General Information:
- Horses must be identified by June 15, with the County Extension Office and exhibitors may be requested to have horses checked for identification purposes.
- Advancement Levels must be completed by June 15 All exhibitors must complete Level 1 to participate in the fair.
- Horses and exhibitors will be judged according to Nebraska 4-H Horse Show and Judging Guide.
- You will need this book to be successful in a Horse Project.
- Exhibitors may show one horse per class, up to 5 horses total.
- Exhibitors must enter one of the judged performance classes (this is not showmanship or halter) to be eligible to run barrels, poles, and/or rope.
- Check-in and Horse ID will be from 7:00-8:00 am, beside the bucking chutes. Bring your horse to the check-in table. Extension Staff will check your horse’s markings and brands against the identification sheets that were turned in on June 15. If the office does not have copies of your Horse ID sheets, you will not be allowed to show. Please bring your copies of your ID sheets with you to the fair. Confirm all classes entered. Pick up your Back Tag with your exhibitor number (keep this tag throughout fair week). Horse Show judging begins at 8:00 am. If you are entered in the first class, be ready to enter the arena at 8:00 am.
- English Pleasure class may ride with Western Pleasure at judge’s discretion.
- All horses must be haltered while at the fair.
- Chosen patterns will be posted the morning of the show. The reining patterns and show rules are located in the Nebraska 4-H Horse Show and Judging Guide, available at the Extension Office.
- A horse may be used in each event only once (i.e. two exhibitors may not use the same horse in the same event).
- For breakaway roping, the rope must pass over the calf's nose and come tight on calf's body behind the head. If steers are used, then team roping head catch rules will apply. In Break-a-way, roper will be allowed two loops: roper will be allowed to rebuild. Do not carry two ropes.
- Banding Horse(s) mane is allowed.
- An Overall Horseman will be chosen from the Junior, Intermediate, Senior divisions. Classes that count for points include Showmanship, Western/English Pleasure, Horsemanship, Reining, Trail, Barrels, Poles and Working Ranch. Points will be awarded on the following basis: Champion=6pt.; Reserve=5pt.; Purple=4pt.; Blue=3pt.; Red=2pt.; White=1pt. Tie will be broken by the highest number of Champion (6pt) placings.
- Conformation classes and Futurity classes will not be included in the Overall Horseman.
- STALLIONS MAY NOT BE SHOWN!
- Horses become one year older on January 1 for show purposes.
- Dress Code: "Plain" white shirt (no frills, gems or embellishments), dark blue western jeans with belt, boots (no crepe sole with wedges) & cowboy hat. Hat is optional during speed events and loss of hat is a penalty during these events.
ADVANCEMENT LEVELS
- Youth participating in the Horse Project are expected to learn about and care for their horse. The Advancement Levels are a way of showing this knowledge. There are four levels, each increasing in difficulty as the youth progresses. The Sheridan County 4-H Horse Show does require youth to pass Level I by June 15th. Youth who wish to participate in Break-away roping at the County Fair must complete Horse Advancement Level by July 1st.
- The knowledge and skills learned in Level I will help the youth to better understand the project, their horse and safety issues. This makes for a higher quality show and reduces the risk of injuries. State 4-H Horse Show requires Levels II, III and IV for entry into certain classes. Information and study guides can be found online at https://4h.unl.edu/statewide-events-opportunities/horse-program/horsema…
HORSE FUTURITY PROGRAM
- Futurity is a Sheridan County special program for those involved in the horse project who wish to train their own young horse.
- Pre-approval from the Horse Committee is needed to enter the Futurity Program.
- It is strongly recommended that an exhibitor be of the Intermediate Age Level before beginning the Futurity program. This is an extensive program that requires a lot of commitment.
- Youth are expected to be the full time caretakers of the horse entered and they are expected to break the horse themselves.
- The program begins with showmanship with a 2-year-old horse.
- A horse and/or member may be excused from participation in any one year of futurity with no points awarded and still compete the program. Before the show, written notice must be presented to the 4-H Council containing the reason why they cannot compete that year. (i.e. injury, sickness or yearling not yet castrated).
- Futurity Champion- member with the highest total points after the fourth year.
- Futurity horse may be used in any of the regular county events.
- Youth will show Futurity at the same time as the corresponding regular class.
- Exhibitors must enter a riding class to participate in the speed classes
Division 90 – Horse
G090001 Yearling Gelding – born any month in the previous year to the Show. See #15 and 16 above.
G090002 Yearling Fillies
G090003 Two-Year-Old Geldings
G090004 Two-Year-Old Fillies
G090005 Aged Mares Judging – youth will place a class of aged mares and compare it against the judges’ placing.
G090006 Aged Gelding Judging – youth will place a class of aged geldings and compare it against the judges’ placing.
G090007 Sr. Showmanship – age 14 or older as of January 1
G090008 Int. Showmanship – age 11, 12 or 13 as of January 1
G090009 Jr. Showmanship – age 8, 9 and 10 as of January 1
G090010 First Time Showmanship – youth may choose to show in this class, if it is their first time ever showing a horse, no matter what age of youth. This class will not receive points toward the Overall Champion Score nor be eligible for Round Robin. You cannot show in another Showmanship Class if entered in this one.
G090011 English Pleasure
G090012 Sr. Western Pleasure
G090013 Int. Western Pleasure
G090014 Jr. Western Pleasure
G090015 Walk Trot – this class is for Juniors only who have not completed the loping portion of the Level 1 testing but wish to still ride.
G090016 Sr. Horsemanship
G090017 Int. Horsemanship
G090018 Jr. Horsemanship
G090019 Sr. Reining
G090020 Int. Reining
G090021 Jr. Reining
G090022 Sr. Trail Class
G090023 Int. Trail Class
G090024 Jr. Trail Class
G090025 Sr. Barrel Race
G090026 Int. Barrel Race
G090027 Jr Barrel Race
G090028 Sr. Pole Bending
G090029 Int. Pole Bending
G090030 Jr. Pole Bending
G090031 Sr. Working Ranch Horse – move calf through an obstacle course
G090032 Int. Working Ranch Horse – move calf through an obstacle course
G090033 Jr. Working Ranch Horse-Dummy Roping – ages 8, 9 and 10 as of January 1- youth get to throw 5 loops.
G090034 Break-a-Way Roping – rope live calf. Must complete Advancement Level 2 to participate.
G090035 Hippology – participants will take a Hippology test to demonstrate their knowledge of their horse project
G090036 First Year Futurity – Showmanship
G090037 Second Year Futurity – Western Pleasure
G090038 Third Year Futurity – Trail
G090039 Fourth Year Futurity – Reining