Mustangs and Mutts Take the Stage in Fort Worth

The nation’s most unique equine competition, the Extreme Mustang Makeover, will return to Fort Worth’s Will Rogers Memorial Center for a third year but with an added twist; the Extreme Mutt Makeover.

Known for its ability to transform wild horses into willing partners, the Extreme Mustang Makeover is bringing this new dimension to the animal adoption world to highlight the time-honored partnership of man with dogs and horses.
 
“Everyone knows that most horse people are also dog people and that most dog people have an affinity for horses,” says Mustang Heritage Foundation (MHF) Executive Director and competition visionary Patti Colbert. “Both species face similar problems; a struggling economy that has forced pet owners to abandon or give away their animals and a need to find compassionate animal lovers who are willing to give these animals good homes.
 
The Extreme Mustang Makeover management is working in partnership with the Humane Society of North Texas to produce the Extreme Mutt Makeover.  The event will be held in conjunction with the Extreme Mustang Makeover in Ft. Worth, Texas, September 18-20, 2009 at the Will Rogers Memorial Center. 
 
While the Extreme Mustang Makeover will return with its reputed lineup of amazing performances and transformations of 125 formerly wild horses, a total of 10 shelter dogs selected from the Humane Society of North Texas will be matched with 10 dog trainers.  Dog trainers will compete for prizes on Friday and Saturday during the Extreme Mustang Makeover.  Following the dog competition, the dogs will be available for adoption through the Humane Society of North Texas.
 
Three levels of competition will be presented during the Extreme Mustang Makeover, including Idols and Legends, featuring three and four year old geldings, as well as Mission 008, featuring yearlings with trainers age 18 and under. Idol and Legend levels are determined by the trainers own assessment of the horse’s progress and level of ability. A total of $25,000 will be offered in the competition, with a $5,000 prize going to the Legends champion, while the Idols champion will take home  $3,000 and the youth champion taking home $1,500.
 
The MHF in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) created the Extreme Mustang Makeover event to highlight the recognized value of mustangs through a national training competition. The event will give the public a unique opportunity to see the results of wild horses becoming trained mounts and then participate in a competitive bidding process to adopt one of these treasured animals. Adoption of all horses will take place September 20 with BLM personnel on hand to answer questions and assist adopters with the application process.
 
All events are free with the exception of the Legends Finals September 19. Tickets are on sale now through www.extrememustangmakeover.com  for this entertaining and heartfelt event.
 
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 the Bureau of Land Management protects them under Federal law. The BLM periodically removes excess animals from the range to ensure herd health and protect rangeland resources. Thousands of removed animals are then made available each year to the public for adoption. All of the animals involved in the “Makeover” competition will be available for adoption at the Fort Worth event in September.

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