| You are welcome to use this review on your website, but please give me copyright credits. My name is Deborah S. Cody and I live in Cedar Hill, Texas. On September 22, 2007, my friends and I attended the first Extreme Mustang Makeover at Watt Arena at the Will Rogers Equestrian Center in Fort Worth, Texas. We arrived at 8 a.m. and stayed til the bitter end - after 10 p.m. Saturday night. The in hand course and the riding were fabulous. After everyone did the riding course, they took a break and announced 12 final places, with 13 finalists (two had tied for one of the 12 spots). Each of the 13 then had 4 minutes to set up the arena and 4 minutes of freestyle performance with some mandatory maneuvers such as circles and lead changes. Some worked cattle, some jumped barrels, some laid their horses down, got on them and had the horses stand up with the rider mounted. Several did whip cracking (much to my friend Susan's chagrin) and a couple did mounted shooting, including Kitty Lauman, whose website Kathy had shared with us. Kitty probably had the biggest prop-and-pony show. She came out with a truckload of helpers who set up a pedestal and many poles with two balloons on each pole. She finished out the night by riding around with her two small kids - one probably less than 2 -- riding on her mustang with her while we all awaited the results. Steve Hayden, riding Hampton -- he's the trainer who did so much of his in hand course at liberty (#63) fell off his horse during his freestyle ride, roped his horse's hind legs (and got out of it gracefully) and even roped himself (This is why I don't want to rope). My favorite contestant, #42 Dwight Bilyk riding J4, did some amazing roping including jumping barrels while in the process of chasing his cow. He's the really tall trainer who during the in-hand class bent his frame of probably 6'5" down, crawled under his horse to pick up the hooves on the off side, and then slid over the top of the horse like a snake in bluejeans. He was the first trainer to send his horse into the trailer and back it out without entering the trailer with the horse. We had a nice talk with Dwight, a gentle, self-deprecating man with the softest blue eyes who looked like he was at peace with whatever came his way. We had some extra entertainment when, during one of the setups, an extra frisky cow (really a calf, but they seem to call them all "cows") charged a volunteer who was on his knees bent over arranging some poles. The kid heard the gasp of the crowd and looked up just in time to hop up and run away. Then the cow went stalking around the arena looking for more humans to herd! I got so emotionally caught up in this event that it's taking all my patience to keep me from driving back over there to see the auction. I can't wait to find out where each of the horses ends up. So, with no further delay, here is the winners list. (I had 7 of the 13 on my personal pick list, marked with an *) in reverse order: 13. #63 Hampton, trainer Steve Hayden of Griffing, Ga.* 12. #60, Ojos, trainer Jeremy Dunn of Rosamond, CA.* 11. #45, Nick, trainer Roeliff Annon of Alcalde, NM* 10. #10, Buster, trainer Robin Secrist of Alma, WI 9. #28, Trooper, Trainer Cody Keller of Noma, IA 8. #52, Willie, Trainer Nick Bowman of Sandborn, IN* 7. #33, Chopper, Trainer Holly Davis of Whitehall, MT 6. #71, Vegas, Trainer Bill Lopez of Norman, OK 5. #42, JR, Trainer Dwight Bilyk of Pawhuska, OK* 4. #50, Wellington, Trainer Evija Aunina of Rock Springs, WY (the English rider) 3. #34, Algore, Trainer Zane Davis of Whitehall, MT (married to #7 winner Holly Davis) 2. #70, Ranger, Trainer Kitty Lauman of Prineville, OR* 1. #86, Max, Trainer Guy Woods of Pilot Point, TX* Some interesting side notes: The Winner of the $10,000 top prize, Guy Woods, is originally from Australia, and is a top reining horse trainer in Pilot Point. Second place winner of $5000, Kitty Lauman, is the daughter of a famous horseman I never heard of, and has been training horses for 26 years. Trainer Josh Appleby of Yucca, AZ, with #47, Gambler, came to the event with a borrowed truck and trailer and borrowed saddle, after a freak Arizona tornado destroyed his barn and took the roof off his house. Mustang E12, Larry, was shown by the son of Trainer Dave Schaffner of Lampasas, Texas, after Dave, riding another horse, received a crushed pelvis, broken hips and other injuries when his horse stepped in a hole, fell and rolled on him. While in surgery, Dave had complications that sent him into a coma. Dave just got out of ICU and was reported to be awake and talking, though in an entertaining way due to the morphine. His son was allowed to ride and show the horse, but could not be considered in the final judging because the horse had to be shown by the actual trainer. In the riding presentation, Dave's son did the whole course with a little red Pomeranian dog sitting behind his saddle. #5 winner Dwight Bilyak is a full time rancher, not a professional trainer. He and his ranch crew start 3-4 horses a year and work 3,500 head of cattle on their ranch. He came with a bid offer from a neighbor who wants to adopt J4, but didn't think the offer would be high enough if his horse placed in the top 10. Debby Cody aka Digging Bear |
