Tag Archives: Extreme Mustang Makeover

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Crowds Flocked to Jacksonville Equestrian Center for Extreme Mustang Makeover

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Photo courtesy of Christine Rose Photography.

Jacksonville, FL (May 26, 2017) – The Jacksonville Equestrian Center was packed with both people and horses for the facility’s first-ever Free Family Fun Day and the return of the Extreme Mustang Makeover competition. Saturday, May 20, saw a crowd of approximately 200 gathered to enjoy the wild mustangs, a bounce house, face painting, balloon animals, a vintage mustang car show, pony rides, a petting zoo, Gator Country 99.9 FM’s live radio show with prizes, and the nearby Olympic-sized swimming pool. The evening brought another crowd to the Jacksonville, Florida recreational facility for the popular Extreme Mustang Makeover Top Ten Freestyle Finale show.

The Extreme Mustang Makeover is a unique competitive event produced by the non-profit organization Mustang Heritage Foundation. Trainers are given 100 days to turn an American Mustang from wild to mild. The Jacksonville Equestrian Center’s beautiful facility was the perfect venue for trainers to compete for cash and prizes while displaying the trainability of American Mustangs in hopes of finding a suitable adopter for each Mustang entered. During the Top Ten Freestyle Finale, the trainer and Mustang pairs who scored highest in the weekend’s competition so far put it all on the line for the grand prize. Spectators cheered them on as they performed everything from standing in the saddle to mounted shooting to jumping obstacles.

Many of the Mustang trainers felt that the experience changed them just as much as it changed the Mustangs. “It made me start from scratch,” stated Ashley Mancuso, a trainer from Tallahassee, Florida. “I had to think about the communication I was giving to the horse because these Mustangs come to us never being touched before. So, everything they become is really what we are.”

This year’s Extreme Mustang Makeover champion, and winner of the $25,000 prize, was trainer Marsha Hartford-Sapp, who competed for her 8th consecutive year in this challenging event. She also won the champion title last year at the Jacksonville Equestrian Center. “The learning process that I get from every horse motivates me,” she explained. “For me to have an avenue where I can learn so much as a trainer, and make myself better as a trainer, and help a horse at the same time, is really a phenomenal opportunity.”

Hartford-Sapp won this year with the mare Chason Dreams. “I am so proud of this exceptional mare, who was nothing short of remarkable the whole weekend! She made my heart swell in the freestyle with how brave she was in the crowds and noise, and how much she tried for me.” Hartford-Sapp went on to say that Chason Dreams won another big prize by being adopted by her new owner, Cynthia Smoot, at the auction held directly after the Top Ten Freestyle Finals. “Cynthia was able to meet Dream on Friday before the competition, and their energy together was fabulous! I am so excited for the partnership, and I am beyond honored to be asked to continue training Dream for her new owner.” Hartford-Sapp is the owner and head trainer at Southern Oaks Equestrian Center in Tallahassee.

Photo courtesy of JRPR

The Jacksonville Equestrian Center was thrilled to host the Extreme Mustang Makeover to help bring awareness to the public about wild Mustangs and Mustang adoption. This year, even more people in the local community had a chance to meet the Mustangs as part of the Free Family Fun Day that the facility held in conjunction with the event.

Many Family Fun Day attendees enjoyed the chance to meet a different kind of Mustang, as the Jacksonville Mustang Car Club brought a bright array of unique Mustang vehicles to the grounds. Kids spent the day riding ponies, petting farm animals, jumping in a bounce house, and getting their faces painted. Lucky families went home with prizes distributed by Gator Country 99.9 FM, including buy-one-get-one-free horseback riding coupons for the nearby Diamond D ranch, concert tickets, and tickets to the Extreme Mustang Makeover Top Ten Freestyle Final.

The Jacksonville Equestrian Center is known as a family-favorite destination for equestrian and recreational events all year long. The 80-acre facility is easily accessible from major highways in Jacksonville, and features an enormous indoor arena, outdoor arenas, and over 400 stalls. There are also miles of riding, hiking, and biking trails accessible from the Jacksonville Equestrian Center.

