IDENTIFICATION: All 4-H horses must be identified by description on the 4-H Horse ID sheet (F2-97-77) as to color, markings, brands, etc., or colored photo. Be detailed with markings and color and use registered names (if appropriate). There is no limit on the number of horses identified by each 4-H member. ID forms are due in the Extension Office by June 15. Horses not identified by June 15 will not be allowed to show.
Regulations, dress code and procedures will be those set forth in the “Nebraska 4-H Horse Show and Judging Guide” available from the extension office or UNL Marketplace.
WESTERN DRESS CODE:
- A western hat must be worn and should stay on during the performance. Hats are optional only in barrel racing and pole bending. Hat must stay on in barrel racing and pole bending if rider enters the arena wearing hat (two-second fine for losing hat). In speed events, if hats are not worn, a plain white or green headband may be worn for rider’s hair control if band is 3 inches or less in width. Feathers, if present, may not protrude beyond the outer edge of the brim nor above the top of the crown.
- Shirts and blouses must be all white, including buttons, thread, etc., with convertible collars (one that is meant to be folded at the seam line and may or may not be buttoned at the base of neck). Tuxedo, turtleneck or other stand-up collars are not permitted. National, country, or club emblems, medals, etc., are no permitted at county, or state shows. No rhinestones, silver collar tips or similar embellishments on blouses are permitted. Sheer, see-through blouses are inappropriate and not permitted. Sleeveless shirts and blouses are not permitted. Long sleeves are recommended, although short sleeves are permitted. Rain or cold weather may alter dress code when approved by the horse superintendents.
- Dark blue denim jeans must be worn, and a belt is recommended. Heavy contrasting threading and fringes are not permitted. Minimal white or tan thread on the rear pockets is permitted. No rhinestones, silver studs, or similar embellishments are permitted.
- Color of hat, gloves, boots, chaps, etc., is optional.
- Hard-soled shoes or cowboy boots are considered safe and appropriate. Boots with waffle-type tread greater than or equal to 1/8" will not be allowed in riding classes.
- Spurs are permissible but must be dull and if roweled must be free moving.
- A 4-H arm band is required in county and state 4-H horse shows. Arm band is to be worn on the left arm above the elbow, with the stem of the clover pointed downward. Failure to wear armband will result in receiving a white ribbon.
- Optional: Protective head gear (helmets); chaps in Reining, Ranch Riding, Western Riding and Trail; gloves in any class; tie or scarf.
- Prohibited: Ball caps or hats other than western; medals, emblems, large feathers, etc., on hats; spurs are not to be worn in Showmanship and Halter classes. Decisions will be at the discretion of show management.
Note: Additional optional and prohibited attire and/or equipment pertaining to specific classes are noted in the rules for that class. (4-H373, 4-H Horse Show and Judging Guide)
English Classes Dress Code: See the 4-H Horse Show and Judging Guide (4-H373).
HEALTH REQUIREMENTS: NO health certificates are needed prior to showing at the fair. It should be brought to the attention of the horse superintendents as soon as possible of any potentially ill horses. There may be an option for the veterinarian to inspect potentially ill horses if requested by the superintendents the day of the show.
NUMBER OF ENTRIES PER EXHIBITOR:
- Each exhibitor may enter as many events as he wishes. However, a horse may be entered in each event only once. The novice, junior, and senior division of each event will be considered a single event.
- The horse that is shown in 4-H at the state level may only be shown in 4-H at the county fair during the same year. The following year the horse may be used in either 4-H or FFA.
- A horse exhibited in a 4-H event cannot be exhibited in any FFA events. Horses not used in 4-H at the county or state shows may be used to exhibit at the FFA county show.
AGE OF HORSE: The age of a horse is determined on the calendar year starting January 1 of the year foaled. For example, a horse foaled anytime in 2000 was considered to be to one year old on
January 1, 2001, and two years old on January 1, 2002.
A stallion may be exhibited during the year he is foaled and not the year after he is foaled. However, any unruly animals are to be dismissed from the showring immediately by the superintendent.
MEASURING HORSES: All horses entered in the pleasure pony and pony halter classes, need to be at the fairgrounds by 8:00 am the day of the Horse Show to be measured.
WHO IS ALLOWED TO EXHIBIT: Only 4-H project owners may exhibit their animals unless excused by the Superintendent and Extension Educator. Excuses, when granted, are only for military service, sickness or when the owner has a conflict with another county fair activity. If the 4-H member has several 4-H fair activities scheduled at the same time, the show WILL NOT be held up for the exhibitor.
CLASS SIZE: Class sizes may be changed at the horse superintendent’s discretion. All classes will take place in the main arena.
