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Running Wild

'Running Wild: The Life of Dayton O. Hyde' examines the inspirational life of Dayton O. Hyde as a modern-day renaissance man and one of the last old-style cowboys. Through heroic determination, he is preserving part of the American West and its heritage. For the last 25 years, Dayton has managed the breathtaking 12,000-acre Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary in South Dakota, where more than 500 mustangs now run free - all rescued from the controversial wild horse roundups.The film chronicles Dayton's dramatic journey of challenges and successes that began in Michigan and took him across the West. Filming over the course of 11 years, director Suzanne Mitchell and her team interviewed Dayton, his family and the volunteers at the sanctuary to reveal Dayton's extraordinary life and vision to convey the emotional healing that the sanctuary nurtures in him, the volunteers, and each and every horse.He continues to fight to protect the land and reveals his current effort against a uranium mining company that is poised to pollute the water and contaminate the ecosystems that support the residents, wildlife, and horses of the Black Hills. Combined with additional footage of government-captured wild horses, the film presents a stark contrast between Dayton's success in wildlife management and protection, and how poorly the environment is managed outside of his sanctuary.This exuberant, hard-fisted, often humorous portrait of a rancher's life is told the way it ought to be told. From cattle drives, rodeos, conservation battles, wild horse rescues, personal heartbreak, and new-found love, this is the tale of a colorful 6'5' cowboy who is an inspiration and assures each of us that we can truly make a difference at any age if we try.