WLM Sprinter 2014 | Page 16

WLM

| family

courtesy Tom & Arianne Hagwood

hay to keep their horse training business
in operation, and have been asked to teach
their techniques. “Since my wife went to
Fort Worth and also won with the same
two reign outfit that I use, a lot of people
are asking what these guys are doing up in
Wyoming,” Tom said. “With horsemanship,
the key is hard work. That’s what we’re
going to convey to people – that they need
to ride their horse a lot to train them.”
The Hagwoods are thrilled to be
established in Wyoming, a state they had
hoped to return to for years, thanks to the
mustangs that have come into their lives.
“My wife went to college at LCCC and
we’ve always liked Southeast Wyoming,”
Tom said. “I had lived in Wyoming a couple
of times previously, working on different
ranches. I worked up by Ranchester some,
and rode saddle bronc horses over at the
Cody Nite Rodeo.”

little grouchy once in a while, and Merv
started the horses on that ranch. Merv
has passed away now – died right about
the time we moved to Wyoming.” Tom
chuckled a little, saying again, “I named him
after a grumpy old cow boss.”
You can see Tom’s winning routine
by looking up “Mustang Million Tom
Hagwood” on youtube; you can learn more
about Tom, Merv, the Mustang Million
and the Mustang Heritage Foundation
by visiting mustangmillion.com. Today,
the mustangs that the Hagwoods have
adopted have become a part of the family,
with humans and horses working the
land together. For this Wyoming family,
the mustangs that have made fine equine
partners on their ranch ended up saving
them in return. W L M

The horses are a
part of everyday
life on the ranch,
helping out with the
daily work load.
Merv’s work ethic
and personality
have lived up to
his name. “I named
Merv after an
old cow buff in
Nevada,” Tom
laughed. “He was a
cattle boss. I named
him after Merv
because he acts a

16

Wyoming Lifestyle Magazine | Sprinter 2014

© Hyla Burleson Photography