Horses are not to be ridden in the livestock housing and livestock exhibit areas. 4-H members caught riding horses in the livestock area will forfeit premiums won in the 4-H Horse Show.
RAIN DATE: Should the 4-H Horse Show be "rained out" or delayed for some unavoidable reason, the remaining events of the show will be rescheduled to begin at 9:00 am of the next immediate Saturday after fair. If conditions on the rescheduled date are still such that the show cannot be concluded it shall not be rescheduled.
HALTER CLASSES
PREMIUMS: Purple, $5.00; Blue, $4.00; Red, $3.00; and White, $2.00
TROPHIES: Refer to Knox County Trophy and Award List
The exhibitor may show as many halter horses as they wish but limited to 2 horses in each halter class. All horses shall be shown together according to age, regardless of breed.
G008901 Foals (fillies & colts)
G008902 Yearlings (fillies & geldings)
G008903 Two Year Olds (fillies & geldings)
G008904 Mares (3-Years & older)
G008905 Geldings (3-Years & older)
G008906 Ponies 48 inches and under (all ages)
G008907 Ponies Over 48 inches and under 56 inches (all ages)
AGE DIVISIONS FOR SHOWMANSHIP, SNAFFLE AND ALL PERFORMANCE CLASSES
Senior Division – ages 14 & over on December 31 of previous year
Junior Division – ages 11-12-13 on December 31 of previous year
Novice Division – ages 8-9-10 on December 31 of previous year
HORSE SHOWMANSHIP CLASSES
PREMIUMS: Purple, $8.00; Blue, $6.00; Red, $4.00; White, $2.00
Champion and Reserve Champion banners will be awarded to the first and second place purples in each division. Purple, Blue, Red and White ribbons will be awarded to all participants. The banner winner must have received a purple ribbon. Showmanship Order: Senior, Junior, & Novice
G008913 Senior Horse Showmanship
G008914 Junior Horse Showmanship
G008915 Novice Horse Showmanship
2-YEAR OLD SNAFFLE BIT CLASSES
PREMIUMS: Purple, $5.00; Blue, $4.00; Red, $3.00; White, $2.00.
To enter in this class, the exhibitor must have passed Level II of the Horse Project Advancement Levels. In this class the horse must be ridden with snaffle bit and may be ridden with two hands. The routine will be the same as the western pleasure horse class and the horse cannot compete in any other performance class. The 2-year old may also be shown in the Halter Class. Refer to 4-H373, 4-H Horse Show and Judging Guide for details on this class. A trophy will be presented to first place purple in each senior, junior and novice division. The trophy winner must have received a purple ribbon.
G008916 Senior 2-Year Old Snaffle Bit
G008917 Junior 2-Year Old Snaffle Bit
G008918 Novice 2-Year Old Snaffle Bit
PERFORMANCE EVENTS
PREMIUMS: Purple, $5.00; Blue, $4.00; Red, $3.00; White, $2.00
A trophy will be presented to first place in each senior, junior and novice event. THE TROPHY WINNER MUST HAVE RECEIVED A PURPLE RIBBON. An individual is allowed to exhibit in only ONE western pleasure class, either Pleasure Pony or Western Pleasure Horse. The reining patterns and trail class obstacles will be determined early and listed in the 4-H newsletter prior to the fair.
WALK-TROT CLASS - Novice members are eligible for the Walk-Trot Pleasure Class and Walk-Trot Horsemanship Class. This class is to be judged on the execution of a walk and jog/trot by the pleasure horse and is intended for riders who are not yet comfortable at exhibiting at the lope or canter. If the rider participates in the Walk-Trot Pleasure Class or the Walk-Trot Horsemanship Class, the rider is NOT eligible to enter any other Ranch Pleasure, Western Pleasure, or Western Horsemanship class, even if they have another horse.
RANCH PLEASURE CLASS - Seniors, Juniors, and Novices are eligible for the Ranch Pleasure Class. Exhibitors may participate in both a Western Pleasure class and Ranch Pleasure class, but with different horses. No horse may enter a Western Pleasure and Ranch Pleasure at the same show regardless of divisions. The purpose of the Ranch Pleasure class is to measure the ability of the horse to be a pleasure to ride while being used as a means of conveyance from one ranch task to another and should reflect the versatility, attitude, and movement of a working horse.
RANCH RIDING CLASS - Seniors, Juniors, and Novices are eligible for the Ranch Riding Class. Exhibitors may participate in both a Western Pleasure class and Ranch Riding class, but with different horses. No horse may enter a Western Pleasure and Ranch Riding at the same show regardless of divisions. A Ranch Riding horse should reflect the versatility, attitude, and movement of a working horse. The horse’s performance should simulate a horse riding outside the confines of an arena and that of a working ranch horse. This class should show the horse’s ability to work at a forward, working speed while under control by the rider.