For more information and to find out about other exciting upcoming events, visit www.jaxequestriancenter.com or call (904)-255-4215.

Jacksonville Equestrian Center
Debbie Stegner (904)-255-4215
dstegner@coj.net
13611 Normandy Blvd.
Jacksonville, FL 32221

JRPR

Free Family Fun Day and Extreme Mustang Makeover at Jacksonville Equestrian Center

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Photo courtesy of JRPR.

Jacksonville, FL (May 19, 2017) — The public is invited to the Jacksonville Equestrian Center in Jacksonville, Florida Saturday, May 20, for a day packed full of free activities for the entire family. The final day of the Extreme Mustang Makeover will be held simultaneously at the Jacksonville Equestrian Center, with several free events leading up to the Top 10 Freestyle Finals (a ticketed event on Saturday evening).

The exciting Free Family Fun Day will kick off early on May 20 at 8:00 am, when the Jacksonville Mustang Car Club will drive up to the Jacksonville Equestrian Center in unique mustang vehicles. Over fifteen mustangs will be on display during the event, alongside another type of mustangs – horses. The famous Extreme Mustang Makeover will introduce spectators to wild mustang horses who have spent the past 100 days with a trainer to prepare for the weekend’s competition.

The Extreme Mustang Makeover is open to the public at the Jacksonville Equestrian Center from May 18-20. From 8:00 am to 4:00 pm on May 20, the Extreme Mustang Makeover trail class and freestyle competition for youth trainers and their mustangs will take place.

Cool down in an Olympic-sized pool adjacent to the Jacksonville Equestrian Center anytime from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm on May 20, when the Cecil Aquatics Center will be open for swimming. There will be a $1.00 fee for Duval country residents, and a $1.50 fee for all other swimmers.

At noon, the festivities will jump into full swing with a free bounce house, free petting zoo, free pony rides, free face painting, free balloon animals, and a free magic show. These kid-friendly events will wrap up at 4:00 pm.

Jacksonville’s popular radio station Gator Country 99.9 FM will arrive on site at 1:00 pm. Gator Country’s Matt Basford will broadcast live until 3:00 pm, offering plenty of prizes. Prizes will include buy-one-get-one-free horseback riding coupons for the nearby Diamond D ranch, concert tickets, tickets to the Extreme Mustang Makeover Top Ten Freestyle Final on Saturday night, and more – so make sure to stop by to see Matt!

From 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm, the horses and trainers from the Extreme Mustang Makeover will be in the Jacksonville Equestrian Center barns, ready to greet anyone interested in meeting real mustangs face-to-face.

At 4:45 pm, doors will open to the facility’s enormous indoor coliseum for the much-anticipated Extreme Mustang Makeover Top 10 Freestyle Finals. The mustang and trainer pairs selected as competition finalists will perform amazing and entertaining feats in front of the crowd, vying for the winning title. Tickets to this event will be available at the door and are also available online at https://tix.extremetix.com/webtix/4300/event/69306. Tickets are $15.00 plus tax. Veterans will receive a $5.00 discount, and children under five years old are free.

The Jacksonville Equestrian Center is pleased to offer the local community a day packed full of activities and exhibitions on Saturday, May 20. To learn more about the Jacksonville Equestrian Center, which is home to community, recreational, and equestrian events year-round, visit www.jaxequestriancenter.com or call Alexis Newman at (904) 993-2053.

