Wilson takes second win this season

Georgetown, TX – Without a doubt, the Mountain Valley Extreme Mustang Makeover, held in conjunction with the Heber City Cowboy Poetry Gathering November 7, was the most original of the 2009 season. It was, however, the combination of a faultless go-round and her trademark showmanship in the finals that took Wylene Wilson of Queen Creek, Ariz., to the top of the leader board for the second time this year, but with a different mustang named Gator.

While the Norco Extreme Trail Challenge held in May offered majestic hills and terrain, what trainers faced inside the arena at the Wasatch Events Center in Heber City, Utah, was nothing short of spectacular with a running waterfall and a 15 foot hill to climb, not to mention chickens, a log pull, outhouse and tumbleweeds.

Facing flowing water and hills was just another day at the proverbial park for Wilson, whose training ground in Queen Creek is surrounded by picturesque canyons. Gator barely batted an eye at the go-round obstacles as he gamely pulled a log across a bridge and picked up correct leads maneuvering around a crate filled with crowing chickens. The brown gelding then waited patiently while Wilson dismounted and took a moment in the outhouse, before being remounted and trotting easily through tumbleweeds and climbing the tree-covered hill. The duo then cut a steer from a captured herd, leaped through a gallows and came to a stop to the applause of an enthusiastic crowd.

Ruth Livingston, of Moroni, Utah, made an equally impressive run in the go-round with her mustang Ridic, giving Wilson a run for the showmanship title when she got the biggest laugh after exiting the outhouse with raised arms and grinning, saying,” that feels so much better!”

The money round was in the finals where both women had eight other contenders to face in a clean-slate freestyle. With Wilson displaying the fruits of her training style in the ease of movement shown by Gator throughout the performance, along with fantastic lead changes and a clean stop as Wilson dismounted, it was the climb to the top of the hill and standing in the saddle that brought the house down.

Livingston came back to the finals ready to take the win, mounting the gelding from the fence as he held steady, then moving into great lead changes and circles, followed by what has become the obligatory crack of the bull whip while the horse is laying down.

In the end, though, with a just a half point to spare, Wilson took the win over Livingston, while Lanny Leach of Tucson, Ariz., came in third just a half point behind Livingston, having impressed the judges with the bridleless performance of the mustang Ruger.

Ruger ended up being the big winner, though, has he was adopted for $4,500, while Gator was adopted for $3,200 and Ridic for $2,850. All 25 horses competing the event were adopted for an average of $1,197, one of the highest averages of the season.

The MHF on cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management created the Extreme Mustang Makeover event to highlight the recognized value of mustangs through a national training competition. The event gives 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, sponsored by top industry leaders Fort Dodge, Western Horseman, Martin Saddlery, Smith Brothers, Daily 72, Roper Apparel, Vetericyn and Equestrian Singles, 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 heard health and protect rangeland resources. Thousands of removed animals are then made available each year to the public for adoption.