In what could be considered one of the most unconventional approaches to an equine competition, the Texas Classic, one of the nation's largest horse shows, is pitting five American Mustangs against some veteran domestically raised show horses in what's being billed as the "Extreme Mustang Smackdown."
 
The five American Mustangs will take on five of the best domestically raised freestyle horses the horse industry has to offer in a "no holds barred" freestyle event. A winner-take-all purse of $5,000 is up for grabs in the event to be held at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas, May 25.

, the American public is being shown that there are opportunities to adopt and enjoy these horses, easing the burden on the environment and the taxpayer. We've all got to work together to address these issues and the Texas Classic is glad to play a part in that."
 
Clark said spectators can expect a fun and exciting show as the Mustangs, who range in age from four to six years old, work to prove their mettle against older more experienced show horses.
 
"We called it a 'smackdown' when we saw what these Mustang trainers could pull off with these horses and knew it would be an amazing show," Clark said. "It's all in fun, of course, but for an excellent cause."
 
The five American Mustangs are all products of the recent

sensation. Scheduled to appear is 2007 Extreme Mustang Makeover Champion Max, owned and trained by NCHA Hall of Famer Guy Woods, and now under the guidance of Australian Grant Barron, who was 14th in NCHA world standings in 2006. From Cooyar, Queensland, Barron is pumped about the event.
 
"I've watched freestyle reining the past and watching paint dry is more exciting," he said. "Reining horses can do sliding stops and fast spins. Who cares? If you want some real excitement, wait until you see Max the Mustang in all his glory. It will be one heck of a shoot out!"
 
The Mustang contestants were participants in the 2007 Extreme Mustang Makeover presented by Fort Dodge that thrilled standing room only crowds last September in Fort Worth, as they witnessed the results of 100 trainers working 100 days to tame 100 of America's iconic wild Mustangs. The results, attracting such media powerhouses as Newsweek, National Geographic and Western Horseman magazines, were nothing short of astounding.
 
One new fan of the Mustang is USET Gold Medalist and World Champion trainer Pete Kyle of Whitesboro, Texas, who will be competing in the Smackdown with American Quarter Horse Chexy Dr Pepper, winner of more than $70,000 in NRHA competition and former year-end high-point reining horse in AQHA competition. Kyle also judged preliminary rounds in the 2007 Extreme Mustang Makeover.
 
"I really look forward to the contest as I watched what those guys did with their Mustangs and I am quite impressed with how broke they had them in such a short time," Kyle said.
 
The Mustang Heritage Foundation (MHF), in partnership with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), created the Extreme Mustang Makeover event to highlight the recognized value of mustangs through a national training competition.

The 2008 event, to be held September 18-21 in Fort Worth, Texas, with a purse of $50,000 and 200 horses, 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 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. One hundred percent of the horses placed for adoption at the 2007 Extreme Mustang Makeover were adopted.
 
"Bring it on," said MHF Executive Director Patti Colbert. "The public is going to have a lot of fun watching this event and cheering on their favorite, plus I think we might even have a few surprises in store from both sides of the competition. We look forward to being a part of it."
 
Colbert said crowds could expect horses to negotiate obstacles including a few jumps, chase cattle and handle gunfire.
 

About the Mustang Heritage Foundation The mission of the Mustang Heritage Foundation and the goal of the Extreme Mustang Makeover is to increase the adoption of mustangs across the country. The Mustang Heritage Foundation created the Extreme Mustang Makeover event to showcase the recognized value of mustangs through a national training competition.   About the Texas Classic The Classic, which is held at the prestigious Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, is the largest AQHA approved show in the State of Texas and ranks as one of the top show destinations in the nation. This ten-day event features NCHA/AQHA cutting, NRCHA/AQHA Cow Horse, NRHA/AQHA Reining and a full slate of AQHA & NSBA classes. Drawing in top competitors from across the US, the show encompassed almost 11,000 entries in 2007. Professional staff, fun activities and philanthropic goals will take the 2008 Classic to a greater level of exposure & quality than it has ever experienced before.   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. Since 1973, the BLM has placed more than 219,000 horses and burros into private care through adoption. For more information, visit wildhorseandburro.blm.gov or call 866-4MUSTANGS.