Nevada History: On The GO! – Kittie Wilkins: The Remarkable Life of the West’s Premier Horse Breeder and Businesswoman (Off-site, SVL)

February 7, 2026, 1 – 2:30 pm
Speaker: Richard Dorman, historian and geologist

Kittie Wilkins was an extraordinary woman whose life defied the conventions of her time. Born in the American West, she received a consistent education despite her family’s frequent relocations to various boomtowns, where her father, J.R. Wilkins, established businesses aimed at serving mining communities. After devastating fires destroyed their ventures in Boise, Idaho and Tuscarora, Nevada, the Wilkins family settled in the Bruneau Valley along the Snake River. There, they established a ranch where they raised cattle and horses, including capturing and domesticating wild horses from the nearby Jarbidge range.

Following her graduation, Kittie embarked on an extensive tour of the United States, broadening her perspective and refining her ambitions. Upon her return, her father entrusted her with full authority over the ranch’s horse breeding, training, and sales operations. She became the most prominent horse breeder and stock saleswoman in the West, amassing a fortune and earning widespread recognition.

This presentation explores the compelling story of Kittie Wilkins—a trailblazing entrepreneur whose legacy continues to inspire.

Speaker Bio:

Richard H. Dorman is a man of many passions, including history, music, theater, and geology—interests he enthusiastically shares with others. His deep fascination with the history of Jarbidge, Nevada and the last stagecoach mail robbery in 1916 led him to uncover and revive the stories of several women whose contributions had long been overlooked or forgotten.

An active performer, Mr. Dorman appears in productions at the White Stage Theater in Winnemucca and participates annually in San Francisco’s Dickens Fair, where he performs with multiple choral ensembles and lectures on paleontology. He is also a skilled historical costumer, creating reproduction garments for a variety of performing groups.

Mr. Dorman earned a Bachelor of Science in Geology from the Mackay School of Mines at the University of Nevada, Reno in 1976. His career in mining and mineral exploration spans more than 46 years and includes extensive work with sediment-hosted mineralized deposits across Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Arizona, Mexico, Canada, Australia, Indonesia, and Nevada. He has held senior positions in the industry, including Vice President of Exploration at Universal Uranium Ltd., and has worked with companies such as Getchell Gold Corporation, Hunt Oil, Coastal Chemical Corporation, Dyno Nobel, Atlas Minerals, and Plateau Resources.