Wyoming Ranchers Donate $1.5M To CSU

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) -- The owners of a Wyoming ranch have donated $1.5 million to Colorado State University's equine sciences program.

The donation is from Art and Catherine Nicholas of Wagonhound Land and Livestock near Douglas, Wyo.

The Colorado State University Foundation will invest the gift and use earnings from the investment to provide operating funds for the equine sciences program, estimated to be about $70,000 annually.

The university said Friday that in the near term, funds likely will be used for needs such as classroom and riding-arena upgrades, graduate student assistantships, the CSU horse-judging team, guest instructors and an expanded public outreach initiative.

Many graduates of the university's equine sciences program go on to study veterinary medicine or to work in the horse industry.

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