Stalco Construction rescues wild mustang - Lost Cowboy; Sponsor training by Schadt

A rescued four-year-old wild mustang from a free-roaming herd in the American West arrived at a farm for training in anticipation of adoption. Lost Cowboy fashion brand's founders, and senior executives of N.Y.C.-based Stalco Construction, Scott Pavick and Kevin Harney, organized and sponsored the wild horse's transfer from one of the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) holding facilities, where rounded-up mustangs are held as a means of population control. The "natural horsemanship" training practitioner Cliff Schadt, Jr. enlisted the help of Pavick, Harney, and a saddle bronc champion Jace Angus, who wears Lost Cowboy's colors, to prepare the wild animal for adoption later this year. The mustang, a four-year-old gelding, arrived on Long Island following a long drive from BLM's temporary facility in Illinois. The animal was greeted for the first time by its trainer and sponsors, who, as experienced riders, will also assist in the training. Upon the horse's arrival, Harney and Pavick held a naming ceremony and selected the name Lost Cowboy. Lost Cowboy is 15.2 hands high (a hand is four inches) and sports a black color with brown undertones. It was captured on the Nevada-California border and is a descendent of the horses brought to the New World by the Spanish explorers, animals released by the U.S. Cavalry during the World War One to breed war horses in the wild, and local ranch horses. "We are deeply moved by the presence of this majestic animal that symbolizes the American culture, heritage, values, and perseverance," said Harney. "It is our privilege to help save Lost Cowboy and we hope to enlist more supporters in preserving and rescuing American mustangs." Lost Cowboy's training is part of the national Extreme Mustang Makeover program developed by the Mustang Heritage Foundation (MHF). The foundation's mission is to increase adoption of wild horses held in the BLM's corrals and long-term holding facilities. The BLM is currently responsible for more than 50,000 horses in short and long-term care. Lost Cowboy will undergo a 90-day training in preparation for a skills show and competition, which will be followed by an adoption auction. Schadt said, "The mustang will be trained in all facets of basic horse training, including confidence, posture, calmness, and obedience." The MHF's show will take place on September 22-23 at the Mountain Springs Arena in Shartlesville, PA. All adult mustangs will be available for adoption after the event. Stalco Construction's senior estimator Scott Pavick and principal Kevin Harney established the Lost Cowboy fashion brand in 2013 to reflect their love of the American West's culture, heritage, and values. Based in Shirley, N.Y., the firm recently released its first collection of custom-designed T-shirts. Harney and Pavick, both avid horse riders and amateur penning and roping competitors, met as colleagues at Stalco, a prominent New York construction firm, established by Harney and his business partner. True to his appreciation of Western values, Harney implemented a set of ethical principles at his construction firm, called Cowboy Ethics - The Code of the West, which was developed by Jim Owen through his Austin, TX-based Center for Cowboy Ethics and Leadership. Cliff Schadt, Jr. was born and raised in Mattituck on Long Island. He left home at 16 to pursue adventure and work in the American West. Schadt has competed in numerous rodeos and worked for and managed many ranches throughout Oregon, Nevada, Wyoming, and Montana. He recently returned to Long Island and established a Common Thread Horsemanship school. Schadt is a practitioner of the gentle, thoughtful "natural horsemanship" method of horse training. Sponsored by Lost Cowboy, Jace Angus is a professional saddle bronc rider, who is currently ranked 27th in the world by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and first on PRCA's First Frontier Circuit. He was born and raised in the northwest. Angus will enter the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas this year. In Angus's freshman and sophomore years of college, he won the West Coast Region for NIRA (National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association), and also qualified for the College National Finals twice, winning a round and placing in two which helped push him to the next level in his career. Angus joined the PRCA in 2011and was able to quickly fill his permit and win his first Pro Rodeo in Tupelo, MS. He then went on to place second in CPRA. Angus placed fifth at the Dixie Nationals in Jackson, MS, and also placed first in Austin, TX.