31 Delaware 4-H Horse project members competed recently at the 54th Annual State 4-H Horse Show held on July 26, 2019 in the Quillen Arena during the Delaware State Fair. Put on by 4-H volunteers on the State 4-H Horse Advisory Committee, the show offers 4-H members the opportunity to show and learn under the guidance of capable volunteers and judges while having fun at the same time.
Judged this year by Terry Helder of Wrightsville, Pennsylvania members competed in the required showmanship classes as well as horsemanship, equitation, trail, pleasure, ranch riding and fun classes like barrel racing, egg and spoon, dollar bareback and costume. Trail classes were evaluated by Ms. Renee Anderson of Milford, Delaware.
Champion and Reserve Champion Horse Show awards were sponsored by the Delaware Equine Council and the State 4-H Horse Advisory Committee respectively and were presented to the following 4-H members:
Champion Western Horse- Rylee Ridgely exhibiting Ima Custom Cruzer- Kent County
Reserve Champion Western Horse– Sydney Messick exhibiting Zip It Up Charlie- Kent County
Champion English Horse- Stephanie Strachar exhibiting Confidential- Kent County
Reserve Champion English Horse – Kassidy Kohland exhibiting Hurricane- Kent County
Champion English Pony- Angelo Retzos exhibiting Sadie- Sussex County
Reserve Champion English Pony – Emily Davis exhibiting Star– Sussex County
Grand Champion Walk Trot – Savannah Messick exhibiting Roxy Dee Heart – Kent County
Reserve Champion Walk Trot – Gracie Ricker exhibiting Good Kinda Cocktail – Sussex County
The Betty Niblett Perpetual Trophy is presented to the 4-H member who acquires the most points in Showmanship and Equitation/horsemanship classes. Betty was the President of the State 4-H Horse Advisory Committee at the time of her death and helping kids with horse projects was a passion of hers. The winner of the 2019 Betty Niblett Perpetual Trophy was Sydney Messick of the Peach Blossom 4-H Club in Kent County.
The annual horse show is open to any 4-H member on the Delmarva Peninsula or Delaware 4-H members. Thank you to our gold sponsor of the 2019 show; the State 4-H Horse Advisory Committee and our Silver Sponsors; the Delaware Equine Council and Dixon Excavating.