Contributed by Sawyer Fonnesbeck, U of I Ag Extension Educator

Practice makes perfect. This is a principle that 4-H members are taught each year. The local 4-H horse clubs had an opportunity to practice and show off their skills at this year’s practice horse show. The staff at the Oneida county 4-H office organized and managed this year’s show. 13 youth were in attendance, and everyone had a great time. Members of the horse 4-H clubs have been practicing with their horses all summer, and that was apparent at this show. Many of the classes which these youth will see at the county fair were available for them to compete in during this practice show. These classes included: Halter and Showmanship classes, Walk-Trot Western Equitation, Western Reining, a trail class, and a fun egg in spoon contest. 

This year was particularly exciting since it was the first time that some new equipment was able to be used. Thanks to a grant that was applied for by the Oneida county 4-H office, lumber was able to be purchased to construct a new bridge, rope gate, a mailbox post, and walk-over poles. All of these were used in the trail class and were built to standards developed by the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) and the Pacific Northwest 4-H horse contest guidelines. These new items will be a huge benefit to the local 4-H program and will be available for 4-H club leaders to use during their individual club meetings for the kids to practice with. 

Placings for the practice show were as follows. 

Horsemanship: Senior Division: 1st-Kristal Ford. Intermediate Division: 1st-Abbie Cox, 2nd-Paisley Davis, 3rd-Cecille Hill, 4th-Paisley Moyer, 5th-Sam Schrenk. Junior Division: 1st-Tanner Corbridge, 2nd-Maudee Leavitt, 3rd-Cassidy Schrenk, 4th-Kendrey Bywater, 5th-Tayvia Bywater.

Trail in Hand: Senior Division: 1st-Austin Moyer. Intermediate Division: 1st-Paisley Moyer.

Equitation: Senior Division: 1st-Kristal Ford. Intermediate Division: 1st-Sam Schrenk, 2nd-Abbie Cox, 3rd-Paisley Davis, 4th-Cecille Hill, 5th-Paisley Moyer. Junior Division: 1st-Tanner Corbridge, 2nd-Cassidy Schrenk, 3rd-Maudee Leavitt, 4th-Kendrey Bywater, 5th-Tayvia Bywater, 6th-Saige Blaisdell.

Trail: Senior Division: 1st-Kristal Ford. Intermediate Division: 1st-Paisley Davis, 2nd-Sam Schrenk, 3rd-Abbie Cox, 4th-Paisley Moyer, 5th-Cecille Hill. Junior Division: 1st-Tanner Corbridge, 2nd-Cassidy Schrenk, 3rd-Tayvia Bywater, 4th-Saige Blaisdell, 5th-Kendrey Bywater, 6th-Maudee Leavitt.

Halter: Senior Division: 1st-Kristal Ford. Intermediate Division: 1st-Paisley Davis, 2nd-Sam Schrenk, 3rd-Cecille Hill. Junior Division: 1st-Cassidy Schrenk, 2nd-Tanner Corbridge, 3rd-Kendrey Bywater, 4th-Maudee Leavitt, 5th-Tayvia Bywater, 6th-Saige Blaisdell.

Showmanship: Senior Division: 1st-Kristal Ford, 2nd-Austin Moyer. Intermediate Division: 1st-Abbie Cox, 2nd-Sam Schrenk, 3rd-Paisley Moyer, 4th-Cecille Hill, 5th-Paisley Davis. Junior Division: 1st-Cassidy Schrenk, 2nd-Kendrey Bywater, 3rd-Maudee Leavitt, 4th-Tayvia Bywater, 5th-Tanner Corbridge, 6th-Saige Blaisdell. 

A huge Thank You goes out to Kelly Sorensen, Oneida county Extension office manager, for organizing this year’s event. Thanks to Wes Allen for being our judge this year and thanks also to Sherry Moeller, Maestin Tubbs, Wes Allen, and Sawyer Fonnesbeck for their help during the planning and execution of this event. The 4-H horse show for the Oneida county fair will be held on August 16 at 8 a.m. at the fairgrounds. For more information on this program or other 4-H programs, please contact the Oneida county Extension office at 208-766-2243 or email [email protected].