The same horse may be ridden in a Ranch Pleasure and Ranch Riding class, but not in a Western Pleasure Class. An individual may enter both Western Pleasure and Ranch Pleasure, but they must ride a different horse for each class.
PERFORMANCE CLASSES
G008919 Novice Walk-Trot Pleasure
G008920 Novice Walk-Trot Horsemanship
G008958 English Pleasure (all ages unless entries warrant splitting)
G008959 English Equitation (all ages unless entries warrant splitting)
G008921 Senior Western Pleasure Pony (under 14.2 hands)
G008922 Junior Western Pleasure Pony (under 14.2 hands)
G008923 Novice Western Pleasure Pony (under 14.2 hands)
G008924 Senior Western Pleasure Horse (over 14.2 hands)
G008925 Junior Western Pleasure Horse (over 14.2 hands)
G008926 Novice Western Pleasure Horse (over 14.2 hands)
G008927 Senior Western Horsemanship
G008928 Junior Western Horsemanship
G008929 Novice Western Horsemanship
G008930 Senior Ranch Pleasure
G008931 Junior Ranch Pleasure
G008932 Novice Ranch Pleasure
G008933 Senior Ranch Riding
G008934 Junior Ranch Riding
G008935 Novice Ranch Riding
G008936 Senior Reining
G008937 Junior Reining
G008938 Novice Reining
G008939 Senior Trail Class
G008940 Junior Trail Class
G008941 Novice Trail Class
G008942 Senior Pole Bending
G008943 Junior Pole Bending
G008944 Novice Pole Bending
G008945 Senior Barrel Racing
G008946 Junior Barrel Racing
G008947 Novice Barrel Racing
BREAK AWAY ROPING CLASS - Seniors, Juniors, and any Novices that want to move up are eligible for the Break Away Roping Class. There is a maximum of two loops or 1 ½ minutes. A charge per exhibitor will be collected with pre-entry. There is a required number of participates to hold this class. That number will be announced on the pre-entry form. There will be no additions on entry day and the roping class will run at the end of the show. No level testing is required. An award will be presented to the top purple ribbon in each division. The award winner must have received a purple ribbon.
G008948 Senior Break Away Roping
G008949 Junior Break Away Roping (juniors and novice exhibitors requesting to move up)
DUMMY ROPING CLASS - A trophy will be presented to the first place. The trophy winner must have received a purple ribbon. This class is for Novice only and is done from the ground only. Roper must stay 7 feet behind the dummy.
G008950 Novice Dummy Roping
TEAM ROPING CLASS - Team members must be a 4-H or FFA member. Novice exhibitors may exhibit in the Junior Division. Refer to Nebraska 4-H Horse Show & Judging Guide for Legal and Illegal Catches. A charge per exhibitor will be collected with pre-entry. There will be no additions on entry day and the roping class will run at the end of the show. There is a required number of participants to hold this class. That number will be announced on the pre-entry form. No level testing is required. An award will be present to top purple ribbon in each division. The award winner must have received a purple ribbon.
G008951 Senior Team Roping-Heading
G008952 Senior Team Roping-Heeling
G008953 Junior Team Roping-Heading (novice exhibitors may request to move up)
G008954 Junior Team Roping-Heeling (novice exhibitors may request to move up)
GOAT TYING CLASS
- This event is open to all 4-H members.
- There is a required number of participants to hold this class. That number will be announced on the pre-entry form.
- A charge will be collected with pre-entry.
- The starting line will be 100 feet from the stake.
- The goat should be tied to a stake with a rope ten feet in length.
- There is no horse allowed for Novice Division. 4-H members are on foot and the starting line may change.
- Juniors and seniors must ride a horse. The 4-H members must be mounted on a horse and ride from the starting line to the goat, dismount, catch the goat, throw, and tie any three legs together and signal that their tie is complete by rising their hands in the air. The exhibitor then must step back away from the goat.
- If the goat is down on its knees when the 4-H member reaches it, the goat must be let up or lifted high enough to give the opportunity to regain its feet. Then the contestant may throw and tie the goat.
- Tie at least three legs together with a leather thong, piggin’ string, or rope and then move back three (3) feet away from the goat.
- To qualify as a legal tie, there will be at least one complete wrap around at least three legs and finished with a half hitch or hooey.
- Legs must remain crossed and secure for 6 seconds after typing.
- Time will start when the horse’s nose crosses the starting line and time will stop when 4-H member signals the completion of the tie.
- An award will be presented to the top purple ribbon in each senior, junior and novice division. The award winner must have received a purple ribbon.
G008955 Senior Goat Tying
G008956 Junior Goat Tying
G008957 Novice Goat Tying