along with several others of the same type, was passed through Congress in 1996. The bill was signed in law by President Bill Clinton on October 3, 1996 and the horses are now a permanent part of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways and cannot be removed. Congressman Bill Emerson as well as Senators Kit Bond and John Ashcroft were all driving forces in the passing of this bill and we appreciate their efforts very much. Our attorney, Doug kennedy, was also a major factor in getting the bill to become a reality and he contintues to help us today. Sadly, Congressman Emerson passed away in 1996 and was a great loss for us, but his wife JoAnn has taken over his office and is doing a great job for us now.

In 1997 we began cleaning up the fields specified in the bill and are working successfully today with the National Park Service on other issues as well. The horses are in good condition and number approximately 25 at the current time. They can be seen at different times of the day grazing in the Broadfoot Fields located north of Eminence, Missouri in the Shawnee fields located east of Eminence, Missouri or in the fields above Two Rivers on V Highway east of Eminence, Missouri. If you would like to try to spot them give us a call and we'll give you directions to these locations or ask anyone in town how to get there. There were several stallions in the herds and we have begun to take some of them out. The stallions are gelded, wormed and blood is pulled for a coggins test. After we receive the results of the blood test and get the paperwork back on them, they are put up for adoption. Thus far we have adopted out seven geldings.