McIntosh Trust donates $200,000 to help preserve wild horses

Hoping to continue to fulfill the wishes of its founders, trustees of the McIntosh Family Trust are making a $200,000 donation to the Wild Horse and Burro Expo.

The trust was established by Jay and Virginia McIntosh, longtime residents of Northern Nevada. The couple established Mac's Bail Bonds and used its success to establish Ponderosa Insurance. Ponderosa was the first domestic, multiline insurance company in the state.

The profits from the sale of Ponderosa were used to create the trust in 1982. The couple's nieces were appointed as trustees following the death of Jay McIntosh five years ago.

Richard S. Staub, the attorney representing the trust, said the donation fits the wishes of the couple when they established the trust.

"The money is to be used for youth education, to provide funds for those who can't afford vision care, to assist and preserve Nevada's wild horses and burros and to promote Native American health, education and welfare," Staub said.

The Expo is a nonprofit organization serving as an advocate for wild horses and burros throughout Nevada. The group works to ensure that sufficient habitat is available for the wild horse and burro population as well as training and adoption assistance.

This $200,000 donation is the second large donation made by the trust in the last three years. The trustees approved a $100,000 donation to the Boys & Girls Club of Western Nevada in 2004.

The donation was split, with $75,000 going to the construction project and $25,000 going into the club's educational fund.

Staub said the trustees are currently evaluating several potential applicants to fulfill the other facets of the trust's mission.

The donation to the Expo will be made Monday at Staub's office in Carson City.

• Contact reporter Jarid Shipley at jshipley@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1217.