JACKSON, Miss. – Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson is excited to announce the kick off of The Safe Horse Project's latest event, the 2023 Heart of the Horse Expo and Trainers Challenge.
The event is a spinoff from previous Safe Horse Fairs and Auctions, with an emphasis on promoting a regional trainers challenge. Horse trainers from five states are converging on the MS State Fairgrounds on Saturday, January 14th to pick their equine Challenge partner from a line up of over 30 untrained rescue horses. They will take them home for a 120 day training period before returning to to exhibit the results of their training and to compete for over $15,000 in cash and prizes. The public can follow their favorite horse and trainer teams through social media during the 120 Trainer Challenge, attend the finals competition at the Kirk Fordice Equine Center in Jackson on May 19th and 20th, and bid on their favorite horse at the live Safe Horse Auction that will conclude the event on May 20th, 2023.
The horses participating in the Heart of the HorseTrainers Challenge will be available for adoption through the Safe Horse Auction, along with a number of other horses that have been fully vetted, evaluated and trained. All potential adopters/bidders must be pre-approved for adoption through application to Mississippi Horses (www.mississippihorses.org) and must make arrangements to meet with the horse and its trainer in advance of the auction in order to bid. The auction horses will be available for showing to potential buyers by appointment only beginning Saturday, April 29th. This type of auction provides the setting to match buyers and horses appropriately according the suitability of the horse for the abilities and activities intended by the buyer, thereby ensuring long-term interest and lasting homes. Visit www.thesafehorseproject.org/ for more information.
The Safe Horse Project’s mission is to grow participation in equine ownership as well as to provide support for equine professionals and businesses. There is an epidemic of unwanted, untrained, or poorly trained horses on the market, leaving those wanting to enter the world of horse ownership at a loss on how and where to find a horse suitable for their skill level. The Safe Horse Project, spear headed by Mississippi Horse Rescue, hopes to bring awareness to the problem by promoting responsible horse ownership through events like the Heart of the Horse Expo and Trainers Challenge. You can follow your favorite horse/trainer team on Social Media and by visiting the Safe Horse Project’s web site at www.thesafehorseproject.org.
