March 14, 2016

Mariah Hammerschmidt

mhammerschmidt@aimmdia.com

(303)625-5468

Boulder, Colo. – The Rocky Mountain Equine Comeback Challenge presented by A Home for Every Horse and the Colorado Unwanted Horse Alliance came to a close on March 13, 2016.

A Home for Every Horse and Colorado Unwanted Horse Alliance partnered after a joint aspiration to help improve the lives of rescue horses and bring attention to their talents and abilities. The challenge will highlighted 22 rescue horses from the Rocky Mountain Region after 90 days of training in a one of a kind event. The 22 rescue horse and trainer pairs teamed up to compete in ranch riding, working cattle class, and a ranch trail classed followed by a final top ten freestyle performance.

When all of the dust settled on what was described as an inspirational transformation of 22 rescue horses, Jason Patrick and Cactus of Whispering Willows Ranch, were the 2016 Rocky Mountain Equine Comeback Challenge Champions. They were followed by; Brenna DeGeer and Wapiti, Jim Cook and Trinity, Sam Wilson and Selena, Brittnee Woodward and Lost Legend. The total prize money awarded to the top five trainers was $10,000.

Along with the top five trainer awards following the freestyle there was also an award given to the overall horseman. The overall horseman award was a peer vote from each of the trainers in competition including one vote from A Home for Every Horse and the other from the Colorado Unwanted Horse Alliance. Zen Greenlee was nominated as the best Overall Horseman, receiving a $500 award. Although Zen did not have a horse in the top five, he exemplified a trainer who truly believes in retraining rescue horses and giving them new forever homes. He also showed over the top sportsmanship throughout the event. Jason Patrick and Ben Grogan were also nominated as Overall Horseman in second and third place.

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 a rescue horse for 90 days the Equine Comeback Challenge has been able to showcase rescue horses as willing and competitive equine companions.

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.

The non-profit Colorado Unwanted Horse Alliance works to reduce the number of abandoned horses. 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 counwantedhorse.org.

Equine.com and the Active Interest Media Equine Network have joined forces with the American Horse Council’s Unwanted Horse Coalition to launch A Home for Every Horse Project. If you want more information on rescue horses or you want to locate a rescue near you, please check out AHomeforEveryHorse.com.

This project helps find homes for America’s 170,000 to 200,000 horses in need of care and shelter. Here’s how it works: Begin the search for your next equine partner at Equine.com. You can search horses waiting for homes at nonprofit shelters across the country. Browse by rescue horse, or find a rescue organization in your area.

Visit the site’s “services” section to learn about your local rescue organizations. Find out how you can volunteer, donate, or simply spread the word.

Look for upcoming stories on AHomeforEveryHorse.com related to horse rescue.

If your 501(c)(3) rescue organization would like to join the A Home for Every Horse project please fill out the online application at AHomeforEveryHorse.com/join. Equine.com is part of the Active Interest Media Equine Network.

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, MyHorseDaily.com, DiscoverHorses.com, AmericanCowboy.com, and Horse-Journal.com.

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