Fifteen 4-H horse club members represented Monmouth County at the New Jersey State 4-H Championship Horse Show which took place from Aug. 23-25 at the Horse Park of New Jersey in Upper Freehold Township.
“The Monmouth County 4-H horse club members have a tradition of demonstrating wonderful horsemanship and passion for their mounts at the three-day state competition,” said Freeholder Lillian G. Burry, the Monmouth County Board of Freeholders’ liaison to the county 4-H Association. “Many, if not all of these members discovered their love for horses and horseback riding here in the county.”
4-H members from throughout New Jersey with more than 175 horse and rider combinations competed in Ranch Horse Classes and the English, Western, Dressage, Trail, Very Small Equine, Games and Therapeutic/Challenged Rider Divisions, according to a press release.
“It took a lot of hard work and dedication for these young people to qualify for the state 4-H Horse Show,” said Matthew Newman, the Monmouth County 4-H Agent. “All of us in Monmouth 4-H are proud of them.”
To compete in the state 4-H championship horse show, 4-H members must qualify with their horse by riding in a series of qualifying shows on the county level. The top two scoring riders in each class are eligible to take part in the state event, according to the press release.
State 4-H horse show participants were Sarah Donnelly, Hazlet; Rachel Funk, Howell; Amalia Goushy, Atlantic Highlands; Juliet Kelly, Millstone Township; Ava Matuza, Jackson; Sarah Mullen, Howell; Sophia Ramos, Howell; Gianna Givera, Howell; Avery Ryan, Howell; Olive Scaff, Cream Ridge; Kiera Sievewright, Freehold; Gianna Tanzi, Howell; Jacqueline Tanzi, Howell; Delaney Wiggins, Howell; and Tierney Wiggins, Howell.
The New Jersey 4-H Championship Horse Show is sponsored in part by the New Jersey Equine Advisory Board and by businesses and individuals from throughout the state, according to the press release.
The 4-H Youth Development Program is part of Rutgers, New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station – Cooperative Extension. 4-H educational programs are offered to all youths, grades K-13 (one year out of high school), on an age-appropriate basis, according to the press release.
