A journey from the ranges of Oregon to the prestigious Rolex Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park.
Welcome! You came just in time to join me on a once in a lifetime adventure! Life wasn’t meant to be boring… Right? I am taking a crazy chance and throwing my hat in the ring and I am applying to compete in the new, all-English, “Mustang Classic.” This Mustang training competition is unlike any past competitions. Besides the initial fact that it is the very first English-specific Mustang competition, it also gives you up to an entire YEAR to train your wild Mustang!! That is way longer than the traditional 100-day Mustang Makeover competitions.
The competition includes trainers picking up WILD Mustangs and training them to become solid, riding partners and then compete in a final competition to battle it out for a $50,000 grand prize! That’s a huge purse!!! Competitors in the Mustang Classic will have the option to compete in either an Eventing format division (including Dressage, Showjumping and Arena Cross Country) or a Working Equitation division. The 10 finalists will perform a Freestyle Performance in an attempt to win the $50,000!
And, if that wasn’t compelling enough to make anyone want to compete, they are hosting the final competition in the Rolex Arena at The Kentucky Horse Park! Every horse girl’s dream is to have the chance to compete in the Rolex arena and what a better way than on the back of an American Mustang! Hence, why I am calling this adventure, ” Range To Rolex”.
This Competition is shaping up to be a BIG deal and will definitely be the most challenging and competitive competition that I have ever participated in. And, just to have a chance to compete in Kentucky, there are many hoops I will need to jump through and challenges to tackle.
Here is what my “Must Accomplish” list looks like!
First Step: find and adopt a Bureau of Land Management un-trained, wild Mustang. It needs to be athletic, over 4yrs old, and have good conformation… and maybe have 4 white socks and a blaze!?! ( A girl can dream;)
Second Step: register my Mustang with the Mustang Champions Association, complete a Mustang Training Readiness Curriculum and submit my entry form to compete in the Mustang Classic competition. Then the long wait to see if I am accepted. ugh!
Third Step: Here’s the easy part. Gentle my wild Mustang, start it under saddle, train and develop my Mustang into a confident Eventing mount and find a qualifying competition to compete in, prior to the Mustang Classic.
Step Four: This is probably the most challenging part of this entire ordeal for me. Drive 2,532 miles,( approx. 7 days) all the way from Washington State to Kentucky. This will be the longest distance that I have ever tried to haul a horse and with the most obstacles like finding safe, overnight lodging for horses across the country and figuring out how to keep it healthy, in-shape and competition-ready on the road throughout the traveling week.
Step Five: Compete in the Mustang Classic Competition!!!!!
I hope to show off the great talent and ability the Mustangs are capable of and the value in this breed to the English community.
I am just a Mustang Enthusiast..Fan…Advocate, with a really big God. Despite my age, lack of experience and lots of questions still unanswered as to how I am going to make it to Kentucky, Philippians 4:13 promises that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
I have HOPE.
I am excited to see what God is going to do through this exciting competition and the life lessons that are going to influence me and those around me for the rest of my life.
Heading into the unknown,
-Sierra Steffen
We want you to join our adventure!
We need your support to make it to Kentucky! We would love it if you would join us on Instagram, Facebook and Youtube! Share with all your horse friends and let’s spread the word about these AMAZING Mustangs!
Steffen Stampede 