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Appalachian Trainer Face Off

Trainers Changing the Lives of Adoptable Horses from Appalachia in a National Competition

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2022 ATFO ADOPTABLE Gaited Horses

  • by T. Creamer
  • Posted on July 13, 2021July 26, 2022

40+ Horses for Adoption APPLY to Adopt today – Follow the 100 Day training Journey.…

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  • Trainers and Horses

2022 ATFO Adoptable Ponies and Horses under 15hh

  • by T. Creamer
  • Posted on July 13, 2021May 17, 2022

40+ Horses for Adoption APPLY to Adopt today – Follow the 100 Day training Journey.…

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  • Trainers and Horses

2022 ATFO Horses 14.3HH or over

  • by T. Creamer
  • Posted on July 13, 2021July 28, 2022

40+ Horses for Adoption APPLY to Adopt today – Follow the 100 Day training Journey.…

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  • Trainers and Horses

2021 ATFO Adoptable Foals

  • by T. Creamer
  • Posted on July 13, 2021July 14, 2021

ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM: Search the #HASHTAG on each photo to see all trainer posts,…

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  • Trainers and Horses

2022 ATFO Adoptable Mares

  • by T. Creamer
  • Posted on July 13, 2021May 26, 2022

40+ Horses for Adoption APPLY to Adopt today – Follow the 100 Day training Journey.…

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  • Trainers and Horses

2022 ATFO Adoptable Geldings

  • by T. Creamer
  • Posted on July 13, 2021July 13, 2022

40+ Horses for Adoption APPLY to Adopt today – Follow the 100 Day training Journey.…

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  • Trainers and Horses

ATFO T-shirts

  • by T. Creamer
  • Posted on June 18, 2021

Click there to support the ATFO by buying an ATFO and/or Team shirt!

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  • Trainers and Horses

Youth In Hand Trainer Application

  • by T. Creamer
  • Posted on April 9, 2021

Apply as a Youth In Hand Here – As well as submitting a youth Bio,…

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  • Trainers and Horses

2022 Approved Adopters

  • by T. Creamer
  • Posted on July 29, 2020July 21, 2022

Sign Your Form here READ OVER The Riding Levels and Horse Levels here 2022 ADOPTION…

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  • Trainers and Horses

Showcase Division: Sara Staley and Jack Daniels

  • by T. Creamer
  • Posted on June 17, 2020July 2, 2020

Showcase Division: Sara Staley Jack Daniels – TB X TWH gelding, 16hh, 15-17 years old…

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  • Trainers and Horses

AM. Division Trace Hentschel and Cruz

  • by T. Creamer
  • Posted on June 9, 2020

AM Division – Trace Henschel Cruz – Mustang Mare, 14.2, 4 years old #HOPTEAMCRUZ Follow…

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  • Trainers and Horses

PRO: Dallas Schleg and Galileo

  • by T. Creamer
  • Posted on June 9, 2020June 9, 2020

PRO Division – Dallas Schleg Galileo Mustang Gelding 16hh 5 years old #HOPTEAMGalileo Search this…

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  • Trainers and Horses

Olivia Dixon and I AM IRON MAN

  • by T. Creamer
  • Posted on June 4, 2020

Showcase Division – IRON MANREG. APPENDIX Quarter Horse Gelding 16hh est #HOPTEAMIronman Follow this team…

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  • Trainers and Horses

Kevin Tempus with Beatrix and Allegra

  • by T. Creamer
  • Posted on June 4, 2020June 9, 2020

Showcase Division – Beatrix and Allegra Percheron Mares, 16hh+, (both under 12)Beatrix is the older…

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  • Trainers and Horses

Clea Casto and Avalon

  • by T. Creamer
  • Posted on June 4, 2020June 9, 2020

Showcase Division – Avalon2 year old Gaited filly14hh est when grown #HOPTEAMAVALON Follow this team…

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  • Trainers and Horses

Kelly Cain and Leisel

  • by T. Creamer
  • Posted on June 4, 2020June 9, 2020

Showcase Division – Leisel 7 year old Gaited mare15hh est #HOPTEAMLeisel Follow this team by…

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  • Trainers and Horses

Sonya Bell and Cerise

  • by T. Creamer
  • Posted on June 4, 2020June 9, 2020

Showcase Division – Cerise7 year old Quarter Pony mare14.1hh est #HOPTEAMCerise Follow this team with…

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  • Trainers and Horses

Maggie England and Barton

  • by T. Creamer
  • Posted on June 4, 2020June 9, 2020

Showcase Division – Barton5 year old STB X Morgan Gelding14.2hh est #HOPTEAMBarton Keep up with…

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  • Trainers and Horses

Adam Black and Siri

  • by T. Creamer
  • Posted on June 4, 2020June 9, 2020

PRO Division – Adam Black SIRI4 year old Mustang Mare15hh est #HOPTEAMSiri Follow this hashtag…

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  • Trainers and Horses

Bailey Harless and Jonas

  • by T. Creamer
  • Posted on June 4, 2020June 9, 2020

Showcase Division – Jonas13-15 year old Morgan gelding14.1hh est#HOPTEAMJONAS Follow this team for updates here:…

