VETERAN SHOW HORSE TAKES MUSTANG SMACKDOWN

Bertram, Texas, May 27, 2008 - A veteran show horse under the hand of a veteran rider proved they still had what it takes when Pete Kyle of Whitesboro, Texas, brought his gelding Chexy Dr Pepper out of retirement to take on a field of nine other horses, including five American Mustangs, in the Texas Classic's Extreme Mustang Smackdown May 25 in Fort Worth, Texas.

Performing to the spicy tune of Ritchie Valens' LaBamba, Kyle and Chexy Dr Pepper had the crowd laughing and applauding during hard stops and whirling spins, with Kyle seemingly intoxicated underneath his large sombrero. At one point, Kyle performed a choreographed fall from the 13-year-old buckskin quarter horse gelding, and then crawled beneath his horse as he struggled to his feet. The crowd's applause reached its peak when Kyle stood on the horse's back and waved his "bottle" in salute to the audience.

That performance netted Kyle and Chexy a score of 261.5 under judges Travis Dittmer of Mineral Wells, Texas, and Marilyn Randall of Whitefish, Montana. A third score was calculated through an applause meter and audience response.

Kyle captured the $5,000 cash prize offered by the Texas Classic and the Mustang Heritage Foundation.

"It was a lot of fun to bring out this routine again," said Kyle, who first performed the freestyle act 10 years ago. "We'd actually retired Chexy and he's been turned out for about three years, so it's great to see how he's still got it. I knew it wasn't going to be easy though. I'd seen how some of these Mustangs had turned out at the Extreme Mustang Makeover and knew their trainers were going to be tough and bring a lot of imagination."

It was the night of the buckskins as both the second and third place horses shared the coat color. Taking second place was Hollywood All Star, owned by Jordan Donnelly and ridden by dad Kinzy of Aubrey, Texas. Performing to the "Man from Snowy River," Donnelly and 9-year-old "All Star" played a game of hide and seek with Jordan, dressed as an Indian maid, and then roped an unruly steer. That performance netted the duo a score of 251.5 from the judges and audience, along with a pair of Bolle sunglasses, valued at $400, and donated by First Eye Care.

The Mustangs, all at three to four years of age, did bring a show, as well, with Weldon Hawley of Vernon, Texas, bringing his giant specimen, Winnemucca, to the event. Coming in at 16 hands and weighing well over 1,400 pounds, Winnemucca thundered around the arena to the tune of Brad Paisley's "Spaghetti Western Swing," performing smooth circles and turns before Hawley nodded for a steer. One look at the giant buckskin Mustang and the steer took for the hills, or tried to leave the arena anyway, hooking a horn in the upper railing. Winnemucca scored extra points with the crowd as Hawley sidled up to the trapped steer and worked him free while Winnemucca stood quietly by.

That performance garnered the duo a score of 247.5 and third place, winning a framed print of a Mustang stallion courtesy of Sagebrush Art.

Following the competition, Hawley generously donated Winnemucca to the Mustang Heritage Foundation, who will auction the big horse later this year through a virtual adoption hosted at the Foundation's web site.

The Mustang contestants were participants in the 2007 Extreme Mustang Makeover presented by Fort Dodge that thrilled standing room only crowds last September in Fort Worth, as they witnessed the results of 100 trainers working 100 days to tame 100 of America's iconic wild Mustangs. According to MHF Executive Director Patti Colbert, the Smackdown was another effort to bring the Mustang and issues surrounding unwanted horses to the forefront.

"We are so grateful to everyone who took part in this event, of any breed," said Colbert. "To be able to put four year old Mustangs in the same arena as some of the best, older, breed horses in the business, and then see them hold their own, was an incredible leap forward in bringing the industry to a point of collaboration and unity in showing value for all kinds of horses. We are so appreciative of the Texas Classic's show manager, Val Clark, for inviting us to be a part of a show the caliber of the Classic."