OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION 1 P a g e Wood County 4-H Horse Newsletter 2015 Welcome to the Wood County 4-H program! We hope that you will have fun learning new things with your horse and club members and are looking forward to a busy year of activities scheduled county and state-wide. This newsletter is packed full of information. PLEASE make it your responsibility to read it carefully. Please be aware of the many deadlines. You won t want to miss out on things like.. 4-H Horse Madness.. State Fair Qualifying Show. and of course, the Wood County Fair! **Now, to review or download all the documents discussed in this newsletter, please go to this website (Wood County 4-H Horse web page). You may want to bookmark this page for future reference! http://wood.osu.edu/program-areas/4-h-youth-development/everything-horses A Packet Checklist and Key Information for YOU to Know Wood County 4-H Enrollment Form and Permission to Participate Form - Turn these in together by the March 15 th deadline. Please note this new deadline and it remains firm. No member with a horse project will be eligible to participate in 4-H without signing the Permission to Participate form. Make sure the county website is bookmarked on your computer! http://wood.osu.edu/program-areas/4-h-youth-development/everything-horses This website will host all the forms in this newsletter along with up-to-date 4-H information. Horse ID Form- due June 1 st in the Extension Office. This is also the date you must have your horse in your possession. A current 2015 photo of your horse/pony (include full body, head and all four legs) must be attached to the Horse ID form. This form is due to the Extension Office on June 1 st. ($20 late fee applies.) Horse Lease- If you are leasing a horse, a copy of the lease is due June 1 st to the Extension Office. This copy should be attached to the Horse ID Form. Go to the 4-H Horse website for additional instructions and information you should make sure is in a lease agreement. Wood County 4-H Horse Clinic will be June 13 th from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Limited to the first 25 applicants. Scholarship Application (available on the 4- H website) deadline is March 15 th. Skillathon and Interview- There will be just one opportunity to compete in the Horse Skillathon and participate in Horse Interview Judging. The county-wide all livestock day is July 16 th from 1:30-6:00 at the Junior Fair Bldg. Be sure to mark your calendar and attend. Your participation is mandatory to qualify for Versatility.
An interview grade must be on record at the Extension Office prior to the beginning of the Fair for eligibility to participate in any Wood County Junior Fair Class. The Junior Fair Dress Code will be in effect. See rule listed in this letter. Pony Measurement- See guidelines and measuring dates in this letter. Body Condition Score- only adequately conditioned horses will show at the fair. See rule in this letter. There is a NEW Uniform Horse Rule Book for 2015 available at the Extension Office for purchase ($6). State Qualifying Rules and Entry Form- ($20 late fee applies) Wood County Show- June 28th (deadline to enter is June 1 st ) $10 for Wood County participant fee. $20 for out of county participant fee. Very important to note the Helmet Policy printed in this letter. This is an Ohio and Wood County Rule and will be strictly enforced. If you are a first year Horse Club member you must attend the Safety and Ethics meeting on May 7 th at 7:00 p.m., see more information in this letter. Please Note the Sportsmanship Rule for behavior at the fair printed in this letter. Wood County Junior Fair Class Schedule, Rules and Entry Form (Note several schedule changes from previous years.) Entry deadline is June 1 st. ($20 late fee applies) Equine Safety Rules- you will be expected to follow Horse Groom and Clean Contest Rules and Entry 4-H Team Tournament Contest Rules and Entry Fun Show Horse Safety and Ethics Program All first year 4-H horse members must participate in the Horse Safety and Ethics program scheduled for Thursday, May 7 th from 7-8:30 at the Junior Fair Building. If you can not make this date, the make-up date is May 18 @ 4 pm at the Extension Office meeting room. After May 18 th and until July 24 th there will be a $50 fine and written assignment. After July 24 th the member will be ineligible to exhibit a horse at the fair. There is a mandatory purchase of the booklet Safety and You ($1) for all new members. Please read the booklet prior to the meeting. Helmet Rule for ALL Horse Members This rule will be posted to the 4-H website and is in the new Uniform Rules for Horse Shows. All youth age 19 and under, participating in any 4-H equestrian activity, are required to wear properly fitted protective headgear which meets or exceeds current ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials)/SEI (Safety Equipment Institute) standards with the chin harness securely fastened at all times while riding or driving an equine. It is the responsibility of the rider, or the parent or guardian of the youth participant, to make sure that the headgear worn complies with appropriate 2 P a g e
safety standards for protective headgear intended for equestrian use, and is properly fitted and in good condition. The Ohio 4-H Horse Program, Show Committees, Officials, Extension Personnel and Volunteer Leaders are not responsible for checking headgear worn for such compliance. The Ohio 4-H Horse Program, Show Committees, Officials, Extension Personnel and Volunteer Leaders make no representation or warranty, expressed or implied, about any protective headgear, and cautions riders that death or serious injury may result despite wearing such headgear, as no helmet can protect against all foreseeable injuries in equestrian activities. The Ohio 4-H Horse Program, Show Committees, Officials, Extension Personnel and Volunteer Leaders may, at his/her discretion, check a participant's protective headgear for proper standards. If the youth is found to be wearing unapproved, defective, or improperly fitted headgear, he/she will not be permitted to participate in riding or driving activities until proper headgear is acquired. **Attention Parents: Parents are responsible for the purchase, fit and the certification of the helmet. Bike helmets are not permitted. Helmets must be worn during work sessions. NO EXCEPTIONS! Sportsmanship Rule The Wood County Agricultural Society, Ohio State University