Kate McDonald-Special to the Sun

In September the first 'Extreme Mustang Makeover Finals' took place in Fort Worth, Texas. One hundred trainers were given only 100 days to take a wild mustang and train it to the best of their abilities. In the first event of this kind, the Mustang Heritage Foundation and the Bureau of Land Management brought together 'America's passion for its living legends and the challenge of training wild horses.' The trainers picked their horses from a more or less even playing field: only brown horses, all BLM mustangs, around three years old. The cayuses were chute-loaded and hauled to the trainer’s facilities. Then the trainers were on their own to try to transform their bronc into a buddy in just over three months.

The competition consisted of an evaluation of the horses’ conditioning, groundwork, and a "Horse Course" that required maneuvers and included obstacles found in trail and recreational riding situations, and a freestyle event for the finalists.

Kate MacDonald takes the ‘no steering, no brakes’ approach for mustang Captain Call’s third ride.

A cutting horse trainer from Texas, Guy Woods, took the first place on Max taking home $10,000 in prize money. Second place went to Kitty Lauman on Prineville, Oregon. A lot of local cowboys and horsemen know Jeremy Dunn of Rosamond, who came in 12th riding Ojos.

'I never cried and laughed so much in three days,' said Jill Starr, the last person I would expect to be surprised at the abilities of a wild horse; she’s the custodian of several hundred mustangs as part of her role as the founder and head of Lifesaver’s Wild Horse Rescue. But reportedly everyone was wow-ed by all the mustangs’ performances in reining, fancy mounted shooting, and even dressage and jumping.

The 75 mustangs that made it to the competition were all available for adoption following the event. A number of trainers could not bear to part with their mustang, and became adopters.

Ojos was adopted by Lifesavers. 'I would have got Ojos for less except for Jeremy talking him up in the auction ring,' Jill grouses good-naturedly. The mustang will be an ambassador for Lifesavers, showcasing the abilities of the mustang.

But the big media news was trainer’s Ray Ariss’s horse, Hail Yeah, bringing a record breaking $50,000, making him the highest dollar adoption in the history of the program. Hail Yeah was trained in dressage, to pull a cart and in mounted shooting, but flunked the mounted part by going off course.

The city of Norco, Ariss, and a representative of the Mustang Heritage Foundation bid for Hail Yeah. 'We will be naming Hail Yeah as the official city mascot and he will represent our message as Horsetown USA’Ķ' said the mayor. 'Traveling the country with Ray Ariss will do so much to raise the awareness of the value of the wild mustang,' said Mustang Heritage Foundation Executive Director Patti Colbert.

Raising awareness of the value of the American mustang is one of my most urgent goals so I’m all for that. But when I first heard that the $50,000 was underwritten by the sponsors of the event itself, I was dismayed. It seems to detract from the success of the others who were not paid for by the event sponsors. Seventy-five were adopted for an average of $3,108 a head. That’s a decent price for a colt with only three months training, a grand enough accomplishment.

Nevertheless, the Extreme Mustang Makeover - an awesome event. It was time that America got to see what these multi-talented equines are capable doing and how fast they can learn. They have a willingness to create an extraordinary bond with their human, making their first-rate performances in such a variety of equine disciplines possible.

Mustang Makeover episodes are still being aired on the RFD Channel, on Dec 17 and 31. And two new Makeovers are planned. There’s a Midwest challenge and one planned for Sacramento June 6-8. Trainers will pick up their horses March 6 ’Äì 9 at the Ridgecrest or Litchfield corrals.

Here at home we have been participating in our own Mustang Makeovers. But they are not so extreme, so I guess they are Mediocre Mustang Makeovers. The two mustang colts we adopted last February are our projects. Gus, our gorgeous little BLM bay from Nevada, has learned to tolerate some touching. He’s so responsive, and sweet and curious; but he makes me work for every inch. He’s teaching me to think creatively.

Captain Call, though, our 2005 BLM mustang from the Salt Wells, Wyoming HMA, has been cruising through school with interest and a cooperative spirit. From round-penning at liberty to longing and ground driving, yielding various body parts and lifting feet to desensitizing exercises with ropes, blankets, tarps, poles, hats and umbrellas, he’s passed every quiz even though he looks like he’s sleeping in class. Last month we ran out of stuff to do so it was time to get up for that first ride.

There was no bucking rearing or running crazy. He walked around calmly, feeling that new balance. Several rides later we are working on getting some steering and brakes. All of that ground work is paying off, as it was all preparation for this new riding school. As one of my mentors puts it, 'now the work begins.'

When I get up on that big mustang, knowing I trained him myself, it’s as good as an oversized check for fifty thousand bucks. Almost!

Information on the Extreme Mustang Makeover can be found at: mustangheritagefoundation.org and www.carrranch.com. Information on Lifesavers at www.wildhorserescue.org