Extreme Mustang Makeover

LT COMPANY

TIM & LISA BERNSEN
Cell:830-931-4856 315 C.R. 664 Devine, Texas House:830-665-5991

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"A man ought to be ashamed to abuse a horse that acts only from instinct..." - Jesse Beery

Extreme Mustang Makeover 2008

Mustang Yearling Makeover '08

Tim Bernsen and SupaStah Take First Place

Taking the 46 and older event was veteran trainer Tim Bernsen of Devine, Tex., who trained not only his champion gelding Star, but three other yearlings and a saddle horse, a task he took on with humor and the goal of getting horses adopted. From the start, though, Star commanded center stage.

“He just had a confident air, maybe even arrogant, about him that it was almost as though he expected a mob of reporters to be rushing him for an exclusive interview. It was just the attitude he came with,” said Bernsen. “It was as if he was saying...’Just so you know... I'm not afraid of you... but I'm still not gonna let you near me until I decide whether or not you're worthy of my greatness’.”

Bernsen also won $2,000 with his first place showing. “Mustangs are real good sports and are game for anything that they're satisfied isn't going to harm them,” he said of his experience. “They'll do anything for you and anytime they may become worried, all you have to do is give them a second to investigate potential dangers and they move right on.”

Tim and SupaStah Freestyle Finals

All four of Tim's yearlings and his saddle gelding 'WindWalker' were adopted at the Extreme Mustang Makeover, which successfully adopted 100 percent of the nearly 400 mustangs in the event.

The Mustang Heritage Foundation (MHF), in partnership with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), created the Extreme Mustang Makeover events to highlight the recognized value of American Mustangs through a national training competition. The event 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.

Nearly 30,000 Mustangs roam federal lands across the country. In order to manage the herds and maintain both land and herd health, the BLM oversees the adoption of wild horses and burros through public adoptions held throughout the United States. Since 1973, more than 219,000 wild horses and burros have been adopted.

Award Ceremony

"Wind Walker" 2005 Chestnut American Mustang Gelding Mustang Yearling Makeover '08 - Mission: 2007 Babies
The Prodigal aka "Sonny"	The Supa-stah aka "Star"
The Diva	The Beave

Wild Horse and Burro Trademarked Logo

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Mustang Heritage Foundation (MHF) have joined forces once again to present the Extreme Mustang Makeover 2008 (EMM 08) in Fort Worth, Texas on September 18-21, 2008.

Prior to the EMM 08, the BLM and the MHF have one more Makeover event scheduled; the Wyoming Mustang Challenge in Douglas, Wyoming on August 15-16, 2008. This event is held in conjunction with the Wyoming State Fair.

Even if you are not ready to adopt, you will be amazed at the level of training that can be reached in such a short period of time. These trainers have worked with the mustangs for approximately 100 days.

The key to training a wild mustang is time and patience. These mustangs came off the public rangelands wild, totally untrained, and with no knowledge of what human beings are. If you are not ready to adopt at this time; simply attend the adoption and watch. You can also train a wild mustang or a wild burro.

For a few tips on training a wild mustang or burro, please visit the
BLM's quarterly Wild Horse and Burro Newsletter.

The BLM also provides a national adoption schedule
that encompasses adoptions for the remainder of the fiscal year.

To the right is the Photo Gallery of the mustangs available for adoption
at the EMM 08 event. All mustangs are geldings.

See these Road to the Horse Stars at The Extreme Mustang Makeover!

John Lyons
2009 RTTH Competitor

Ken McNabb
2008 RTTH Competitor

Chris Cox
Two-time Road to the Horse Champion

Tootie Bland
Owner/Producer of Road to the Horse

Be sure and visit the
Road to the Horse
booth at
The Extreme Mustang Makeover
for your Road to the Horse videos and gear.

The Extreme Mustang Makeover competition, held by the Mustang Heritage Foundation, will be held September 18th-21st, 2008 in Fort Worth, Texas. This competition gives trainers across the country 100 days to train wild Nevada mustangs and then tests their progress for over $50,000 in cash and prizes.

With three different levels of competition including stars, idols and legends, these trainers have two days to prove that they can train the American Mustang. Started as a way to increase the exposure of wild mustangs, this event has led to increased awareness, education and adoption of these amazing horses.

“We wanted to show people that these mustangs can be changed and transformed into great partners. It really showcases the trainability of these horses,” said Patti Colbert, Extreme Mustang Makeover founder.

Last year’s even turned out to be bigger than imagined, with standing room only. In attendance at the 2007 Extreme Mustang Makeover was Tootie Bland, owner and producer of Road to the Horse, “the original colt starting competition”. Bland was thrilled with the event and invited two of the finalists to exhibit their horses during Road to the Horse. This began a lasting relationship between Bland and Colbert.

Road to the Horse and Extreme Mustang Makeover have put together 2009 Extreme Road Trip packages. The winner of the Road to the Horse trip will be announced on September 20th during the event finals. It is not too late to enter the 2009 Road to the Horse package, and you may continue entering for the Extreme Mustang Makeover 2009 package.

Also featured will be Road to the Horse two time champion Chris Cox. Cox will be acting as an announcer during the competition finals. Originally slated as a judge, he has stepped into the position of announcer and will also be interviewing contestants from on-top a horse.

The day after the finals an auction will be held in which all the horses seen in the competition will be up for adoption. Although the Bureau of Land Management has a $125 adoption fee minimum, the horses are auctioned of for an average of $2,300. It is without a doubt that the buyers are getting every penny worth of hard work, sweat and tears put into them by their trainers.

For more information on the Extreme Mustang Makeover and the Mustang Heritage Foundation, visit www.extrememustangmakeover.com and www.mustangheritagefoundation.com, or call 512-355-3225

If you are a participating trainer in the EMM 08 and would like to have your training progress
posted on this website, please feel free to contact Janet_Neal@blm.gov

TIM BERNSEN
315 C.R.664 Devine, Texas 78016
tim@timbernsen.com or timberwolf_lt@yahoo.com
Cell: 830-931-4856 House: 830-665-5991

Wylene Wilson, participant in the 2008 EMM. ©CEBrooks/2008. Wylene Wilson, participant in the 2008 EMM. ©CEBrooks/2008.

If you are a participating trainer in the EMM 08 and would like to have your training progress posted on this website, please feel free to contact Janet_Neal@blm.gov

Wylene Wilson, participant in the 2008 EMM. ©CEBrooks/2008.

Wylene Wilson, participant in the 2008 EMM. ©CEBrooks/2008.

If you are a participating trainer in the EMM 08 and would like to have your training progress
posted on this website, please feel free to contact Janet_Neal@blm.gov