Chief Investigative Reporter George Knapp Reports for Channel 8 News
LAS VEGAS — The contractor for the Bureau of Land Management is denying they are intentionally keeping wild horse advocates from observing roundups.
Sue Cattoor speaking to her "hurt feelings" on camera 9/9/09 - Photo by R.T. Fitch
A federal judge ordered the BLM to give Laura Leigh access to a roundup at the Tuscarora Herd Area in northern Nevada. But Leigh says the BLM denied her access anyway by basing the roundup on private land.
Leigh has re-filed a contempt of court case, saying the BLM is violating the order by doing that.
The contractor for that roundup, Sue Cattoor, says it’s only coincidence they end up on private land and they are doing what is best for the horses.
“The trap was not moved after the order was lifted. I’ll explain why the trap was put where it was on the private ground: we always try to put the trap the closest to the, as close to the horses as we can, but also where they are going to go naturally so we don’t have to put a lot of pressure on them,” she said.
Cattoor also said that foals died during a roundup in the Owyhee Herd Management Area because they drank too much water when they were taken off the range.
“A foal that comes in on it’s mom should not be thirsty, but these ones were thirsty and I would say 90-percent just dove their head in the bucket and drank something,” she said. “There is no way you can control how much you can give a wild horse.”
The BLM recently gathered more than 600 wild horses as part of the Tuscarora Roundup. At least 34 died and many will soon be available for adoption.
Laura Leigh’s Video of BLM “Stampede Shell Game”
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Categories: Horse News, Wild Horses/Mustangs
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
Normally, when posting such an article I would make a direct comment or note, but I respect George’s work and put it out there just as it is. Mr. Knapp is a professional and I am not so I will reply, here.
The fact is that, in my humble opinion, Sue Cattoor has lied so much for so long that she is totally out of touch with reality. If she thinks for one second that we believe it was a coincidence that out of half a million acres of public land they ended up on a tiny parcel of private land just by chance, she is sadly mistaken. That really, really insults our intelligence.
And then, by golly by gosh, it happens at the next several locations…it is a pure, unadulterated lie.
The Cattoors have been in cahoots with the BLM ever since ole Dave was indicted, for what?….ahhhh, let’s see, hmmmmm…illegally capturing wild horses and selling them off to slaughter. Pretty cool stuff, BLM loves those types of contractors as they fit right in with their way of thinking. You can download Dave’s court paperwork right off from this site in the “Box” on the right.
So I, for one, do not believe any of the prattle that falls from the mouth of someone that makes millions by destroying the lives of tens of thousands of wild horses.
Don’t know how they sleep at night.
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There is so much I want to say about this woman and to her. I have never held back how I feel towards these contractors who are responsible for harming and killing our wild horses. I have gone out of my way to express this for years and worked towards getting helicopters grounded in all work with wild life in the lower 48. These machines have brought death to thousands, I believe. The history of the use of helicopters with wild horses is a horror and the pilots have been in control of lives they have obviously not cared enough to protect. Driving horses to their deaths; foals unable to keep up and being left behind, this has been going on too long.
Ban the use of helicopters with wildlife in the lower 48 and with wild horses. It is not as if they have to be used. Their use in hazing has been increasing and now we are seeing bison mistreated in the very same ways as horses and pushed 10 to 20 miles with newborns! End this. mar
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RT you know that teeth clacking thing that foals do–I’m little so don’t hurt me. I found myself doing that teeth clacking thing–I couldn’t take the filth this woman spills. I was trying to keep from hurling.
I too really really respect George’s work. He is a wonderful wonderful horse warrior. We so desperately need him. A couple of weeks ago when that three part video came out I wrote him and thanked him. He even wrote me a thank you note! I mean no matter how busy he is–the morning after I wrote him there was a response from him. That meant a lot to me.
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Coincidence. Coincidence ? Coincidence ! Coincidence !?
C-O-I-N-C-I-D-E-N-C-E ? ! ? !
Cooooooooincidence !!!!!?????!!!!!?????
{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{COINCIDENCE}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
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Owyhee:
330,000 public acres of land
2,000 private
Coincidence the horses just naturally gravitate to the 2000 private acres? There needs to be an investigation of what happened at Owyhee.
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And, by the way, there ARE ways to keep horses from drinking too much too fast. You add a bit at a time to the watering trough over a period of hours. I’ve never had to do that, because I don’t run my own horses for miles in the heat when they’re already thirsty. But I know enough about horse care to understand the idea of slowly re-introducing water to a water starved animal.
One person on this blog mentioned a cooling off system could be added to these round ups. Mist down the horses when they come in. Makes total sense — and that’s probably why the BLM won’t do it. After all, why use methods that make sense?
Every time these people open their mouths, it shows just exactly how ignorant they think we are. I agree with RT. It’s insulting.
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“A foal that comes in on it’s mom should not be thirsty.”??? A foal run for miles in scorching heat and panic without an opportunity to nurse either along the chase route or in the chaos of the traps damn sure WOULD be thirsty!!!
And the “misters” are a great idea. Even the PEOPLE at the trap sites might benefit form them.
