Junior Horse Project
PA 4-H Horse Development Committee
-- Tammy Clark Eichstadt
-- Lew Trumble
-- Bethany Bickel
-- Andrea Kocher
Key Changes to the Junior Horse Project
• May enroll any horse weanling through 5 years of age, but only yearlings
through 5 years may be shown
• The previous requirement that the project be enrolled for the first time by
their 3 year old year has been eliminated.
– a project animal may be enrolled for the first time all the way up
through their 5 year old year.
Key Changes to the Junior Horse Project
(cont)
• Many new opportunities for the 4-H member to
show their junior horse project animal.
Key Changes to the Junior Horse Project
(cont)
• The previous structure of the 4-H Horse
Production Program, which utilized regional
production shows and participation at the State
4-H Horse Show in Harrisburg will be replaced
by the Junior Horse Project and the Junior
Horse Championship Show.
Key points about the Junior Horse Project
•There is no limit to the number of horses a 4-H
member may enroll as a project; however, a 4-H
member is limited to showing three project animals
at the Junior Horse Championship Show with only
one entry per class.
• No stallions or weanlings are permitted to be
shown.
• Weanling colts may be enrolled as a Jr. Horse
Project, but must be gelded prior to enrolling in the
project their yearling year.
Safety Precautions
• It is highly recommended that all youth are proficient in all
Level I 4-H Horsemanship Skills (handling and/or
riding/driving skills as appropriate) with their project animal
prior to showing.
• 4-H members must be 12 years of age or older or have
passed all applicable Level 1 Horsemanship Skills with each
junior horse project animal to show at the Junior Horse
Championship Show
Safety Precautions
(cont)
• All driving exhibitors will have
a mandatory safety and
equipment check at the Junior
Horse Championship Show.
Old structure --5 regional production shows with all blue
merit winners advancing to the State 4-H Show in Harrisburg
Junior Horse Championship Show
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Inaugural show will be held July 26-27,
2014 at the Centre County Grange
Fairgrounds in Centre Hall, PA
All projects will be shown in
preliminary classes at the Junior Horse
Championship Show.
All blue merit winners will advance to
championship classes and state
champions named from these classes.
Facility for the Championship Show includes 2 outdoor show arenas, indoor
show arena, warm-up arena, and lunging area. The facility is family friendly
with plenty of camping areas.
In-Hand Classes for yearlings through five
year olds.
• 4 & 5 year old In-Hand classes are new this year
• Classes divided by breed, age, and sex (example – Arabian 4 year old mare)
•Blue merit winners in preliminary
classes will advance to
championship classes which are
divided by type, age, and sex
(example – Saddle Type 4 year old mare)
•Entry fee for all championship classes is
$25.00 per class – payable at the show
• Exhibitors may choose which championship class is most appropriate for
their horse
– Example – a hunter type quarter horse may choose to show in the
Hunter Horse Championship class instead of the Stock Horse
Championship class.
In-Hand Championship
Divisions include:
• Draft horses
• Draft ponies
•Hunter horses
•Hunter ponies
• Stock horses
• Stock ponies
•Long Ears over 14.2
•Long Ears under 14.2
• Saddle horses
• Saddle ponies
•Miniature Horse
First and second place
winners in each In Hand
Championship class will
advance to a Grand Champion
class.
A Grand Champion and
Reserve Champion will be
named for each sex within
each Championship
Division
Master Showman Award and
Champion Showman
Exhibitors who earn a Master Showman
award in their preliminary class are invited to
participate in a Champion Showman class.
A Champion Showman and Reserve
Champion Showman will be named for the
show (across all breeds and divisions)
Class Fees
Preliminary Classes - $15.00 per class (paid with entries)
All Championship Classes - $25.00 per class – payable at the
show office when signing up for the class. You MUST sign up for
these classes in the show office.
Grand Champion In Hand Classes – NO entry fee for these
classes. You must be at ringside for your class, but do NOT need
to sign up in the show office.
Champion Showman – No entry fee for these classes, but you
must sign up in the show office for this class.
Questions about the general format
or the In Hand classes?
The following classes will also be offered at the Junior
Horse Championship Show:
Walk/Trot Western and English
Futurity classes for
2 & 3 year olds
Walk/Trot/Canter Western and
English Futurity classes for
3, 4, & 5 year olds
The following classes will also be offered at the Junior
Horse Championship Show:
• Barrel Race Futurity for
4 & 5 year olds
A horse may only show in ONE Futurity class
•Must choose English Pleasure, Western
Pleasure, Barrels, or Draft Driving (if draft)
•May show walk/trot or walk/trot/canter – but
not both
The following classes will also be offered at the Junior
Horse Championship Show:
• Miniature Horse Driving Futurity
classes for 3, 4, and 5 year olds
•Draft Horse Driving Futurity classes
for 3, 4, and 5 year olds
The following classes will also be offered at the Junior
Horse Championship Show:
Walk/Trot Performance Skills classes for 2 & 3 year olds
Walk/Trot/Canter Performance Skills classes for 3, 4, & 5 year olds
The Performance Skills classes will be designed to showcase the
horse and rider's mastery of basic horsemanship skills.
This class is judged 75% on the performance of the
horse, responsiveness to aids, and manners and
25% on the rider’s overall horsemanship or
equitation
The Walk/Trot
Performance Skills classes
will feature a pattern with
skills found in the Level 1
Horsemanship Skills test.
The Walk/Trot/Canter
Performance Skills classes
will feature a pattern with
skills found in the Level 1 &
Level 2 Horsemanship
Skills tests.
The following classes will also be offered at the Junior
Horse Championship Show:
• In-Hand Trail classes for yearlings & 2 year old horses and
ponies
• In-Hand Trail classes for yearling through 5 year old miniature
horses
Rules will follow those of Miniature
In Hand Trail found in the
Performance portion of the 4-H
Rulebook.
ALL exhibitors will be required to wear protective
headgear at the Junior Championship Show
Fun for the entire family at the Junior Horse
Championship Show:
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Plentiful camping areas on-site and nearby hotels.
Breed and discipline exhibits and demos throughout the weekend
Ground Roping clinic open to all youth
Vendors providing a variety of horse related items
Great food vendors
For more information:
Pennsylvania 4-H Junior Horse Project
and Junior Horse Championship Show Guidelines
Pennsylvania 4-H Horse Program Junior Horse Project and
Junior Horse Championship Horse Show Detailer
Level 1 Horsemanship Skills Testing For Youth Under 12 Years of
Age Showing Junior Horse Projects
Pennsylvania 4-H Horse Show Rule Book
For more information:
Junior Horse Championship Show Resources
http://animalscience.psu.edu/4-h/horses/event-details/Junior-Horse-ChampionshipShow
Pennsylvania 4-H Horse Show Rule Book
http://animalscience.psu.edu/4-h/pdf/2014-horse-show-final-rulebook
Questions?
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