The 2021 Oklahoma Extreme Mustang Makeover, produced by the Mustang Heritage Foundation, named its overall champion on August 14 following an exhilarating Freestyle Finals at the OKC Fairgrounds in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The Top Ten competed for more than $40,000 in cash and prizes during a high-stakes Freestyle Finals, followed by a hybrid live and online auction of all competing horses.
Rider and mustang participating in earlier Mustang Makeover event
Extreme Mustang Makeover events are produced by the Mustang Heritage Foundation, in partnership with BLM's Wild Horse & Burro Program, to showcase the versatility and trainability of the Mustang.
© 2012 by Tara Martinak New window.
Jeff Cook and Cactus Flower, a 9-year-old buckskin mare, topped the finals with a total score of 172 to claim the Champion title after a nail-biting finale full of exhilarating stunts and incredible horsemanship.
Sarah Halbleib and Dunkin, a 5-year-old red roan gelding, won the Fan Favorite Freestyle award, which was determined by a live crowd vote. The pair also earned the Reserve Champion title, coming in just a few points behind Cook.
Other finalists were: Camille McCutchon and Yoshi; Christa Smith and CC Spiced Kai; Riva England and Honeybee; Grace Thompson and GT's Road Less Traveled; Jessie Yniguez and Hellcat; Rebecca Wittek and Percy; and Damon Mayfield and Festus.
Find complete results and videos from all classes online at mustangheritagefoundation.org/watch-ok/.
Following the Freestyle Finals, the hybrid live and online auction helped competing horses find new homes. The high seller, Hellcat, trained by Jessie Yniguez, brought a winning bid of $17,000. The average sale price across all horses sold was more than $4,000, marking the hybrid auction as a success.
This record-breaking average is evidence of the work the competitors dedicated to their horses as well as of the quality of the mustangs they trained. Since placement of competing horses aids in fulfillment of the Mustang Heritage Foundation’s mission and increases public awareness of the trainability of these animals, a fruitful auction is a key marker of the event’s overall success.
Extreme Mustang Makeover events are produced by the Mustang Heritage Foundation, in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management Wild Horse & Burro Program, to showcase the versatility and trainability of the American Mustang. The events are presented by Western Horseman and sponsored by Purina, NRS Supply, Espana Silk, A Cut Above Buckles, Classic Equine, Martin Saddlery, Resistol, and Yeti.
About the Mustang Heritage Foundation
The Mustang Heritage Foundation is dedicated to facilitating successful placements for America’s excess wild mustangs and burros through innovative programs, events and education. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. For more information, visit mustangheritagefoundation.org.
About the Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) removes wild horses and burros from public lands to ensure a healthy balance of land and animals. Since 1971, the BLM has placed more than 250,000 wild horses and burros into good homes nationwide. Partnerships, like the Mustang Heritage Foundation, provide the BLM with additional opportunities to place animals into good homes. Interested applicants can attend BLM offsite adoption/sales event, visit a BLM Off-Range Corral, or participate in an Internet adoption/sales event to apply to take a wild horse or burro home! To learn more about the Wild Horse and Burro Program, please call 866-468-7826 or visit BLM.GOV/whb.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of subsurface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM’s mission is to manage and conserve America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations under our mandate of multiple-use and sustained yield.
Press release by Kaycie Will