| Contacts: | Mustang Heritage Foundation: Julie Bryant, 817-223-2324 | |||
| BLM information: Vanessa Delgado, 303-239-3681 |
Media Advisory: Wild Goes Willing at Colorado State
Media Advisory
What: Extreme Mustang Makeover
When: June 11-13
Where: Colorado State University Equestrian Center, 701 S. Overland Trail - Fort Collins, CO 80523-1679 - Tel: 970.491.8373 - Fax: 970.491.8419
What: 40 horsemen from eight states will compete for $12,500 aboard wild mustangs gathered from Bureau of Land Management herd areas. Trainers have had 90 day to gentle and train the animals that will be placed for adoption at the conclusion of the event.
While activists remain at war with the government over the roundup of wild horses, 40 captured wild horses will receive a new "lead on life" when they compete in the Team Extreme Mustang Makeover during at Colorado State University's Equestrian Center June 11-13. This thrilling competition will take place over three days, culminating in a fantastic freestyle event in front of a standing room-only crowd and an adoption.
Trainers have had approximately 90 days to gentle a wild horse and will compete for a total of $12,500 in prize money. I can connect you with trainers prior and during the event. Excellent photo and video opportunities on a local event with national implications.
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 removed animals are then made available each year to the public for adoption. All of the animals involved in the "Makeover" competition will be available for
adoption March 21.
The Mustang Heritage Foundation has placed more than 1,700 wild horses for adoption since September 2007, resulting in a tax payer savings of more than $17 million.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
2850 Youngfield St. Lakewood, CO 80215