Tri-County 4-H youth shine at state equine contest
URBANA, Ill. - 4-H members from DuPage, Kane and Kendall counties exceled in several divisions of the Illinois Hippology and Horse Bowl Competition in Urbana-Champaign last month.
On April 18-19, about 200 youth from around the state competed in individual Hippology and team Horse Bowl competitions at various levels, as well as public speaking contests.
"Two days were spent competing in various horse related contests allowing the 4-Hers to demonstrate their knowledge and expertise on a wide range of equine topics," said Debra Hagstrom, University of Illinois Equine Extension Specialist. "This contest determines the individuals that will represent Illinois at two national competitions in the events of Horse Bowl, Hippology, and three types of public speaking contests."
4-H youth often study for months, or even all year long, to answer questions about equine anatomy and care including: diseases, genetics, parasites, feed, nutrition, behavior, breeds, equipment and the digestive, respiratory, skeletal, endocrine, and circulatory systems.
"Horse Bowl requires that the participants be quick-minded and 'fast-fingered' in order to be the first to push their buzzer and answer the question correctly," Hagstrom said.
In the junior Horse Bowl competition, there were 11 teams that qualified and competed.
The Kane County team took first place. Members Gwen Klinkey, Shiane Votava, Samantha Lind and Grace Feuerborn earned a score of 87, and were coached by Sandy Klinkey. Kendall County's Macy Krempski, Augie Staudacher, Delaney Fisher and Molly Breen earned fourth place. The team is coached by Tobi Staudacher.
Local 4-H'ers also earned spots in the top ten of high scores during Horse Bowl, including: Klinkey, third; Breen, fifth; Kate Hardy, DuPage, sixth; Lind, eighth; Josie Schwab, DuPage, ninth; and Votava, 10th.
At the senior level, seven teams competed this year, with DuPage County taking top honors. The team of Nora James, Greta Rauch, Angela Rauch, Aubrey Sieve and Paige Hardy earned 187 points. They are coached by Laura James.
"In the Senior Division of Horse Bowl, the teams play for the right to represent the state at the national contest," explained Hagstrom. "Horse Bowl contestants compete as a team so the top county team earns the trip to the national contests rather than the top four individuals."
The Kane County team placed third, with members Madde Klinkey, Bailey Rickets, Hannah Wallace, Rachel Jarka and Elena Chapa. They are coached by Amber Wesner and Angie Statsney.
DuPage and Kane Counties dominated the Top 10 Horse Bowl Individuals at the senior level: second place, Madde Klinkey; third, Sieve; fourth, Angela Rauch; fifth, James; seventh, Greta Rauch; eighth, Rickets; and 10th, Jarka.
In the Hippology contest, individual youth judged four classes of horses, testing their knowledge of breed conformation standards and requirements of performance classes. Hippology contestants also answered questions pertaining to a series of pictures, completed a multiple choice written exam, and executed 10 stations with 10 questions at each, while timed.
4-H members from DuPage, Kane and Kendall Counties placed in the top 10 of each division:
• Juniors (ages 8-11): first place, Samantha Lind, Kane; fourth, Augie Staudacher, Kendall; and sixth, Olivia Woods, Kendall.
• Intermediate (ages 12-14): 10th, Angela Rauch
• Senior (ages 15-18): third, Aubrey Sieve, DuPage, and ninth, Bailey Rickets, Kane.
"The stakes were high in the senior division competition because the top six individuals are invited to compete for spots on the 2015 Illinois 4-H Hippology team," said Hagstrom.
Those youth will compete at the Eastern National 4-H Horse Round-up Hippology Contest in Louisville, Ky.
The top Senior Division individual in each speech category also has earned the right to participate in the national 4-H Horse Contest in Kentucky, including Kane's Madde Klinkey in the senior individual presentation category. DuPage's Sarah Ehlers placed third in the same category. In the senior team presentation category, the duo of Greta and Angela Rauch of DuPage County took top honors with their talk "A Lethal Legacy: Genetic Defects in Quarter Horses" and also will represent Illinois at the national contest.
In the junior speech events, Kane's Nora Thompson earned first place in individual presentations with her "ABC's about Horses," and Gwen Klinkey placed second with her formal speech on colic.
In the second year of the new extemporaneous category, Greta Rauch and Angela Rauch placed first and second, respectively. In this speech category contestants draw topics out of hat and select one on which to prepare a 4- to 6-minute speech. They have only 15 minutes to write their speech.
Complete results can be viewed on Illinois Livestock Trail Horses website at livestocktrail.illinois.edu/horsenet.
4-H is part of University of Illinois Extension. It is a community of young people across America learning leadership, citizenship, and life skills. For more information on the 4-H program in your county, visit web.extension.illinois.edu/dkk.