Tail of Wild Horse recovered

Jul 26, 2021

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Wild Horse Maricopa Elementary — "Copper Turquoise Skies" by artist Kimberly Mask was missing its tail on Sunday. The work of art is installed outside of Maricopa Elementary School. Photo by Brian Petersheim Jr.

The tail is safe.

On Sunday, the Wild Horse statue outside Maricopa Elementary School was found damaged, the second such incident in less than a week.

Luckily, Susan Cameron saw the tail lying on the ground next to “Copper Turquoise Skies,” a work by local artist Kimberly Mask. After checking with Vice Mayor Nancy Smith, Cameron took the tail home for safekeeping so the appendage can be reattached.

It is not known how or when the damage occurred.

Cameron had a vested interest in protecting the tail.

A Maricopa artist, she created another Wild Horse, “Worth Crowing About,” which is installed at the new Pinal County Offices on Wilson Avenue. A member of the Friends of the Arts Board and Cultural Affairs and Arts Advisory Committee, Cameron said she took a photo of the tail and called police, who will be filing a report.

Last week, the tail was broken off “Celestial,” a Wild Horse statue on display at the Copper Sky Recreation Complex. It was the work of local artist Bonnie Del Turco, who repaired the damage.

That damage was apparently done by a juvenile without malicious intent. Maricopa police said the teen was charged with criminal damage, but no physical arrest was made.

To prevent further incidents, the city plans to install stanchions connected by chains around the Copper Sky horse “to make it clear it is not a toy or physical art.”

The Wild Horses are part of the City Manager’s first public art initiative, “Maricopa Wild Horses,” which commissioned 10 local artists to design and decorate horse statues. So far, eight have been installed at various spots around the city, including Maricopa Library and Cultural Center, Pacana Park and City Hall. The final two will be installed later this summer.

Jay Taylor contributed to this report.