The Boulder County 4-H Team won the performance division and ended second in halter, reasons and overall. Team members include, left to right, Madison Guerrero, Rhiannon McDermid, Mattea McQueen and Sophia Block. Courtesy photo
Champions-RFP-063025
FORT COLLINS, Colo. — The Boulder County 4-H Horse Judging Team earned the privilege of representing Colorado 4-H at multiple national competitions during the next year with a hard-fought reserve state championship in a very close contest at the Colorado State 4-H Conference. The annual competition was held in conjunction with the three-day leadership conference at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. The team plans to attend the American Quarter Horse Youth Association World Championship Contest in Oklahoma City, Okla., in August, the All-American Quarter Horse Association Contest in Columbus, Ohio, in October, the Arabian & Half-Arabian Horse Association National Championship Contest in Tulsa, Okla., in October and the National Reining Horse Association Futurity Contest in Oklahoma City, Okla., in November.
Teams from counties across Colorado competed in the day-long contest and the Boulder County 4-H Team won the performance division and ended second in halter, reasons and overall. Team members include: Sophia Block and Madison Guerrero, both of Erie, and Rhiannon McDermid and Mattea McQueen, both of Berthoud. Among over 25 peers, Boulder County boasted three of the top 10 overall individuals with McQueen and McDermid finishing as the top two individuals of the entire contest. McQueen was the top contestant in both halter and performance, earning her high Individual honors by a mere seven points, a beautiful champion buckle and a scholarship courtesy of the CSU Animal Sciences Department. As individuals, McDermid was third in halter, second in performance, sixth in reasons and second overall; Block was 12th in halter, eighth in performance, 10th in reasons and 10th overall; and in her first year, Guerrero ended 13th in halter and performance, 11th in reasons and 13th overall.
Competitive horse judging offers an exciting and challenging opportunity for youth to further their knowledge of horses. Team members evaluate horse conformation and performance, while developing skills such as critical thinking, public speaking and team building. Contestants are scored based on how close their placings of mock classes are to the official panel. Then they deliver a 2 minute, memorized oral defense of their placing of certain classes called reasons.
PROGRAM IMPACT
The impact of the program has proven vast, with team members sharing the following benefits: “[Horse judging] has taught me so much about finding my own personal voice, not just literal writing, but in finding my confidence.” “I have not only grown in myself but in my decision-making abilities.” “[Horse judging] has improved my self-confidence and self-trust levels.” “Horse judging has not only taught me how to evaluate horses and defend my decisions but about how to become a better teammate and be proud of myself.”
To support travel expenses, the team will host a Team Benefit Open & 4-H Horse Show in the Indoor Arena at the Boulder County Fairgrounds in Longmont, Colo., on Saturday, July 26. Any age and level of horses and riders are welcome. There are many ways to support these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities including showing, donating to the team, becoming a show sponsor and donating or purchasing items in the silent auction. Visit our Facebook page @Boulder County 4-H Horse Judging Team or email bouldercountyhorsejudging@gmail.com to learn more.
The team is coached by Kendra McConnell of Longmont, Colo., who was successful as a Boulder County 4-H youth at the Colorado State 4-H Conference many times as well as other national level competitions including U.S. Arabian & Half-Arabian National Championship Youth Judging Contest, Paint World, Quarter Horse Congress, Quarter Horse Youth World and 4-H National Roundup. She also coaches the Colorado Arabian Horse Club/Region VIII Youth Horse Judging Team.
The Boulder County 4-H Horse Judging Team will kick off the spring season in January with a fun potluck at the Boulder County Fairgrounds and will have limited space for new members to join. Learn more about the team and competitive horse judging plus fulfill the 4-H judging requirement. Enrollment in the 4-H horse project is not required. For more information, find the team on Facebook or email bouldercountyhorsejudging@gmail.com.
The Boulder County 4-H Team won the performance division and ended second in halter, reasons and overall. Team members include, left to right, Madison Guerrero, Rhiannon McDermid, Mattea McQueen and Sophia Block. Courtesy photoChampions-RFP-063025
More Like This, Tap A Topic news
