July 5, 2022
By: Leigh Fuson, 4-H Agent
The DeKalb County 4-H horse judging team recently traveled to the National Walking Horse Celebration grounds in Shelbyville to compete at the TN State Championships. After winning 1st place at the Central Regional Contest, Sydney Ailes, Riley Fuson, and Hannah Redmon spent part of their summer break studying and practicing for competition.
The team placed 2nd in the Performance category and 4th overall. Hannah Redmon placed 3rd in the Halter division and Sydney was 6th overall. They represented our county and the Central Region very well. We are very proud of their knowledge and hard work!
Participants must learn about several disciplines of riding including western pleasure, hunter under saddle, horsemanship, and performance Walking Horses, as well as conformation and halter classes. The state contest also requires three sets of oral reasons of why youth placed the class the way they did. This requires communication skills, confidence, and quick thinking in addition to horse knowledge. For more information about horse judging or any other 4-H activity, please call 615-597-4945.