Mustang Challenge 2008

---

Corrine Elser of Burns, Oregon and her mustang "Dolly" took the top prize in the Mustang Challenge as the Bureau of Land Management and Mustang Heritage Foundation successfully concluded the first Western States Mustang Challenge at the Western States Horse Expo over the June 6-8, weekend in Sacramento. 

Elser, a 22 year old trainer, successfully bid to keep the mustang she had trained by using the prize money and then some as she bid $5,500 for the horse through the BLM adopt-a-horse program.

Thirty top trainers received 30 wild mustangs in March in Sacramento. They had 90 days to gentle and train the mustangs.   Horses and trainers competed for $7500 in prizes at the Horse Expo.  Trainers were evaluated on the body condition of the horse, their ability to handle the horse "in-hand" through a series of maneuvers and obstacles,  and a mounted "horse course" of obstacles and requirements to demonstrate the level of competency the horse accomplished.   The top ten finalist were announced Saturday afternoon and a final competition was held that evening. 

Immediately after the finals on Saturday night, June 7, the horses were adopted by the public through a competitive bidding process.  All the horses were adopted.  The highest bid was $10,000 for Handy Hank by the trainer, Madelyn Wagner. 

Corinne Elser of Burns, Oregon on Dolly start their routine at the 
Western States Mustang Challenge June 7 at Cal Expo in Sacramento

 More photos of Mustang Challenge finalists 

Top 10 trainers, horse and the adoption bid
(click on trainer's name to link to news release)

Name	Hometown	Horse	Winning bid
1.  Corinne Elser	Burns, OR	Dolly	$5,500
2.  Joe Misner	Johnson Valley, CA	Loredo	$3,400
3.  Matt Sheridan	Tehachapi, CA	Luna	$4,400
4.  Madelyn Wagner	Valley Center, CA	Handy Hank	$10,000
5.  Matt Eric Zimmerman	Adrian, OR	High Rock Ali	$3,000
6.  Matt Replogle	Las Vegas, NV	Jennifer	$5,800
7.  Beverly Vreeland	Livermore, CA	Diamond	$5,000
8.  Janet Titus	Mammoth Lakes, CA	Chato	$4,100
9.  Jenna Nelson	Loma Linda, CA	Domestic Aim	$2,000
10. Keith Danielson	Hooper, WA	Tina Turner	$1,400