Join us for an afternoon to celebrate the Spirit of The Horse and the start of Return to Freedom’s 2026 program season! We will also celebrate Spirit’s 31st birthday!
The event will begin with a Chumash blessing, followed by traditional Navajo song and dance with Jones Benally (traditional healer and hoop dancer), and Clayson Benally (healer, musician and horse trainer featured in the new IMAX movie “Horsepower”). Spend a beautiful day at the sanctuary enjoying Spanish classical guitar with Josiah Frias, wine pourings from premier local vineyards, eclectic locavore food catered by Full of Life Foods. Meet some of the animators who worked on the film “Spirit” and RTF’s team! Enjoy raffles, vendor booths, RTF’s store, auction items, horsemanship demonstrations, mini sanctuary tours, gift bags, and your own mustang photography photo.
This event raises funds to support the more than 450 wild horses and burros at the sanctuary and our important advocacy work to end horse slaughter and protect America’s wild horses and burros on the range.
More about Spirit:
Spirit was the muse and model for the artists and animators during the making of the 2002 DreamWorks animated feature film, “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron.”Animators needed to create realistic movement on screen, and needed to find a horse that embodied the characteristics and movements needed to tell the story of the wild mustang. Spirit was selected by the animation directors because of his beautiful conformation, wide-set eyes, and thick, wavy, multi-colored mane and tail. An Emmy Award-winning spinoff for small children, “Spirit: Riding Free,” ran for eight seasons on Netflix.
In April 2002, after the completion of the film, DreamWorks selected Return to Freedom’s American Wild Horse Sanctuary to be Spirit’s new home, where he serves as a prominent ambassador. Spirit is not only a wonderful representation of the Kiger mustangs, he also serves to engage youth and adults alike worldwide to know about the existence, history and plight of America’s wild horses and burros.
In 2018, the EQUUS Foundation and U.S. Equestrian Federation inducted Spirit into their Horse Stars Hall of Fame.
Register for tickets
Learn more about other RTF programs
SPIRIT OF THE HORSE EVENT SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
SPIRIT SPONSOR ~ $10,000.00
● Listed as Presenting sponsor with logo and tagline on all Marketing Materials.
● 10 VIP Tickets with Reserved Seating – Parking – VIP Deluxe Gifts – Meet and Greets – Photography
● Acknowledgement at event, in RTF Social Media, Website and Day Of Program
● Custom Support Packages based on your Business/ Personal mission.
FREEDOM SPONSOR ~ $5,000.00
● Listed as sponsor with logo on all Marketing Materials
● 5 VIP Tickets with Reserved Seating- Parking – VIP Deluxe Gifts- Photography
● Acknowledgement at event, in RTF Social Media, Website and Day of Program
● Custom Support Packages based on your Business/ Personal mission
HERD SPONSOR ~ $3,000.00● Business name/logo on select marketing materials for event
● 3 VIP Tickets with Reserved Seating- Parking – VIP Deluxe Gifts – Photography
● Acknowledgement at event, in RTF Social Media, Website and Day of Program
● Custom Support Packages based on your Business/ Personal mission
SPIRIT OF THE HORSE EVENT VENDOR OPPORTUNITIES
Auction Donations
Live Items
Silent Items
Opportunity Drawing Items
Company Name/ Contact/ Item & Value
Selling Booth participation – $250
Company Name / Contact / Item
Swag Bag Participation – Complimentary
Company Name / Contact / Item / Quantity
SPONSORSHIP / VENDOR CONTACT: Annie Finch, afinch767@gmail.com