2015 Delaware 4-H Horse Bowl
The Delaware 4-H Horse Bowl will be held on March 7, 2015 at Lake Forest North Elementary school. The entry form and guidelines for the 2015 contest are available on the State 4-H Animal Science page. Divisions are available for Ages 9-10, 11-13, and 14-19 as of January 1 of the 2015 4-H year.
Questions may come from the 4-H Horse Manuals:
“Giddy Up and Go”, “Head, Heart and Hooves”, “Stable Relationships”,
“Riding the Range,” “Jumping to New Heights,” “Horse Project Helper’s Guide.,”
and 4-H Horse curriculum corrections found on-line at www.n4hccs.org.
In addition to the 4-H Horse Project manuals:
Age 8-10: Your Pony, Your Horse, by Cherry Hill
Age 11-13: Your Horse, a step-by-step guide to horse ownership, by Judy Chapple (and age 8-10 material).
Horses and Horsemanship – by Ray Antoniewicz, National 4-H Council- NEW!!
Age 14 and older: Storey’s Horse-Lover’s Encyclopedia, edited by Deborah Burns (and age 8-10 and 11-13 material).
Horse Science- by Ray Antoniewicz, National 4-H Council- NEW!!
Teams must be preregistered in order to compete in the 4-H Horse Bowl. Day of contest entries will not be accepted. If you have registered for the Horse Bowl, you will receive written confirmation in return.
Entry deadline is February 13, 2015 to the State 4-H Office. For complete rules and an entry form, please visit the State 4-H Animal Science web page:
https://extold.anr.udel.edu/4h/files/2012/02/2015-HORSE-BOWL-CONTEST.pdf
Annie’s Project- Equine Sessions- NEW THIS YEAR!
February 27-April 17, 2015 Sponsored by UD Cooperative Extension and Harrington Raceway and Casino
Annie was a woman who grew up in a small town in Northern Illinois. Her goal was to marry a farmer and she did. Annie spent her lifetime learning how to be an involved business partner with her farm husband. Together they did great things, but it wasn’t easy. This is Annie’s Project – to take her experiences and share it with farm women living and working in a complex business.
Annie’s Project is designed to empower farm women to manage information systems used in critical decision making processes and to build local networks throughout the state. The target audience is farm women with a passion for business and involvement. This year’s sessions focus more specifically on the equine industry.
Project Topics cover the areas of Risk Management – Production, Insurance, Marketing, Financial, Legal Risk & Human Resources. Classes will be held weekly in the boardroom of the Harrington Raceway Race Office for 8 consecutive weeks.
2015 REGISTRATION Begins December 15, 2014
Visit the website http://extension.umd.edu/annies-project or contact Susan Garey, truehart@udel.edu or Tracy Wootten, wootten@udel.edu for program information.
2015 Spring 4-H/FFA Dairy Show
The Spring 4-H and FFA Dairy Show will be held on April 4, 2015 at the Delaware State Fairgrounds. Entries are due to 4-H volunteer Charmayne Busker by March 6, 2015. The show is open to all Delmarva Residents who are owners or lessors of Holstein, Jersey, Ayrshire, Guernsey and Brown Swiss cattle. The show will include both a Junior Division (age 21 & under as of January 1, 2014) and an Open Division which will run concurrently. For show information and an entry form please visit the state 4-H website. http://extold.anr.udel.edu/4h/projects-activities-for-members/4-h-animal-science/ We are always looking for additional show sponsors. If you are interested in sponsoring the 2015 show, please contact Charmayne by March 6 to be featured on the Spring Show t-shirt.
Delaware Livestock Exposition Benefit Dinner – March 14th
Mark your calendar for the 2015 Delaware Livestock Exposition, October 10-11 at the Delaware State Fairgrounds in Harrington. The show is a junior breeding show for beef cattle, sheep, swine, and boer goats and is open to exhibitors from across the country. Entry and registration information will be available in the summer. Premiums are paid to the top placing animals in each class. Sponsors and donors support the Expo financially however we still need your help too! The show committee is hosting a benefit dinner and auction on Saturday, March 14th in the Dover building on the Delaware State Fairgrounds. Tickets are $30 each or $220 for a table of 8 and will be available for purchase at the Kent County Extension office beginning in February. Please email Susan Garey truehart@udel.edu or Kristin Cook kristin@udel.edu to reserve yours now. All proceeds are used towards Livestock Exposition premiums and expenses. We are also actively looking for donations of unique items for our silent and live auctions that evening. Please join us for a fun filled evening to support our livestock youth!
