A beloved young stallion was found shot dead in Utah, nonprofits say. ‘Gut-wrenching’
A “cherished” young stallion from a Utah herd was found dead with a gunshot wound, according to nonprofit groups that track wild horses.
The golden horse was known among wild horse enthusiasts as Pyrite, Goldie and Glory, the groups said. He belonged to the Onaqui herd.
The nonprofit groups Onaqui Catalogue and Wild Beauty Foundation shared the sad news on social media on Tuesday, Nov. 12.
“The Wild Beauty Foundation is heartbroken to announce the senseless killing of Pyrite, a cherished stallion from Utah’s Onaqui herd,” the group said on Facebook and Instagram. “Pyrite’s life ended on November 10th near Dugway, Utah, marking yet another act of violence against our nation’s wild horses. This tragic loss strikes at the heart of our commitment to protect America’s wild horses — not only for Pyrite but for our community, who understand the importance of safeguarding the wild.”
The foundation pledged $2,500 in reward money for information that leads to “the conviction of those responsible,” the group said.
The Utah Bureau of Land Management and several wild horse advocacy groups, including Onaqui Catalogue, also pledged reward money totaling $19,000, the agency told McClatchy News in an email.
The agency confirmed Pyrite — whose official name was OQ146yS — likely died from gunshot injuries on Sunday, Nov. 10. The stallion’s body was found about 3 miles southwest of the Simpson Springs area in Tooele County, south of the U.S. Army Dugway Proving Ground where the agency tests biological and chemical weapons.
The agency’s investigation suggested the stallion was shot sometime during the week of Nov. 3 and could have survived as long as one week before succumbing to his injuries.
The agency asked anyone with information on the shooting or anyone who might have seen anything suspicious or observed the shooting between Nov. 3-9 to call the Utah Law Enforcement Tip-Line at (800) 722-3998.
Onaqui Catalogue asked the public to respect Pyrite’s body and the area around it as a crime scene and give the BLM time and space to investigate.
“At this time, we are grieving,” the group said. “Pyrite was an eye-catching young palomino stallion who was a favorite of many who visited the range.”
Hundreds of people shared their grief at the sad news in the comments on both groups’ posts.
“That is horrible, what kind of person would do that,” someone wrote under Onaqui Catalogue’s Instagram post. “Goldie has been a favorite of mine and many. I feel bad for his bachelor group that have been close for years. How they must mourn too!”
The group shared a photo of the stallion on Instagram in April with a caption that said Pyrite was born in 2019 and was a bachelor in the South herd.
“One of the most striking stallions of the Onaqui herd is this sooty palomino OQ146yS,” the group said at the time.
“Gut-wrenching!! Awful!!” someone said under Wild Beauty Foundation’s Instagram post. “We are so sad and sorry.”
“This is horrific and heartbreaking,” another person said. “Our poor wild horses. How anyone can abuse and destroy a being so beautiful is beyond me.”
The organization’s founder Ashley Avis told KTVX she believes the Onaqui horses are being targeted.
Two Onaqui stallions were found dead with gunshot wounds in 2023, about one mile southeast from where Pyrite was shot, the BLM told McClatchy News. The BLM and several nonprofits dedicated to the conservation of wild horses pledged $37,500 in reward money for information in that case.
“They’re symbols of the iconic American West,” Avis told KTVX. “They inspire our curiosity and our wonder, and they should be protected. And that’s simply not happening on our western rangelands today.”
Dugway is about a 90-mile drive southwest from Salt Lake City.
This story was originally published November 13, 2024 at 5:27 PM with the headline "A beloved young stallion was found shot dead in Utah, nonprofits say. ‘Gut-wrenching’."