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  • Trainers and Horses

PRO: Kelly Butcher and Felipe

  • by T. Creamer
  • Posted on June 3, 2020July 2, 2020

PRO Division – Kelly Butcher Felipe Appalachian Brumby – Gaited 14hh 4 years old Gelding…

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  • Trainers and Horses

Alexis Emch and Merigold

  • by T. Creamer
  • Posted on May 28, 2020June 9, 2020

Showcase Division – MERIGOLD4 year old Arabian Mare14.2hh#HOPTEAMMERIGOLD Follow this team: https://www.facebook.com/applachiantrainerfaceoff/photos/a.2728434920718862/2738530756375945/?type=3&theaterConnect with the trainer…

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  • Trainers and Horses

Zak Wheeler and Godiva

  • by T. Creamer
  • Posted on May 28, 2020June 9, 2020

Pro Team – Zak Wheeler Godiva11 year old Mustang Mare14.2hh est #HOPTEAMGodiva Follow this hash…

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  • Trainers and Horses

Natalie Rothman and Stryker

  • by clairelopacki
  • Posted on May 17, 2020June 9, 2020

Showcase Division – Natalie Rothman Stryker – 19 year old Mustang gelding, 15hh est #HOPTEAMSTRYKER…

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  • Trainers and Horses

Audrey Cowan and Stella

  • by clairelopacki
  • Posted on May 17, 2020June 9, 2020

Showcase Division – Audrey Cowan Stella – 4 year old Morgan Mare, 141.hh est #HOPTEAMSTELLA…

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“Well most people don’t know because I literally haven’t told anyone but I sprained my ankle 2 weeks ago so I haven’t been able to ride at all and doing any groundwork is a struggle.
Ferrari with his little girl 💕
Ask any trainer, they would rather train a blank slate than a horse with a "bag" of issues.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eRpNaL3YWY

Incredible, Living Saving Innovation

Operating in one of the nation’s most economically challenged regions, Heart of Phoenix found through necessity there was a need to create innovative ways to get a large number of horses trained and adopted each year on a small budget. Our answer to this was the Appalachian Trainer Face Off, a training competition that began in 2017.

The ATFO currently is the largest equine event in West Virginia, hosting over 1,000 people in attendance over the course of the 3 day August event each year.

This event has helped make a rescue organization an equine leader in our state.

The ATFO horses previously without much hope of adoption for 100 days with trainers from May through August.

Many of the horses are rounded up entirely unhandled. Trainers apply and go through a screening process, and horses are vetted and cleared beforehand. These horsemen and women work with their horses to offer accomplished, willing equine partners up for adoption and document their process strategically on social media. The photos, stories and videos required create a vested interest by the public in the success of each horse, trainer and the “ATFO.”

Trainers then compete for 3 days in August to showcase all they have accomplished with their horses. In the end, the trainers showcase their skills, horses gain training, and most go into approved adoptive homes in an auction format event the end where fees went as high as  $13,000, as of 2020.

Adopters are pre-approved and adopted through adoption agreements.

There are prize packages made possible by the ASPCA and other sponsors. Nationally known clinicians, such a Josh Lyons, Michael Lyons and Patrick King have stepped up as judges. We also have a nice array of vendors.

The Appalachian Trainer Face Off has seen remarkable numbers of equines into homes with solid foundations under them, proven the value of the adoptable horses and highlighted excellent trainers.

The trainers leave the event with a new partnership with the us, as well, that continues to give back through the months and years after each event ends.  They also happily market their adoption horses and the organization standing behind them, which helps further cement Heart of Phoenix as a worthwhile part of the horse industry in Appalachia.  It helps the public realize considering adoption first makes a lot of sense.

Like many of the things we do here in Appalachia, we wanted to make sure this event offered a return in a multitude of ways, so while the primary goals are training and adoption of horses, additional benefits are increasing our name recognition across the area, gaining training partners that last once the event ends each year and making adoption extremely mainstream within the horse community.

 

Heart of Phoenix believes when faced with uncommon adversity, you should try to not only make sure all efforts create a great deal of impact, but that we also need to make certain we are tackling multiple issues at once. We have found the Appalachian Trainer Face Off has accomplished so many things that leads to better view of what horse rescue means, what adoption should look like and how the horse industry can help us help horses in a meaningful way.

About Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue

Heart of Phoenix is a partner of the Right Horse Initiative. Starting in 2009 and founding formally in 2012, “HOP” was the only rescue in the state of West Virginia for many years and is now the leading equine organization of any kind there. They believe in “working together to improve the lives of horses in transition through a dialogue of kindness and respect.” They collaborate with dozens and dozens of trainers across this country to make more horses adoptable. There efforts help shatter any stigma and reframe the conversation around equine adoption in order to massively increase horse adoption in the United States.

To learn more, visit www.wvhorserescue.org.

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Contact Us

equinerescue@live.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbN3-LAovkQ

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