Apply as a Trainer

Click here for the Division Horses

 

In order to apply for ANY division:

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1. Easily be able to travel to the pick up in West Virginia April 30th and for the THREE DAYS event at the end of August (22-24). If you cannot be present in May for selection, you must be able to select your horse via livestream and pick up by the weekend after.

2. Demonstrate an exceptional skill level with horses of a multitude of backgrounds.

3. Show a history of sensible, humane horsemanship.

4. Be willing to commit to consistent video and photo updates of your horse’s progress for 100 days on social media.

5. Have a network that will allow your to successfully secure sponsors for much of your horse’s care (or have financial resources that make caring for your training horse no burden).

6. Be a great sport in a team environment

7. Plan to work to market your training horse

8. All trainers will compete in Basic skills (with a ground work section required), Trail Course and Free Style segments over the course of competition in August.

9. Trainers MUST agree to haul their horse back to the event or the rescue at their cost 

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We have, after intense considersation, decided to have the 365 Division absorb the "Outlaw" Horses for a few reasons:

1) We have few horses at this time that meet Outlaw Criteria

2) Truly difficult horses are best served with 6-12 months of training, thus will move forward as 365 horses.

3) We've had a lot of good interest in long term training for competition, which is so super!

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Competitors can take a showcases horses on pick up day, if they wish.

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There are 4 Competition Training divisions:

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All require trainers demonstrate a skill level that fits the level of horses expected to be in the division they enter, as well as:

• An established history of equine training,

• Extensive ground work understanding demonstrated in video

• Have a proven history of quality training references can share about

• Have a safe facility the fits the needs of the division level you apply for

• Horses at their facility must be up to date on needed care

• May be 16-17 with good equine support system if all other criteria is met

• Vet and farrier history on your horses must be up to date

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All  trainers must:

 

Submit 2 videos of your work to be evaluated by our judge panel (judges will be outside of Heart of Phoenix, as well as within our organizations. Panel is anonymous to applicants). Riding and ground work is required.

Submission can be sent to the Appalachian Trainer Facebook Page via messenger. These can also be posted and linked to us from social media or youtube.

Ideally, submit videos with an unhandled horse or troubled horses, if apply for the Outlaw Division.

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Diamond Division – this division will have horses that:

• Are considered to be unstarted

• Horses are under age 16

• Expected to be relatively without

• May be unhandled or feral but lower level based on our evaluation, should be mostly simple blank slates, most will be handled / haltered / leadable.

• Horses like Coolio from 2023 would fit this mold.

• For 2025, the tentative cash prizes are:
  $1,000 Champion Placement and 50% of adoption fee of their horses. Typically, 1/2 a ton of feed is given to this division’s champion.

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Platinum Division – this division will have horses that:​

• Horses are Under age 16

• These horses have been ridden.

• They need more miles, skills and polish to find the right home.

• Horses will not be suspected of a truly troubled past.

• Judged expectation will be these horses can accomplish more during the training time and have a higher performance level at competition.

• These horses may prove more adoptable to the average home.

• Horses in this division will be horses we often saw as showcases, aka Lil Wayne from 2023 (good example).

• These horses will have a more complex trail course, basic skills portion and so forth at the event.

• For 2025, the tentative cash prizes are: $1,000 Champion Placement and 50% of adoption fee of their horses.. Typically, 1/2 a ton of feed is given to this division’s champion.

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365 Division – this division will have horses that:​

​*If selecting a difficult feral horse, you do need to have a proven success history with that type of horse.*

• Typically under 16 at the start

• May be started but troubled or a reactive, difficult feral or just be a horse that needs a LOT of time for other reasons or a lot of marketing to be adoptable.

• This division will carry a higher prize award for the champion than the other divisions. Pick up of 365 horses for 2026 can be anytime from January 2025 through January 2026. This horses are selected by the trainers at the time they decide to commit to compete in 2026. Competition isn't required for 365 trainers, it is an option.

• Horses like Valero and Guinness fit this mold.

• For 2025, the tentative cash prizes are: $2,000 Champion Placement and 75% of the adoption fee.

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The Whippersnapper Division – this division will have horses that:​​

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• Unstarted, young horses

• Assigned by random draw

• This division required a proven history of previous success with foals or youngsters horses.

• For 2025, the tentative cash prizes are: $500 Champion Placement and 50% of the set adoption fee. Not in auction.

• Read MORE DETAILS HERE

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Approximately 6-12  trainers will be selected for each Division.

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A revised set of extended guidelines will be given out in a packet to selected trainers in late April.

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The Non-Competitive Showcase Division horses will go back in the auction, if not adopted before the event at a fee set by the trainers.

These horses are all ages, started and unstarted, some head to trainers before the event starts in May 2025, some head to trainers after May.

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Awards are also given combining divisions for:

Fan Favorite

Best Turned out horse (best groomed / tacked and conditioned horse)

Glow Up (giving consideration to those who select horses in sub-par condition at pick up and rehab the horse).

Best Social Media

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