Jessica Dabkowski of Laporte, Colorado, and her Mustang trainee Novo won the Fort Collins, Colorado, Extreme Mustang Makeover on June 9. Jessica and Novo were third in the pattern class and fourth in the combined leading and riding trail class, but the preliminary scores are wiped clean for the finals.
The team scored an 89 in the compulsory maneuvers, which was third best, but impressed the judges and wowed the crowd with a routine that included portions performed without a bridle. Jessica and Novo scored 164 in the freestyle for a total of 253 and won the competition by half a point.
Mustangs as quick learners
The 32 Mustangs competing in the Colorado Extreme Mustang Makeover were virtually untouched prior to the February pick-up.
Jessica and Nova were voted as fan favorites by the crowd through text voting. Nova is a 4-year-old bay gelding gathered from the Divide Basin Herd Management Area in Wyoming. Nova was the highest-adopted Mustang during the adoption auction on Sunday, June 10. Nova was adopted for $3,900. Jessica was born and raised in Savannah, Georgia, where she learned to ride on naughty lesson ponies. She moved to Colorado in 2000 and earned her equine science degree from Colorado State University in 2003.
Tucker Black of Conifer, Colorado, and his Mustang trainee Deuces Wild scored 92 in the compulsory maneuvers and 160.5 in the freestyle finals for a total of 252.5. Tucker and Deuces Wild won the combined leading and riding class and finished second in the pattern class in the preliminaries. Deuces Wild is a 4-year-old bay gelding gathered from the Adobe Town Herd Management Area in Wyoming.
The 32 Mustangs competing in the Colorado Extreme Mustang Makeover were geldings and mares, who were virtually untouched prior to the February pick-up. The horses were judged on their body condition and new skills. The trainers and Mustangs competed in a series of classes that are designed to showcase the Mustangs’ new talents to potential adopters.
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 the removed animals are then made available each year to the public for adoption. More than 3,300 wild horses have been adopted through Mustang Heritage Foundation events and programs since 2007.
The Extreme Mustang Makeovers are made possible through our partnership with the Bureau of Land Management and the generosity of our sponsors Ram Trucks, Western Horseman, Pfizer, Vetericyn, Roper Apparel & Footwear, Gist Silversmiths, Martin Saddlery and Smith Brothers.
About the Mustang Heritage Foundation
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 Mustangs through a national training competition. For more information, visit www.mustangheritagefoundation.org