4-H Dairy Project Group Meeting Opportunity- March 14th
The Delaware Holstein Association is holding their annual meeting on March 14, 2015 beginning at 10:00 am at Fawnwood Farm, minutes west of Chestertown, Maryland. The first part of the annual meeting consists of a tour of the Mason Family’s dairy operation and hearing about their value added farm product, Eve’s Cheese. Following the tour, there will be a local group meal (details still be finalized)and meeting with production awards for those that wish to participate in that portion. Any Delaware 4-H or FFA member is welcome to join in for just the tour or the entire program. For more information, or to RSVP, please contact Delaware Holstein Association President, Richard Morris at rmorris@udel.edu
Delaware 4-H Equine Art Contest- Entries Due April 10th
Calling all young artists! With categories encompassing painting, pastels, charcoals, photography, pencil, pen and ink and even crayons and markers for younger youth there is something for everyone in the Delaware 4-H Equine Art Contest. Entries are due to county offices on or before April 10, 2015 and will be put on display for the month of May at Chick’s retail store in Harrington, Delaware. Contest guidelines and entry information is posted on the State 4-H website. https://extold.anr.udel.edu/4h/files/2012/02/2015-Delaware-4-H-Equine-Art-Contest.pdf
2015 Pork Quality Assurance Certification for the Delaware State Fair
There are currently three options for obtaining PQA certification. The class certification option is open to any age but youth under the age of 8 (computed as of Jan 1 of the current year) must have a parent attend the class with them as national program guidelines do not permit a child under 8 to hold their own certification. Certification received through the classroom option is valid for one year.
Youth over the age of 12 (computed as of Jan 1 of the current year) have the option of taking a multiple choice test in lieu of attending classroom training. The benefit of the testing option is that certification may last for longer than one year, depending on the age of the youth at test time. Youth must score 70% or better to pass the test and can take versions of the test up to three times in one sitting to pass. Youth only need to complete one of these two options for obtaining certification- not both.
New for this year is an online training, testing, and certification option. Delivered in the form of an engaging, interactive online module, the new online option allows participants to learn, test, and become certified in Youth PQA Plus. For youth age 12 and under, a parent log-in for security is required.
Beginners who participate in the online module will receive a one year certification. Intermediate and senior youth, depending on their age at the time of completing the course and if they pass the exam, could receive a three year certification, or certification lasting until they age out of their division if it’s less than three years, and move into the next age division. If an intermediate or senior youth member does not pass their exam online, they will receive a one year certification. For more information and to complete your certification online, please visit http://www.pork.org/youth-pqa-plus/
The following local PQA class training dates have been scheduled for this spring:
April 17, 2015 – NCC PQA Classroom Training- New Castle Country Extension Office 6:30-8:30 pm
April 21, 2015 – Sussex County PQA Classroom Training-Carvel Center 6:30-8:30 pm
June 1, 2015- FINAL PQA Classroom Training- Kent County Extension Office- 6:30-8:30 pm
The following PQA testing dates have been scheduled for this spring (walk in any time):
May 4, 2015- Sussex PQA Open Testing-Carvel Center- 4:00 pm-6:00 pm
May 7, 2015- NCC PQA Open Testing- New Castle County Extension office- 4:00 pm-6:00 pm
June 9, 2015- Kent County PQA Open Testing- Kent County Extension Office- 4:00pm-6:00 pm
You may attend class or testing in any of the locations. If you plan on attending any of these sessions, please RSVP to Susan Garey (302)730-4000 or truehart@udel.edu at least three days prior so that there will be adequate materials. Please contact Susan Garey if you have any questions or concerns in regards to PQA certification needs.
5th Annual Delmarva Classic Goat Show- New Date!
The Delmarva Goat Association will host their 5th Annual Delmarva Classic on May 2nd and 3rd. It will take place at the Delaware State Fairgrounds in Harrington, Delaware.
Saturday, May 2nd will feature an Open Junior Boer Breed and Showmanship Show and an Open ABGA Sanctioned Boer Goat Show. Sunday – May 3rd will feature an Open ABGA Sanctioned Boer Goat Show. For more complete rules and entry forms please visit the DGA website at http://www.delmarvagoat.com/news—events.html
Delmarva Goat Association Junior Herdsman Award
The Delmarva Goat Association is excited to announce the DGA Youth Herdsman Award for all youth 21 and under that are members of the DGA. There are two categories Senior and Junior with a monetary award and a jacket. This award is a reflection of a youth’s work with the goat industry for a year. They will need to keep records of what and where they were involved in goat activities. For more information please visit the DGA website at http://www.delmarvagoat.com/news—events.html or call (302)242-3464.
Harness Racing Camp Coming June 20-24, 2015!
The Harness Horse Youth Foundation, Harrington Raceway and University of Delaware Cooperative Extension are pleased to be partnering once again to hold a 5 day-4 night harness racing camp for youth ages 12-14. The Harness Horse Youth Foundation is a charitable 501(c)3 organization dedicated to providing young people and their families educational opportunities with harness horses, in order to foster the next generation of participants and fans. Harness racing camp gives youth an opportunity to experience working with, caring for and driving harness racing ponies while interacting with industry professionals and learning to work together. Camp will begin on Saturday morning, June 20 and end on Wednesday evening, June 24. That evening, Harrington Raceway will feature campers participating in televised races on Harrington’s track with well-known drivers as their racing partners.
Campers will reside in the state police barracks on the Delaware State Fairgrounds for the duration of the camp. The camp fee is $150 per participant which includes all meals and camp expenses. Camp attendance is limited in order to provide proper supervision for this intensive and fun learning experience! Registration information and applications can be found on the HHYF website http://www.hhyf.org/schedule-applications