LOGAN TWP. — Gloucester County 4-H horse club members competed August 25 to 27 in the NJ 4-H State 4-H Championship Horse Show held at the DREAM Park of Gloucester County in Logan Township.
Gloucester County captured Grand Champion in the English division and Grand Champion in the Dressage Division. The following 4-H members represented Gloucester County at the NJ State 4-H competition: Anastasia Besar, Lydia Bottiglieri, Julia Dodson, Alexa Gallagher, Kate Lukban, Kyla Tonkinson, Katelyn Worrell, and Avery Wyckoff. The county team coordinators for the event were 4-H volunteers Kim D’Andrea and Sheri Lucas, and 4-H program staff, Tammy Suydam.
This championship horse show is an annual event involving 4-H representatives from throughout the state competing in the English, Western, Dressage, Very Small Equine, and Game divisions.
Over 85 4-H members from around the state took to the ring to be judged on their riding ability, their horse’s performance or their showmanship skills. The competition was high as each county had the opportunity to send their top three riders in the classes offered at the State 4-H Horse Show.
All participating counties must hold a series of qualifying show for members to earn the right to participate in this prestigious event. All riders and their mounts were highly skilled, making this competition strong and challenging. The riders and their horses were truly the best of the best in 4-H.
“We are extremely proud of the accomplishments of the 4-H members from our county. The opportunity to participate in the State 4-H Championship Horse Show provided an excellent opportunity for 4-H members to compete at an advanced level, expand their equine skills, enhance a variety of life skills, and meet 4-H members from throughout New Jersey,” said Brittany Rigg, Gloucester County 4-H Program Coordinator.
The State 4-H Championship Horse Show is sponsored in part by the New Jersey Equine Advisory Board as well as by businesses and individuals from throughout the state.
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 youth, grades K-13(one year out of high school), on an age appropriate basis, without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, atypical hereditary cellular or blood trait, marital status, domestic partnership status, military service, veteran status and any other category protected by law.
For more information about the Gloucester County 4-H Program call the 4-H office at 856-224-8040 x3 or visit the New Jersey 4-H website at http://nj4h.rutgers.edu
