Without a doubt, the Mountain Valley Extreme Mustang Makeover, held in conjunction with the Heber City Cowboy Poetry Gathering on November 7, was the most original of the 2009 season. It was, however, the combination of a faultless go-round and her trademark showmanship in the finals that took Wylene Wilson of Queen Creek, AZ, to the top of the leader board for the second time this year, but with a different mustang named Gator.

While the Norco Extreme Trail Challenge held last May offered majestic hills and terrain, what trainers faced inside the arena at the Wasatch Events Center in Heber City, Utah, was nothing short of spectacular with a running waterfall and a 15 foot hill to climb, not to mention chickens, a log pull, outhouse and tumbleweeds.

Gator barely batted an eye at the go-round obstacles as he gamely pulled a log across a bridge and picked up correct leads maneuvering around a crate filled with crowing chickens. The brown gelding then waited patiently while Wilson dismounted and took a moment in the outhouse, before being remounted and trotting easily through tumbleweeds and climbing the tree-covered hill. The duo then cut a steer from a captured herd, leaped through a gallows and came to a stop to the applause of an enthusiastic crowd.

Ruth Livingston, of Moroni, Utah, made an equally impressive run in the go-round with her mustang Ridic, giving Wilson a run for the showmanship title when she got the biggest laugh after exiting the outhouse with raised arms and grinning, saying, “That feels so much better!”

In the end, though, with a just a half point to spare, Wilson took the win over Livingston, while Lanny Leach of Tucson, AZ, came in third just a half point behind Livingston, having impressed the judges with the bridleless performance of the mustang Ruger.

Ruger ended up being the big winner, though, has he was adopted for $4,500, while Gator was adopted for $3,200 and Ridic for $2,850. All 25 horses competing the event were adopted for an average of $1,197, one of the highest averages of the season.

For more information visit www.extrememustangmakeover.com.