A Home for Every Horse in partnership with the Colorado Unwanted Horse Alliance has wrapped up the 2017 Equine Comeback Challenge at the Rocky Mountain Horse Expo. A total of 22 horses competed in the event and 16 were featured in the adoption auction. It was an amazing showcase of the many talents of rescue horses. This year’s event was the biggest yet in terms of number of horses and total prize money. An incredible $15,000 was awarded to the top 10 trainers!

We saw many amazing trainer-and-horse pairs during the Top Ten Freestyle Competition, but in the end, Rufio and Brenna DeGeer from DeGeer Stock Horses came out on top. An outstanding performance from an outstanding pair!

The Equine Comeback Challenge gave 22 horses the training they needed to transition into their next career, and a total of $38,950 was raised during the adoption showcase. Half of that total will be returning to the rescues the horses came from and the other half going back to the trainers who spent 120 days training these horses.

The Equine Comeback Challenge not only helps rescue horses receive the training they need; it also shows the potential of these horses to the equine community. These horses are versatile and talented, and suitable for many different disciplines and homes. The Equine Comeback Challenge horses are a representation of the many horses that are available for adoption in rescues all over the United States.

Top Ten Placings:

1. Brenna DeGeer and Rufio

2. Brent Winston and Justina the Dun

3. Jason Patrick and Tonto

4. Nicole Brotz and Blitz

5. Brittnee Woodward and Bogus Bob

6. Tack Louthan and Mystery

7. Brittany Brown and White Lightening

8. Arturo Curiel and Han Solo

9. Samantha Whittemore and Sanona

10. Sam Grogan and Lucky

The non-profit Colorado Unwanted Horse Alliance works to reduce the number of abandoned horses in Colorado. We collaborate with equine organizations and state agencies to promote awareness, education, and research, and we provide funding to organizations to care for abandoned horses and increase their chances of being adopted. Learn more at www.counwantedhorse.org.

A Home for Every Horse was founded in 2011 as a way for Equine.com—the World’s Largest Equine Marketplace—to develop a lasting partnership with equine rescues all over the country and use their resources to help find forever homes for the more than 170,000 unwanted horses. At the beginning of 2014, Mariah Hammerschmidt, the Project Coordinator for A Home for Every Horse, realized there was a growing need to assist rescue organizations in their efforts.

After years of helping rescues find homes for horses previously listed as unwanted, A Home for Every Horse took rescue horses to a new level. The goal of the Equine Comeback Challenge is to showcase the ability of rescue horses all over the country, with the help of trainers willing to donate their time and experience to rescue horses for 120 days. Since it began, the Equine Comeback Challenge has been able to showcase rescue horses as willing and competitive equine companions to the equine community.

A Home for Every Horse’s generous partners are on board to help with the Rocky Mountain Equine Comeback Challenge in a big way. Purina, Tractor Supply Company, Zoetis, WeatherBeeta, and Electrobraid will continue to support the training and placing of rescue horses around the country.

About A Home for Every Horse

A Home for Every Horse is a joint effort with The American Horse Council’s Unwanted Horse Coalition, which seeks to place, foster and sponsor America’s homeless horses. In addition to Purina Animal Nutrition, other partners of A Home for Every Horse include Tractor Supply Company, WeatherBeeta, Zoetis, and ElectroBraid. Additionally, The Equine Network is using its connection with more than 1.5 million horse owners to promote the program and offer free horse listings to participating rescue shelters.

About the Equine Network

The Equine Network provides, creates, and distributes relevant content and services to passionate horse enthusiasts while connecting them to each other and the marketplace. The Equine Network is the publisher of award-winning magazines: Horse&Rider, EQUUS, Dressage Today, The Trail Rider, Spin to Win Rodeo, American Cowboy, and Practical Horseman. The Equine Network also publishes a proprietary line of books and DVDs for sale through its store, www.EquineNetworkStore.com. The Equine Network also provides emergency roadside assistance through USRider, and is home to several websites including: EquiSearch.com, Equine.com, and AmericanCowboy.com

A Home For Every Horse