WOODSTOCK—Four Vermont 4-H teens have earned a spot on the state 4-H hippology team for their keen horse judging skills and in-depth knowledge of horses and the equine industry.
Callon Fish of Rutland, Lauren Hodsden of Bridport, Olivia Suker of Shrewsbury, and Kassidy Wyman of Cambridgeport made the team after placing in the top four in the senior division (14 and older) at the State 4-H Hippology Contest on April 2. The event took place at Kedron Valley Stables in South Woodstock, while the written test, cognitive and hands-on skills tests and identification stations took place at Woodstock High School. Hosts were the University of Vermont (UVM) Extension 4-H and Windsor County 4-H.
The team will represent Vermont at the New England Regional 4-H Horse Contests in Concord, N.H. this October. It also will travel to Louisville, Ky., in November for the Eastern National 4-H Horse Round-up—an event that attracts more than 30 teams from throughout the country.
Other seniors who ranked in the top 10 in their division, in order, include: Holly Weglarz of Hartland, Dyani Jones of Jericho, Hannah Lang of Essex, Hailee Blades of Jeffersonville, Arin Kenyon of Chester, and Amanda Ferguson of Springfield.
Junior Division winners were, in order of placement:
8- and 9-year-olds: Grace Trahnstran of Rutland, Jenna Bennett of Swanton, Megan Carson of Windham, Abby Williams of Chester, Laura Kamel of Westminster Station, and Kyrah Cutts of Brookline.
10- and 11-year-olds: Ryley Dubois of Addison, Anna-Lise Cooledge of Westford, Chloe Barewicz of Jericho, Emeillia Gomo of Chester, Megan Robart of East Dover, Shiane Wheeler of Wilmington, Jenna Dolloph of Chester, Zoe Aigner of Fair Haven, Marleigh Cary of Rutland, and Shyanne Wedge of Shoreham.
12- and 13-year-olds: Faith Ploof of Essex Junction, Grace Parks of Essex Junction, Julia Hulett of West Pawlet, Tanya Wheeler of Wilmington, Allison Tourville of Georgia, McKenna White of Whiting, Emma Cushman of Barre, Sophie Lee of Underhill, Eva Joly of Essex Junction, and Jasmine Beenen of Addison.
Novice senior division (14 years old and up and new to 4-H or the Hippology Contest): Averie Lowe of Bellows Falls, Kaitlyn Relihan of Springfield, Yachne Nilges of Townshend, and Gypsy Burdo of Swanton.
Assisting with the event were 4-Hers Courtney Bronson of Shoreham, Catherine Thrasher of Rupert, and Alexis Walker of Westford. All three previously competed on state 4-H horse hippology teams in national competition.
To learn more about the 4-H horse program, contact Wendy Sorrell, UVM Extension 4-H livestock educator, at 802-656-5418 or toll-free at 800-571-0668, ext. 2.
