Standing-room only crowd fills John Justin Arena to see Mustangs in action.

The overflowing crowd packed the John Justin Arena on January 22 to see the finals to Mustang Magic, and the Mustangs and trainers did not disappoint. The crowd was moved to a standing ovation on numerous occasions during the exciting freestyle finals of Mustang Magic, which was presented by the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo and Sam’s Club. Teryn Muench of Marietta, Oklahoma, and Maverick, the Mustang he has trained since September, won the top prize with a performance that wowed the judges and the crowd with flying lead changes and by roping a calf.

Nineteen trainers and Mustangs competed in the event and vied for their share of the $10,000 purse. Muench received a check for $3,500 for the victory and Maverick, a 6-year-old red roan gelding gathered from the Black Rock Range East in Nevada, received a new home. Maverick was adopted by Tony Riley of Texas for $2,600.

With just more than 100 days to not only gentle but also teach the Mustangs basic riding maneuvers, the trainers once again displayed their incredible horsemanship skills. Mustang Magic is an invitational event for Mustang trainers that placed at Extreme Mustang Makeover events in 2010. Muench won $50,000 at the 2010 Supreme Extreme Mustang Makeover in August in Fort Worth. Trainers traveled from Oregon, Georgia and states in between to compete.

Mustangs have been a long-time symbol of American freedom, and with the support of Sam’s Club and the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo even more Americans got to witness the Mustang’s athleticism and grace at Mustang Magic. Sam’s Club has a motto of “Savings Made Simple,” and with 22 convenient locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, it’s easy to save at Sam’s Club.

Bill Lopez’s RDH Cowboy’s Dream, a Mustang gathered from the Granite Range in Nevada, received the highest bid at the adoption. Tara Andres of Texas adopted the 6-year-old buckskin gelding for $7,000. Lopez and RDH Cowboy’s Dream finished fourth in the competition. Complete results for Mustang Magic can be viewed at www.extrememustangmakeover.com/themustangmagic.php.

In September, the Mustang Heritage Foundation will return to Fort Worth for the 2011 Supreme Extreme Mustang Makeover, the richest wild horse competition in history. More than $200,000 in cash and prizes will be on the line at the September 15-17 event. The unique competition requires Mustangs to be adopted prior to the event. Applications are due March 1 for the April 16 Superior Auction, which will be televised on RFD-TV. Mustangs available for adoption can be viewed at www.extrememustangmakeover.com.

In 2011, Extreme Mustang Makeover events will be held in Norco, California; Fort Collins; Colorado; Tsaile, Arizona and Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Trainer applications and ticket information can be found at the Extreme Mustang Makeover website.

Mustang Magic was presented by the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo and Sam’s Club. Extreme Mustang Makeovers are made possible through the generosity of our sponsors: Western Horseman, Pfizer, Vetericyn, Smith Brothers, Martin Saddlery, Gist Silversmiths and ACTHA.

About the Mustang Heritage Foundation
The mission of the Mustang Heritage Foundation and the goal of the Extreme Mustang Makeover events including Mustang Magic 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.

About the Fort Worth Stock Show
From a one-day affair with a few head of cattle tethered under ice-laden shade trees, the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo has grown into a three-week extravaganza with international appeal for exhibitors and visitors alike. The show annually attracts nearly 1 million visitors to the Will Rogers Complex and in 2011, Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo will celebrate its 115th anniversary. The legendary 23-day event will return to Fort Worth January 14 – February 5, 2011. For more information, visit www.fwssr.com.

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. For more information, visit wildhorseandburro.blm.gov or call 1-866-468-7826.