Extension, FFA, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and all involved in the Wood County Fair support a code of good sportsmanship in all events and promote learning and responsibility through its activities. As stated in the Fair Book: Verbal abuse, physical abuse or harassment toward directors, judges, ring stewards, superintendents, and employees, OSU Extension Staff, Junior Fair members, club advisors or volunteers of the Wood County Fair will not be tolerated. You may be escorted from the fairgrounds; premiums forfeited, and upon Wood County Agricultural Society Rule committee s decision, the family members may not be able to exhibit at the Wood County Fair for a period of time indicated by the committee based on the severity of the situation. Body Condition Score Each project animal must have a body condition score of 4 or more to exhibit at the Wood County Fair. An animal that scores a 3 or less, accessed by fair officials, will be dismissed from the fairgrounds. Because of animal welfare concerns, horses with a body condition score of less than a 4 (ribs easily discernable, tops of spinous process easily discernable, tail head prominent with hook bones easily discernable, wither accentuated, and neck obviously thin), obviously sick horse, and horses with a Grade 3 or greater lameness (consistently observable at the trot; marked nodding, hitching, or shortened 3 P a g e
stride; and minimal weight bearing in motion or at rest) will not be allowed at 4-H horse shows. NO EXCEPTIONS! Dress Code Rule for All Junior Fair Exhibitors There will be a Junior Fair Dress Code in effect for Livestock Shows and all Interview Judging Days. Livestock Shows and Livestock Interview Judging: exhibitors must wear a collared polo or buttoned shirt with some sleeve and nice blue jeans (no rips or cut-offs and no tank-tops, t-shirts or sleeveless tops). Horse/Dairy/Breeding Goat/Rabbit Exhibitors may follow their current show dress code rules at fair (show whites, show coats, white shirts and jeans). These exhibitors may choose to follow their show dress code or, otherwise, follow this rule at Livestock Interview judging. Miscellaneous/ Nutrition Judging: exhibitor must wear interview appropriate attire. This would include: dress shorts or pants/capris/skirt or dress and collared shirt or polo. No tank-tops, sleeveless shirts, t-shirts or short shorts or short skirts will be allowed. Clothing Judging: exhibitors must wear their constructed or purchased garment or garments that are interview professional. No tank-tops, sleeveless shirts, t- shirts or short shorts or short skirts will be allowed. **Consequences for not following this rule may include class disqualification, or no interview until wardrobe is changed. Pony Measurement Policy It is mandatory that all ponies (and miniature horses to be shown in pony classes) are to be measured. Ponies, 5 years and older, will receive a permanent Wood County Pony Measurement Card and ponies under the age of 5 years will receive a temporary card (must be measured every year until age 5). As long as the exhibitor has the permanent card, the pony does not need to be remeasured. If the card is lost, the pony must be measured again. All ponies must be measured to receive the measurement card or will not be eligible for a championship award. The pony championship awards available are for the following classes: Pony Stakes, Pony Poles, Pony Keyhole, Pony Barrels, Championship Western Pony Showmanship, and Championship Western Pony Horsemanship. A copy of the measurement card must be submitted with the exhibitors Fair Entry Form. Animals will be measured by a committee of 4-H Advisors. Official measuring is scheduled for PAS Qualifying show day, June 27 th from 8-9:30 a.m. and 12-2 p.m. If an exhibitor is absolutely unable to attend this date, it is their responsibility to make arrangements with the measurement committee to have the animal measured no later than July 10th. No late measurements will be accepted! Horses will be designated as those animals over 58 inches. Ponies will be designated as those animals 58 inches and under. Horses and ponies must be entered in the proper class according to the animal's height. 4 P a g e
Versatility Class 1. The Championship Versatility Class is open to those who, with the animal they will use in Versatility: a. Successfully showed in at least two (2) Championship classes b. Placed in the top five (5) of a championship class c. Participated in a scheduled Interview Judging d. Participated in a scheduled Skillathon Contest 2. Novice Contesting is no longer a championship class eligible for Versatility. Versatility is to be entered by experienced riders. If they are experienced enough to use contesting as an eligibility point they should enter their appropriate class of Senior, Junior, or Pony. 3. Intermediate Western Reining is a Championship class and falls under rule as a qualifying class. 4. Specialty classes do not apply for Versatility. 5. The unnecessary roughness rule in the Uniform Rules for 4-H shall apply. 6. Horses and ponies are eligible for versatility. 7. Versatility classes will consist of English Equitation, Western Horsemanship, Reining, Poles, and Barrels. Pole and Barrel classes will be based on time only. 8. Participation in all Versatility classes is required or all scores will be dropped. All points will be tallied. In the event there is a tie for the Championship Versatility, the winner will be declared by the most first place finishes. If a tie still exists, the most second place finishes will be considered, etc. 9. Bonus points will be added for exhibitors that have placed in all five classes. 10. You will be allowed ten (10) minutes for changing tack/attire between classes. After the Horsemanship Class, you are to stay in the designated area at the north end of the arena. 11. All tack and attire changes will take place in the arena or holding pen. Each exhibitor is allowed 2 helpers and a wheel barrow in the arena to help during a change. 12. No vehicles are allowed around the outside of the arena for Versatility tack/attire changes. This rule will be strictly enforced. Contact Information: OSU Extension, Wood County Jayne Roth- roth.4@osu.edu 639 S. Dunbridge Rd. Suite 1 Jenny Morlock- morlock.3@osu.edu Bowling Green, OH 43402 Deb Buehrer- buehrer.7@osu.edu 419-354-9050 http://wood.osu.edu (click on 4-H Youth Development and 4-H Horse Program) Sincerely, Jayne Roth Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development, Wood County The Ohio State University 5 P a g e