Five American Mustangs are putting their newfound reputations as the darlings of the horse industry on the line during the Arizona Sun Circuit in Scottsdale. They have agreed to take on five of the best domestically raised freestyle horses the horse industry has to offer in a “no holds barred” freestyle “smackdown.” A winner-take-all purse of $5,000 is up for grabs in the event to be held at the WestWorld on Saturday, January 24., starting at 7:00pm. The event is free to the public.
Click here to view the event flyer.
What’s a Smackdown? Smackdown is a contraction of two words, “smack”
and “down”. Popularized by WWE wrestler-turned-actor The Rock, the word
is defined by the Urban Dictionary as “the inflicting of a beatdown of
epic proportions.”
The five American Mustangs are all products of the Extreme Mustang Makeover sensation that has resulted in the adoption of nearly 1,000 in 2008.
“We’re excited to welcome these unique horses to the Arizona Sun Circuit,” said show manager Jan Bruner. “Even though the Sun Circuit is one of the largest horse shows in the nation, we open our doors to the industry and these Mustangs certainly represent one of the first horses known to America. We think they’ll put on a great show and will offer some tough competition to our highly trained show horses.”
The Mustang contestants were participants in the 2008 Extreme Mustang Makeover competitions around the country that thrilled standing room only crowds as they witnessed the results of 100 trainers working 100 days to tame 100 of America’s iconic wild Mustangs. The results, attracting such media powerhouses as Newsweek, National Geographic and Western Horseman magazines, were nothing short of astounding.
The Mustang Heritage Foundation (MHF), in partnership with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), created the Extreme Mustang Makeover event to highlight the recognized value of mustangs through a national training competition. The Makeover events 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. 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. One hundred percent of the horses made available for adoption at every Extreme Mustang Makeover event were adopted.
“Bring it on,” said MHF Executive Director Patti Colbert. “The public is going to have a lot of fun watching this event and cheering on their favorite, plus I think we might even have a few surprises in store from both sides of the competition. We look forward to being a part of it.”
Colbert said crowds could expect horses to negotiate obstacles including a few jumps, chase cattle and handle gunfire.
About the Mustang Heritage Foundation
The mission of the Mustang Heritage Foundation and the goal of the Extreme Mustang Makeover are to increase the adoption of mustangs across the country. The Mustang Heritage Foundation created the Extreme Mustang Makeover event to showcase the recognized value of mustangs through a national training competition.
About the Arizona Sun Circuit
The Arizona Sun Circuit is one of the world’s largest Quarter Horse Shows. Held at West- World in Scottsdale, the show runs from January 23rd through January 31st. The top Quarter Horses in the country compete in a variety of events, ranging from jumping to roping. In addition, the Vendor Exposition offers terrific shopping at dozens of unique and interesting vendors with products ranging from clothing and jewelry to saddles, horse trailers, and furniture. Come early to the Smackdown and enjoy the show and the shopping!! For more information about Sun Circuit, call Bruner Group Equine Events and 480-419-6318.
About the Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is responsible for managing 258 million acres of public lands, located mostly in the West. Wild horses and burros roaming public rangelands are managed in a manner consistent with BLM’s overall multiple-use mission, as set forth in the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976. Since 1973, the BLM has placed more than 219,000 horses and burros into private care through adoption. For more information about the BLM’s wild horse and burro programs, visit wildhorseandburro.blm.gov or call 866-4MUSTANG. (866-468-7826-47)
