Mustang Mania Show this weekend at Ford Idaho Horse Park

NAMPA, Idaho - The Mustang Mania Trainer Incentive Program (TIP) Challenge will return to Nampa on July 1 -2, beginning at 7:30 a.m. at the Ford Idaho Horse Park (16200 N. Idaho Center Blvd). The Challenge is an in-hand competition featuring nearly 100 youth and adult trainers who have adopted and worked with a wild horse or burro for 90 days. The trainers will now show off their progress in a series of classes, including Conditioning and Handling, In-Hand Trail and Freestyle.

Many of the wild horses to be showcased during the event were gathered from the Four Mile Herd Management Area north of Emmett in Sept. 2021 and many will be available for re-assignment following the event. BLM staff will be on hand to assist with re-assignment paperwork.

On July 3, there will be an open mustang show with a full slate of classes including Halter, Showmanship, Western, English, Walk-Trot and Specialty. Two saddles will be offered to the overall youth and adult champion, and a host of prizes are available to the high point winners of both shows.

The TIP Challenge is a segment of the Mustang Heritage Foundation's Trainer Incentive Program. The mission of the Mustang Heritage Foundation is to increase the adoption of BLM-housed American mustangs and burros through innovative gentling (training) competitions and awareness programs. In keeping with this mission, the TIP Challenge was created to place these animals in adoptive homes. Youths 8-17 years old and adults 18 and up participate in the challenges by adopting and training the mustangs and burros. The participants also help promote the adoption of these national treasures by showcasing their value and trainability through in-hand competition.

Extreme Mustang Makeover and TIP trainers Matt and Stacie Zimmerman are hosting the Mustang Mania TIP Challenge. The couple has helped close to 600 mustangs find good homes in the past eight years alone. In 2016, they opened a storefront wild horse training business in partnership with the Mustang Heritage Foundation and the BLM to continue placing trained mustangs into private care. For more information about the Mustang Mania event, please contact Matt or Stacie Zimmerman at (541) 212-0035.

-BLM-