Jacksonville Equestrian Center
Debbie Stegner (904)-255-4215
dstegner@coj.net
13611 Normandy Blvd.
Jacksonville, FL 32221

Competitions, Western/Reining

Wild Horses Transformed in Extreme Mustang Makeover at Jacksonville Equestrian Center

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Marsha Hartford-Sapp and her Mustang partner Freedom (Photo courtesy of SDPhotography) 

Jacksonville, FL (May 13, 2016) – This past weekend, the Jacksonville Equestrian Center was host to genuine American Mustangs and their trainers as they showcased their newfound partnerships to a packed house. The Extreme Mustang Makeover, which is designed to test both human and horse for their ability to learn quickly and make the most out of a small period of time, was presented by the Mustang Heritage Foundation. Each participating trainer had just 100 days to transform a wild mustang into a star performer that would impress the judges and the crowd. Spectators then had the opportunity to bid on a piece of America’s equine heritage at the end of the competition.

Youth competitors adopted their Mustang partners before the event, and showed off how far they had come together in 100 days. Adult competitors auctioned off their Mustangs at the end of the Extreme Mustang Makeover weekend. The competition included classes such as Handling and Conditioning, Trail, and Freestyle. Adult competitors all vied to be selected to compete in the Top Ten Freestyle Finals that took place directly before the Mustang auction. A first place prize of $25,000 and a custom-made Gist belt buckle was at stake for the winner. Alongside nine other spectacular performances, Marsha Hartford-Sapp and her Mustang partner Freedom brought the crowd to their feet with a bridleless riding exhibition and other impressive acts. Hartford-Sapp and Freedom were named winner of the Extreme Mustang Makeover.

The Extreme Mustang Makeover is a unique event produced by the Mustang Heritage Foundation, a non-profit organization. Kyla Hogan, the director of marketing for the Mustang Heritage Foundation, explained, “The Mustang Heritage Foundation’s mission is, with the help of the Bureau of Land Management, to increase the rate of adoption of excess mustangs that are in holding facilities. We had 24 adults and 16 kids competing at the Extreme Mustang Makeover in Jacksonville.” This means 40 more wild Mustangs were transferred from holding facilities to good homes.

Dan Russell, who was onsite representing the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), explained, “The Extreme Mustang Makeover events show people that Mustangs are good horses. Mustangs are the horses that the original cowboys rode in the 1800s. There are roughly 50,000 horses on the range right now and an almost equal amount being cared for in holding facilities. They’re taken off the range into holding facilities for different reasons – forest fires, droughts, over-grazed land – and we’re just looking for somebody to give them good homes.”

Taylor McIntosh and Sonora (Photo courtesy of JRPR)
Taylor McIntosh and Sonora (Photo courtesy of JRPR)

Taylor McIntosh, the 2014 Extreme Mustang Makeover champion from just outside of Auburn, Alabama, made it into the Top Ten Freestyle Finals with his assigned Mustang, Sonora, at the Jacksonville Equestrian Center’s competition. McIntosh shares in the Mustang Heritage Foundation’s admiration of the strength of Mustangs’ spirits. “At first I did this to gain exposure, but now that I’m doing this for my third year I can really say it’s all for the love of the Mustang,” McIntosh shared. “Sonora is a smart horse – and that can be both a good and a bad thing – but she’d tried so hard at everything I asked her to learn. I love that about her.” McIntosh and Sonora’s Freestyle performance included McIntosh standing in the saddle, and Sonora lying down.

The youth trainers at the Extreme Mustang Makeover were as excited about the Mustangs as the adults, and also delivered impressive performances. After Ruthann Strickland competed with her adopted Mustang, two-year-old Battle Beau, she explained, “I did this because I wanted a challenge. I’ve never trained a horse before. I really like him, but he can be a handful! I love his personality. He’s a goof and can be very sassy – we’re working on that,” she laughed.

The Jacksonville Equestrian Center was thrilled to host the Extreme Mustang Makeover to help bring awareness to the public about the wild Mustangs and Mustang adoption. The Jacksonville Equestrian Center is known as a family-favorite destination for equestrian and recreational events all year long. The 80-acre facility is easily accessible from major highways in Jacksonville, and features an enormous indoor arena, outdoor arenas, and over 400 stalls. There are also miles of riding, hiking, and biking trails accessible from the Jacksonville Equestrian Center.

