Bringing Extreme Makeover Excitement to the Ford Idaho Horse Park
Courtesy of Mustang Heritage Foundation
For the first time, the Extreme Mustang Makeover is traveling to Nampa, Idaho, July 25-26, 2014. This event, presented by the Mustang Heritage Foundation and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Wild Horse and Burro Program, will feature youth and adult trainers and the mustangs they have gentled and trained for 100 days. The purpose of the competition is to showcase the beauty, versatility and trainability of these rugged horses that roam freely on public lands throughout the West, where they are protected by the BLM under federal law. The BLM periodically removes excess animals from the range to ensure herd health and protect rangeland resources. Thousands of these animals are then made available each year to the public for adoption. Since 2007, the Mustang Heritage Foundation has placed more than 5,000 Mustangs into adoptive homes.
For the July event, participating trainers picked up wild horses representing herd management areas across the West in April. Adult trainers will show the 4 to 6-year-old geldings in three preliminary classes including handling and conditioning, a pattern class and a combined leading and riding obstacle class. The top 10 trainers will then qualify for the freestyle finals on Saturday beginning at 6 p.m. This is a chance to show creativity with their horses through music, costumes and props. All adult competing mustangs will be available for adoption immediately following the finals. Adoption fees will be set by competitive bid. BLM representatives will be on-site to approve interested adopters.
Youth, ages 8-17, will also exhibit mustang yearlings in-hand that they adopted for the competition. The youth freestyle performance is scheduled for Friday, July 25 at 7 p.m. The youth freestyle and adult preliminary competition is free to attend. Tickets for the adult Top 10 Freestyle Finals are $15 and can be purchased at the door or before the event at http://www.extrememustangmakeover.com. The Extreme Mustang Makeovers are made possible through a partnership with the Bureau of Land Management and the generosity of sponsors Ram Rodeo, Western Horseman, Zoetis, Vetericyn, Gist Silversmiths, Martin Saddlery and Classic Equine, Cowboy Magic, Roper Apparel and Footwear, and Smith Brothers.
About the Mustang Heritage Foundation and the Bureau of Land Management
The mission of the Mustang Heritage Foundation and the goal of the Extreme Mustang Makeover events are to increase the adoption of mustangs across the country. The Mustang Heritage Foundation created the Extreme Mustang Makeover events to showcase the recognized value of these horses through a national training competition. The nonprofit organization also created the Trainer Incentive Program (TIP) and the Youth and Yearling Challenges to raise awareness about America’s mustangs. For more information visit www.mustangheritagefoundation.org.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM’s mission is to manage and conserve the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations under our mandate of multiple-use and sustained yield. In fiscal year 2013, the BLM generated $4.7 billion in receipts from public lands. Visit blm.gov for more information.
Published in July 2014 Issue
The Northwest Horse Source is an independently owned and operated print and online magazine for horse owners and enthusiasts of all breeds and disciplines in the Pacific Northwest. Our contemporary editorial columns are predominantly written by experts in the region, covering the care, training, keeping and enjoyment of horses, with an eye to the specific concerns in our region.
