Kris Breeds and Emma Wieland from Calvert County have been selected to compete in the Extreme Mustang Makeover (EMM) to be held at the Topsfield Fair Facility in Topsfield, Massachusetts. During the second week in April, the trainers drove over 8 hours to Massachusetts to pick up their beautiful mares, and they have had approximately 100 day to gentle them.
Kris will compete in the adult division for a spot in the top 10 freestyle finals, and to earn her share of $20,000.
Emma will compete in the youth division, showing in-hand for an estimated $5,000 purse.
“Don’t limit your challenges, challenge your limits” is Kris’s motto. She grew up on a farm and was riding before she could walk. She showed in the local Southern Maryland circuit and continued participating in the equestrian sport by saddle breaking horses for a western theme park all the way through college.
t wasn’t until recently, when Kris became involved with Sophia’s Oasis for Equines (SOFE), a local horse rescue dedicated to rehabilitating last option horses, that she really started to understand the importance and discipline behind “teaching” a horse rather than simply “training.”
Kris explains that “the bond is immeasurable as a trainer and a horse overcome obstacles and challenges together as partners.”
The co-founder of Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA) best explains Kris’s motivation and determination – “accomplishing a task involving the horse, in spite of those fears, creates confidence and provides for wonderful metaphors for dealing with other intimidating and challenging situations.”
Kris was diagnosed with skin cancer in 2013 and through every new surgery, chemotherapy session, and recovering period she finds strength and inspiration from her equine partner.
This will be Kris’s second EMM event and even through her reason to participate may seem redundant, she strives to become a better trainer and with every new horse there are opportunities for growth and learning.
Lastly, Kris adds “that aside from the EMM being an excellent opportunity to challenge myself mentally and physically since my diagnosis, it is a chance to save a living symbol of our country’s heritage.”
Since 2012, Emma has continually gained a passion for horses, saying “it was love at first sight when I started volunteering at SOFE Horse Rescue in my hometown, Port Republic, Maryland.” Emma, 13 years of age, is a junior trainer helping to retrain and/or rehabilitate rescue horses SOFE takes in, as well as volunteering to accomplish daily barn chores.
This is Emma’s second youth EMM competition. She participated in Shartlesville, PA in August of 2014 with her filly, “Made in America”, or MIA for short. “I learned so much from that filly, it was an unforgettable experience,” Emma says, adding that “it’s extremely important to me to ensure a healthy future for the American Mustang and raise awareness for this living legend any way I can.”
With just two short weeks left of training, Emma is at the barn everyday training her second Mustang and perfecting her freestyle routine.
For more information on these two amazing trainers, their journey and hometown horse rescue, like and follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SofiasRescueMd and check out www.sophiasoasisforequines.org for other information.
The Mustangs competing in the Extreme Mustang Makeover challenge are mares, and the horses, which were virtually untouched prior to the April pick-up, will compete in Massachusetts in the beginning of August. The trainers and Mustangs will compete in a series of classes that will showcase their new skills.
The horses will compete in handling and conditioning, a pattern class, and a combined leading and riding class. The top-10 competitors will then compete in the freestyle finals.
Tickets and information about the Massachusetts Extreme Mustang Makeover are available at http://extrememustangmakeover.com/extreme-mustang-makeover-massachusetts/.
Mustangs competing in the Extreme Mustang Makeover are available for adoption through an auction on August 8. Adoption fees will be set by competitive bid.
To qualify to adopt, individuals must be at least 18 with no record of animal abuse. In addition, adopters must have suitable facilities and can adopt no more than four animals. Adoption applications will be approved on site by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) during the event.
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 are protected by the BLM under federal law.
The BLM periodically removes excess animals from the range to ensure herd health and protect rangeland resources. Thousands of the removed animals are then made available each year to the public for adoption.
More than 5,000 Mustangs have been adopted through Mustang Heritage Foundation events and programs since 2007.
The Extreme Mustang Makeovers are made possible through our partnership with the BLM and the generosity of our sponsors Ram Trucks, Western Horseman, Vetericyn, Gist Silversmiths, Martin Sadderly and Classic Equine, Cowboy Magic, Roper Apparel, RIDE TV and Smith Brothers.
About the Mustang Heritage Foundation
The mission of the Mustang Heritage Foundation and the goal of the Extreme Mustang Makeover events are to increase the adoption of Mustangs across the country. The Mustang Heritage Foundation created the Extreme Mustang Makeover events to showcase the recognized value of the Mustangs through a national training competition. For more information, visit http://www.mustangheritagefoundation.org.
About the Bureau of Land Management
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate through the nation. The BLM’s mission is to manage and conserve the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations under our mandate of multiple-use and sustained yield. In fiscal year 2013, the BLM generated $4.7 billion receipts from public lands. Visit blm.gov or call 866-4MUSTANGS for more information.