For more information and to find out about other upcoming events, visit www.jaxequestriancenter.com or call Penny Gorton at (904) 255-4227.

For more information, contact:
Jacksonville Equestrian Center
Penny Gorton 904-255-4227
PGorton@coj.net
13611 Normandy Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32221

JRPR, Western/Reining

Tickets Available Now for the Extreme Mustang Makeover at Jacksonville Equestrian Center

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Jimbo Albritton and Penney (Photo courtesy of SDPhotography)

Jacksonville, FL (April 25, 2016) — With less than two weeks to go until the start of the Extreme Mustang Makeover at the Jacksonville Equestrian Center on May 6-7, Mustang trainers like Jimbo Albritton of Penney Farms, Florida are preparing for action.

Each trainer participating in the Extreme Mustang Makeover has been tasked with transforming a wild Mustang into a very rideable, outstanding performer in just 100 days. The Extreme Mustang Makeover is designed to test both human and horse for their ability to learn quickly and make the most out of a small period of time.

The competition at the Jacksonville Equestrian Center will begin with an opportunity for spectators to meet the trainers and the horses on Friday morning, before competitors gather in the main arena for show prep. Next, each trainer and Mustang duo will compete in several classes. Friday’s classes will include Handling and Conditioning, Youth Classes, and an Adult Trail Class. On Saturday, coffee and donuts will be provided in the morning before further Mustang exhibitions and award ceremonies.

Spectators can enjoy free admittance to the event on Friday and until 4:45 pm on Saturday. After 4:45, the competition will really get serious. The top 10 Mustang and trainer pairs will be announced, and they will head into the Top 10 Freestyle Finals – where they can strut their stuff and show off what they learned in their own personal style. The Extreme Mustang Makeover Freestyle Finals are known for jaw-dropping performances; past Freestyles have featured riders standing in their saddles, roping, obstacles, and more.

As competitors work to put a few more days of training on their assigned Mustangs, participant Jimbo Albritton feels lucky that he and his Mustang mare, Penney, hit the ground running. Albritton says, “It was the luck of the draw that I was assigned Penney.” Even from the beginning, the sweet-tempered mare seemed to act more like a puppy dog than a fiery Mustang.

But despite Penney’s sweet disposition, she’s had a lot to learn these past couple of months. “Everything is going right and it’s been a dramatic change since the first day,” Albritton commented about Penney’s progress. “She’s a lot more quiet and we’re going places. Her skill level has drastically increased.”

As Albritton prepares for show time, he’s now focused on perfecting those skills. “I really want to refine a couple of things,” he said. “I want to make lead changes more solid. I’d like her to be a touch quieter and a little more solid in her overall performance.”

On the line – for Albritton and everyone competing in the Extreme Mustang Makeover challenge – is a $25,000 award and custom-made Gist belt buckle for the winner.

But even as Albritton vies for the flashy reward, he plans on keeping things simple and sticking to the basics. When asked about his plans if he qualifies for the Top 10 Freestyle Finals, he said, “My main plan is to do simple things great, instead of doing a lot of complicated things not so great. We’re going to stick to a reining pattern – some spins and stops – and see if she’ll lay down for us.”

At the end of the day, whether Penney nails her spins or her stops, Albritton is grateful for the time he’s spent with his lucky little mare and, most importantly, he hopes that his work with Penney leads to her finding her forever home, as all Mustangs will be available for adoption after the event.

To see the excitement of the event yourself or to adopt one of the competing Mustangs, head to the Jacksonville Equestrian Center for the May 6-7 events. Preliminary classes are free to watch. Tickets for the Freestyle event ($15.00) are available here.

The Jacksonville Equestrian Center is a favorite destination for equestrian and recreational events. The 80-acre facility is easily accessible from major highways in Jacksonville, Florida, and features an enormous indoor arena, outdoor arenas, and over 400 stalls. There are also miles of riding, hiking, and biking trails accessible from the Jacksonville Equestrian Center. For more information and to find out about other upcoming events, visit www.jaxequestriancenter.com or call Penny Gorton at (904) 255-4227.