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Nora ,I really love what you said ,and I totally agree! I have had it up to and well over my head with the BLM and their supporters throwing the word adoption out! WHat about the horses that are not adoptable and are stuck in the panels they now and will most likely forever call home? Oh and the word invasive ! These liars need to open their mouths and insert foot then bend over and insert other foot! What we eat and raise to eat are all invasive species weather it be plant or animals! GRRRR!!!!!
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The entire method of capturing the horses from Owyhee can only be described as sleazy and contemptible but what do you expect from someone who has to run down those horses so they can pack their gear and make it to the next horse raid? There is NO justification for ANY of the underhanded doings at Owyhee so don’t even try it Sue. Hey Ms. Deb lets update those death totals at Owyhee and lets try listing the horses shot on the range and the one laying on the rocks and how about including as gather related any horse that dies within 2 weeks (at least) of being driven from their homes. Your death totals are a complete joke and the contractors and blm knows it, its manipulation to make it more acceptable to the general public and keep Congress from being appalled and endangering your federal funding.
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Mr. David Overcast (fitting name for this round up) stressed that extreme conditions called for extreme diligence and safety precautions. I do not see evidence of that. I see the opposite.
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Since I read and listen to Sues tale at 2 am I just put it up and did not comment, but I am sure I dreamed about it…Lets take it apart piece by piece..
First off -the natural path of these horses is not through a ranch and unless I miss my guess private property does not include a river bottom where Katie has documented fencing had been erected for gather corrals and much evidence has been documented that horses were run down the river bed and into the corrals..this is the area that Katy noted 4.. different areas where horses could and did access water. These areas that the horses normally came to water..were..blocked off by these corrals..was this what Dr. Kane meant when he said “horses traditional access point to water at the Owyhee had been “blocked”??? So Sue has known all along that horses had access to water..looking back- it was SHE who was calling advocates to tell them horses were dying stumbling around in the desert because they had no water..It was Sue who told that story to the BLM, and lets face it..we all know BLM did not have a clue what was going on in that HMA..Even tho it was their responsability to know..the things they did not know..are now legendary..So it is not an excuse for them to say they took sues word for it..It is not an excuse for the advocates who took sues word that the horses had no water sources and were dying from dehydration..It is our RESPONSABILITY to question, use our own brains and gather our own information
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Sandra, following that trail of thought about the river blockage.
We need to find those “campers”. What did they witness? Who are they?
If they were rafting or just treking/camping would they have gotten a permit?
Someone in the area where they would have gotten the permit should check all those names – any BLM or Cattoor employees?
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following sues train of thought(thats a nasty trail) They set the pens up there on the river because the horses go to the river there to drink, at least in the rest of the world..river banks are public property, not private…If they set their trap up there-horses are not going to go there to get there water..If horses are being driven into that trap screaming and banging going on..you know they absolutely won’t go anywhere near those areas where they normally go to get water
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The contractors were definitely catching horses by the river. Others still may have come down at night for water. This has become quite the coverup. mar
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Campers, I had thought about that as well, some official had talked to them, and you would think have gotten their name..they probably didn’t need a permit..I sure didn’t see any signs posted going in that said you need a permit to camp out there. It is a long way in there, only a few rafters qualify to run it -and only a a certain time of the year..otherwise there is not enough water to clear the rocks with the rafts. I found a rafters website from a group that had run it and videoed the trip
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Sandra, couldn’t the campers have been rafters? Go back to that site and make a query… mar
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Yep, Sandra, riverbanks are supposed to be public up to the high water mark. Researched that one after we spotted a fisherman on the riverbank abutting our property in Colorado. Perfectly within his rights as long as he didn’t come on our property.
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In those first hours of this “water emergency” much information was being deceminated by Sue…My first clue that something was wrong with this picture, 200 horses gathered around dry water holes with around 80 stallions ..huge bachelor bands combined with herd bands..thats not going to happen unless they have been pushed together in a “pre gather” helicopter chase. to areas where water sources were limited but convient to where they would push them the next day to the gather pens..Already suffering from the effects from the chase and dehydrated they were discoverd the next day staggering around, picures were sent out by sue..looking dazed..you know that same look they have when they have been driven from their range to the penss..we have seen it over and over again in our photos…they are dazed confused and exhausted..even in winter, without the element of heat they are tucked up and deydrated..even with water sources…No one was really telling me anything that proved the horses were dying from no water sources…Which is incidentally-why I took off in the middle of the night for a flying trip into the Owyhee..To see for myself, If what my common sense and knowledge was telling me, was in fact true…..That this was a farce and a cover up..and of course ..it was..There has been nothing that has come out since then to verify anything being said by sue..quite the opposite…all evidence points to lies and coverups and all to save sues butt..
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Bless you Sandra for seeing right away what this was and for taking that flight to document conditions. Without you and a few others to document the truth we would never have really known.
