The Very Beginning

Local horseman Buddy Uldrikson has been selected to compete at the 2008 Extreme Mustang Makeover to be held September 18-21st at the Will Rogers Equestrian Center in Fort Worth, Texas. 

Buddy is one of only 200 trainers nationwide selected to be given a BLM mustang to train in 100 days. They travel to Fort Worth and compete in the Extreme Mustang Makeover Finals. The trainers will compete in three areas - conditioning, citizenship (ground work) and riding the "Horse Course" (trail riding with obstacles). A panel of accomplished judges, including John Lyons, J.D. Yates, Guy Woods and Chris Cox will determine winners. $50,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded.

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 Bureau of Land Management under Federal law. The BLM periodically removes excess animals from the range to ensure herd health and protect rangeland resources. Thousands of removed animals are then made available each year to the public for adoption. All of the animals involved in the "Makeover" competition will be available for adoption at the Fort Worth event in September.

This is the second year the Mustang Heritage Foundation has sponsored this event. Last year debuted to standing room only crowds and the top selling adopted horse went for $50,000.

Buddy will be traveling to Palomino Valley, Nevada on June 12th to pick up his mustang. He invites all of you to come along on this journey with him, week by week with updates, pictures and video. 

Buddy will be having a clinic on Basic Horsemanship on Saturday May 10th in Morristown. Stop by or join in. It will start at 8 a.m. at 38448 N. Grand Ave (mile marker 123). For more information, call Buddy or Kim Uldrikson at 928-684-7392.