Alicia And Goldie Are Headed To Vegas For The 2025 Mustang Champions Challenge!
- Alicia VanderGriend
- 5 days ago
- 6 min read
This July, Goldie and I are packing hay, saddle, and our bags to travel to Las Vegas, Nevada to compete in the 2025 Mustang Champions Challenge, where $125,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded—including a $50,000 grand prize to the champion. The event takes place at the South Point Arena, and is dedicated to showcasing the grit, beauty, and trainability of the American mustang and the devoted trainers who help them step into a new chapter.
Held July 10–12, the Mustang Challenge highlights how far a wild mustang can come—from government holding to graceful performance partner—and gives the public a rare chance to witness their potential up close. This event celebrates transformation, connection, and the power of second chances.
Meet Goldie — Sunburst Wildflower
Goldie is a 7-year-old mare from the Palomino Buttes HMA in Oregon, and she’s as unforgettable as they come. With her golden dunalino coat, white mane and tail, tiger-striped legs, and a distinct dun stripe down her back, she looks like she walked out of a fairytale. Add in white socks, a bold white blaze, and a sweet, intelligent expression— she stops people in their tracks.
Her show name is Sunburst Wildflower. I named her that in honor of my very first horse, an adorable and kind buckskin named Sunburst Buttercup. Giving my first mustang mare a namesake that ties back to the horse who started it all felt like the perfect tribute.
Goldie was originally chosen by Marissa Steffen as her 2025 Challenge partner, but as life shifted, Marissa offered me the incredible opportunity to step in. I shared more about Marissa and the other trainers' special moments of picking up Mustang Challenge horses in my October Equine Business Magazine article —it was the beginning of an unforgettable journey. Marissa is Sierra Steffen’s younger sister. You may remember Sierra’s journey to the Mustang Classic in 2024 on Dazzle. (December 2023, April 2024, November 2024)
At the time of pick up I had no idea that Goldie would be mine. The Steffen’s are amazing people, so I had to stick around to get video of Marissa and Sierra’s horses getting haltered by the famous Kayce Faulkner at the Oregon BLM Horse Corrals in Hines, Oregon.
I had the joy of riding Goldie a few times before an unexpected injury—a broken leg in mid-April—took me out of the saddle temporarily. As I write this now, I am approved to walk without crutches and have been on a horse a few times in a bareback pad.
Enter the magic of community! Whitney Campbell Wallace, who placed third overall at last year’s Vegas show, opened a training stall for Goldie at her training facility, WRC Performance Horses. Goldie is now progressing beautifully in her western riding training under Whitney’s expert care. I’ll be back in the saddle by the end of May, and plan to show in June to complete our show qualifications, while also creating our freestyle routine—an exciting, choreographed performance that could be showcased in the Championship Finals on July 12.
What We’re Competing In
The competition begins with preliminary classes on Thursday and Friday, July 10–11, where we’ll show in:
Trail – Maneuvering obstacles that mirror real-world riding.
Reining – Performing patterns with stops, spins, and lead changes.
Ranch Riding – Demonstrating working horse skills in a fluid, practical way.
The top 10 scoring horse-and-trainer pairs from those prelims will move on to the Championship Finals on Saturday night, July 12 at 6 PM. That evening’s event is an all-out showcase—combining compulsory maneuvers with a freestyle performance that includes music, costumes, and choreography. It’s not just about technical skill—it’s about celebrating the bond between horse and human in a way that moves the crowd.
Mustang Advocacy: Why This Work Matters
This competition is about so much more than sport—it’s about creating awareness and opportunities for America’s wild horses.
The mustangs showcased in the Mustang Challenge come from BLM-managed rangelands, where rising climate pressures—including drought, limited forage and water, and increasing wildfires—have created serious strain on both wildlife and habitat. In some areas, fires have burned across vital grazing areas and directly threatened entire herds.
The BLM gathers mustangs from the wild to protect the health of the land and ensure long-term sustainability for both wildlife and livestock. While these gathers are a subject of diverse opinions and perspectives, the truth is that many of these horses—like Goldie—end up in incredible adoptive homes where they’re trained, loved, and given a second chance.
I currently have three mustangs in my life, and each one has brought me a different kind of magic. The Mustang Challenge is a beautiful way to honor them and to show the public how much potential these horses have when given trust and a job.
Learn more about the adoption process: BLM Wild Horse & Burro Program
Community, Connection, and Big Dreams
What makes me different from many of the incredible people competing in the Mustang Challenge is that I’m not a professional mustang trainer, and this is my first mustang challenge to ever compete in. Most of the competitors are seasoned trainers who provide essential services to the mustang community, dedicating their time and talent to gentling and starting these wild horses under saddle. They say “go big or go home”... I suppose I am going big.
I come to this challenge as a small business owner, yogini, writer, photographer, and storyteller—someone who helps equestrians connect more deeply with their horses through yoga, and who captures the beauty of the horse-human bond through both photographs and words. I photograph horses and dogs with their people, and I also do event photography at equestrian gatherings.
With that, Goldie is proudly sponsored by The Yoga Stables, an online wellness collective offering rider-focused yoga, mindful movement, and strength training for equestrians—and anyone who loves to move with purpose. Whether in the saddle or on the mat, it’s a space for transformation, strength, and sparkle and classes are accessible to all, wherever you are. Goldie’s story is being beautifully documented by Alicia Mae Equine and Dog Photography, captured with honesty, light, and love.
Ripples in The Community
One of the things I’m most excited about in Las Vegas is seeing friends from the Pacific Northwest who are bringing mustangs they adopted. It’s surreal and deeply rewarding to see the article I wrote for the November Issue move from words to become real-world partnerships between humans and wild horses.
I also can’t wait to meet the new trainers stepping into the Mustang Challenge for the first time—because whether you’re a veteran or a first-timer, every person and every mustang in that arena has a story worth telling.
From being on the arena floor photographing mustang challenges, I know there’s something electric about being in a space where everyone shares the same love, respect, and awe for these horses. I can’t wait to be in the saddle with all of the trainers this time!
Why It Matters
The Mustang Challenge is more than just a competition. It’s a chance to show what these incredible animals are capable of when given patience, trust, and a purpose. Goldie represents every mustang waiting in holding for a chance at a new life—and she’s proving, one ride at a time, just how much she has to give.
We’re incredibly excited and honored to be a part of this journey. If you love mustangs, believe in second chances, or just want to be part of something inspiring, come to Vegas and cheer for the 60 mustangs entered and their incredible trainers.
Join Us in Las Vegas!
We’ll be at the South Point Arena from July 10–12, with the Championship Finals lighting up the stage on Saturday night at 6 PM.
📅 July 10–12, 2025 | South Point Arena, Las Vegas
🔥 60 mustangs | $125,000 in prizes | Unlimited heart
Whether you’re a horse lover, an adoption advocate, or someone who simply wants to witness real transformation, we hope you’ll come celebrate these incredible animals with us. Bring your cheers, your curiosity, and your open heart.
We'll be there—Goldie, Sunburst Wildflower, and me—ready to ride.
📷 Follow along on Instagram or Facebook –
📖 Read the full story from November here –
🔗 More info at MustangChallenge2025.com –
Written by Alicia VanderGriend
Yoga Instructor, Photographer & Mustang Enthusiast
The Yoga Stables - www.yogastables.com
YouTube Channel: @Alicia VanderGriend look for The Yoga Stables playlist!
FB: TheYogaStables IG: The_Yoga_Stables
Photography: Alicia Mae Equine & Dog Photography
This article is from the June issue of Equine Business Magazine
Comments