For more information, contact:
Jacksonville Equestrian Center
Penny Gorton 904-255-4227
PGorton@coj.net
13611 Normandy Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32221

JRPR, Western/Reining

Follow Jimbo Albritton on His Extreme Mustang Makeover Journey to the Jacksonville Equestrian Center

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Photo courtesy of Jimbo Albritton.

Jacksonville, FL (February 18, 2016) – When second-generation horseman Jimbo Albritton of Jacksonville, Florida decided he would take on the challenge of competing in the next Extreme Mustang Makeover, he was a little nervous. He would be taking on a horse untouched by human hands and have 100 days to transform her into a winning steed – a bit different from the training he’s used to. As Albritton explains, “It was the luck of the draw.”

As fate would have it, luck was on his side. He was assigned to his own lucky Penney, a five-year-old mare he describes as sweet-tempered and eager to please, “kind of like a puppy dog.”

Now, Albritton and Penney are working feverishly to prepare for the upcoming Extreme Mustang Makeover, which will be hosted at the Jacksonville Equestrian Center in Jacksonville, Florida, on May 6-7.

During the competition, Albritton and horsemen like him will be vying for the $25,000 award and custom-made Gist belt buckle, each working with a mare that had freely roamed on land protected by the Bureau of Land Management before partaking in this challenge.

As the action unfolds, trainers will show off their Mustangs’ beauty, versatility, and performance in several rounds of competition. The horse-and-rider pairs will first compete in handling and conditioning, then a pattern class, and then a combined leading and riding class. Ultimately, the selected finalists will compete in an exciting four-minute freestyle event where this year’s champion will emerge.

For Albritton, the odds are looking good – thanks to his training experience and his remarkable partnership with Penney.

“My favorite thing about her is that she is like a sponge,” Albritton explained. “She’s taking everything in, she’s not panicking, and she’s willing. She’s improving each day, and it’s rare you get a horse who is that willing. She’s really changed my outlook on what Mustangs are made of.”

But that doesn’t mean Penney doesn’t have a few quirks. For one, Albritton says she could use a little help with steering. “The biggest challenge when I’m riding her is her handling her direction,” he said. “Lefts and rights and stops – the whole nine yards.”

Luckily, Albritton has a few tricks up his sleeve after practically growing up in the saddle alongside his dad and starting his own training business, Flying A Performance Horses, a few years back.

But for Albritton, whether or not Penney turns on a dime – or even wins the competition – isn’t his top concern. His highest hopes lie with her finding the perfect home for her to start her next adventure with. “I want to see her riding around really good and gentle, so anyone can get along with her.”

Like all the other Mustangs in the program, Penney will be available for adoption after the event at the Jacksonville Equestrian Center as part of an effort by the Mustang Heritage Foundation to find happy homes for the deserving horses. And as Penney and her other equine counterparts wow the crowd with their ability to quickly evolve from roaming free to mastering the ring, there’s little doubt they’ll find someone to take them home.

To see how this year’s event unfolds or to adopt one of the competing Mustangs, head to the Jacksonville Equestrian Center for the May 6 and 7 events. Preliminary classes are free to watch. Tickets for the freestyle event are available here.

The Jacksonville Equestrian Center is a favorite destination for equestrian and recreational events. The 80-acre facility is easily accessible from major highways in Jacksonville, and features an enormous indoor arena, outdoor arenas, and over 400 stalls. There are also miles of riding, hiking, and biking trails accessible from the Jacksonville Equestrian Center. The facility is a part of a recreational park that includes picnic pavilions, a gymnasium, and an Olympic-size indoor pool. For more information and to find out about other upcoming events, visit www.jaxequestriancenter.com or call Penny Gorton at (904) 255-4227.

For more information, contact:
Jacksonville Equestrian Center
Penny Gorton 904-255-4227
PGorton@coj.net
13611 Normandy Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32221