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Just to emphasise what I am saying, on my way home, I swung by the Stinking water HMA to do some documentation and check water sources..about a mile in, I documented 2 water holes nearly dry..lots of cows around these and drinking…NO one is screaming and calling for an emergency removal of these cows from this allotment on the HMA..why ??/because they will migrate on to other water sources when they are dried up..on any given HMA at anytime you will find dried up water holes…no one in their right mind is going to tell me that cows are smarter than horses..and Sues comment that horses do not migrate to water sources..just amplifies the extent of her ignorance and knowledge..If a domestic horse runs out of water in his trough..yes he will stand their and wait for water to be delivered to that trough..but even a domestic horse…If he has a pond or stream on that property ..will go to it and get water and will not stand at that trough and die of dehydration.
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Sandra: I hope you are sending that info to TCF, Laura Leigh and Craig Downer. This is a perfect example of distortion, stupidity and incompetence on the part of DOI/USDA and their so-called contractors (aka cattle hacks, equine exterminators)
I’d also send it to Rahall, Grijalva and Landrieu as an FYI of the lies and deciet that DOI perpetuates. Like I have always said…if the land, grazing or water is a danger to the wild equines, then I better not find one steer, cow or sheep there until the equines are put back first. PERIOD!!!!!!!
Lying sacks of non-compostable SH*T!!!! Eat that you pieces of garbage that are monitoring this site, especially the PR trolls. Liars! Cruel, mentally ill, greedy special interest motivated liars!
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Sandra….thank you for your efforts and my recommendations are just that.
You continue to march and do what you have to do. The advocates are here to support you and the others.
Readers (save for the horse haters), I apologize for doing the proverbial tossing of the cookies and rant….just get so angry sometime. Thanks for your patience.
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Yes LOL I am in touch with laura, we were both leaving from different knecks of the woods..or deserts in this case- that night..I had hoped we would meet up but took different trails because at that point we did not know exactly where the gather site was..I had no cell phone service from Burns Oregon on..so we could not communicate..and I did not know she had been denied entrance by a sherrif..I was zig zagging up the matterhorn in the moonlight on what..I hope..was a dirt road…Anyone at anytime is authorised to use anything I post..I stand by what I say 100%, on the blogs or in a court of law..Its why I use my Name instead of my Blog handle..I spent some time as a paralegal for the Asist. US Atorney in Ca. and have a pretty good understanding of evidence and the ‘truth”
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Sandra…no more info for the horse eaters/killers on this site. I think LL needs to get with secure commo and get the necessasry commo devices for out of range while on the range……I’ll contribute to that! Seriously.
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Denise, I know what you are saying, this was a spontaneous emergency, unlike anything else..altho something we are sure to encounter in the future and should be prepared..I had plenty of people aware of where I was going before I went in..and i have friends and family who would have scoured the desert until they found me or any neferious element that had interfered with me, and I do carry an alternative ‘communication device”..LOL and can push the send button…
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Rant any time you need Denise–I’d rather we ranted and shed tears then hold it in till it gets too bad and we leave the fight. Rant on!
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“The trap was not moved after the order was lifted. I’ll explain why the trap was put where it was on the private ground: we always try to put the trap the closest to the, as close to the horses as we can, but also where they are going to go naturally so we don’t have to put a lot of pressure on them,” she said.”
Even if I were to believe that, which I do not – why was Laura denied access? “Someone” lied that the private land owner objected – that has been proven and in light of the fact that there were the two AHPA oberservers further blows that out of the water.
So the question that Sue is skirting remains – why was Laura singled out and denied access in contempt of a court order?
Bottom line – Sue Cattoor is full of s**t!
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Rox, With what we know from Katie Fite the horses had multiple access to the river where temporary pens were set up to hold horses caught going to water. maybe they were there and did see some of this activity. if they were on the ‘wrong side’ of the river as BLM says then they were in the way of the trap and catching horses by the river. At least that is my take… Maybe Sandra will add something? mar
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Speaking of that WHO were those two observers and why aren’t we hearing from them? have they been bound and gagged and thrown in a canyon somewhere near the palamino horse? can we get their names?
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We were told they would have a report at the end of the week… Is it ever coming out? This will be very interesting. We should be asking the DC group who sent them when the report is coming… Maybe a week after the 3 roundups of Tuscarora are over? mar
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As I understood it the investigation is being done by the BLM.
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If the BLM is doing the investigation, then we KNOW it won’t be good for the horses. Sandra I would like to thank you for going out there & documenting what you could find. Seriously, from the bottom of my heart, thank you!
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Sue Cattoor makes me sick, yech!!!! I am hoping that this latest in her lying ways will take the blinders off ANYBODY that still believes her garbage. I have sat here trying to come up with descriptive words for her, and I can’t find any that would describe accurately the lowlife she is, her and her whole family. Coincidences, MY A__!
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Jan, none of these facts or questions will make it to her web site or any website of her proponents. NO, they will double speak it and spin it all in their favor and thier brainwahsed followig will not question them.
It is our jobs to get the real wild horse issue on every news outlet we can. Tell them go a head and read the BLM web site – will “sound” good – then read the true evidence – ITeam, TCF, R.T. court documents, etc. And notice this – we provide a llink to BLM because we have nothing oto hide and we know we have the truth is on our side. Why does’nt BLM post advocate web site links?
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