Belknap County Fairgrounds
Mile Hill Road
Belmont, NH 03220
United States
The Hippology and Judging contests are open to all counties and will be held in conjunction with the Multi-County 4-H Horse Qualifying Show. The show quiz is the Hippology quiz. The show judging classes are the Judging contest. Due to the nature of a contest held at a horse show, times are approximate.
Show participants are encouraged to participate in Hippology and Horse Judging!
Click here to download the information packet.
The New Hampshire 4-H Hippology Contest is a comprehensive, skill-based competition where youth demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of equine science and horse husbandry. The Senior Division contest is used to select the senior members that may compete as the New Hampshire State 4-H Hippology Team in regional and national events.
The Horse Judging contest provides members an opportunity to evaluate a class of horses, place the horses and have their placings scored in comparison to the official placing. Members may choose to do judging reasons (required for seniors interested in being a member of the NH 4-H Horse Judging team.)
TIME: 9 am quiz/hippology contest starts
12noon judging
LOCATION: Belknap County Fairgrounds, Mile Hill Rd, Belmont NH
ENTRY DEADLINE: May 26th (entries on site accepted as time/resources allow) Enter via 4HOnline
ENTRY FEE: Each contestant must pay a $5.00 entry fee each for Hippology and Judging ($10 if participating in both contests). In accordance with UNH Cooperative Extension policy, no 4-H member will be denied the opportunity to participate because of an inability to pay.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE: ** Times are approximate; times subject to change and event could run late.
9 am Registration for those not participating in the horse show
930 am Hippology Quiz (for those showing, quiz will be immediately after F & S)
10 am Hippology Stations Open; please complete stations by 2:30 pm
12 noon Judging during horse show lunch break (Judging only contestants, arrive by 11:30)
The show quiz is the Hippology quiz (senior Hippology contestants will have a supplemental quiz). The show’s horse judging classes are the Judging contest. Due to the nature of a contest held at a horse show, times are approximate.
SHOW PARTICIPANTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO PARTICIPATE IN HIPPOLOGY AND HORSE JUDGING
FOOD: Watch for news – there may be food available on the grounds.
INFORMATION: The New Hampshire 4-H Hippology Contest is a comprehensive, skill-based competition where youth demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of equine science and horse husbandry. The Senior Division contest is used to select the senior members that may compete as the New Hampshire State 4-H Hippology Team in regional and national events.
The Horse Judging contest provides members an opportunity to evaluate a class of horses, place the horses and have their placings scored in comparison to the official placing. Members may choose to do judging reasons (required for seniors interested in being a member of the NH 4-H Horse Judging team.)
Note: For 2023, the Hippology and Judging contests will be shortened/modified.
All Hippology and Judging contestants may be entered in the county show held at the Belknap Fairgrounds the same day (those showing will need to complete stations during breaks between their classes).
The written test and judging for the show also be used for the hippology and judging Contests. A supplemental
written test will be given to Senior Hippology contestants. In addition to the written test and judging, Hippology
contestants will complete a stations phase on the grounds. There will be no “slides” or problem-solving phase
for 2023. There is no team component of either contest.
Judging will be held at approximately noon and will consist of two classes. Any senior interested in being part of the NH 4-H Horse Judging Team and any Junior or Intermediate who wishes to do so will present oral or written reasons for their judging placings.
The Judging classes will be the judging component of the Hippology contest. Hippology contestants do not present judging reasons.
The written test will be given to all Hippology contestants and all those participating in the show at approximately 9:30 am. The stations will be set up by 10 am and may be completed at the convenience of the member, not later than 2:30 pm.
SCORING THIS CONTEST IS COMPLEX AND TIME CONSUMING. Awards will be given the day of the event if possible but may be provided at a later date.
ELIGIBILITY:
Cloverbud Cloverbuds may enter the contest, which will consist of a quiz, horse judging and 2-3 Hippology stations. Cloverbuds are encouraged to have a reader &/or a scribe to help them. The Cloverbud division is non-competitive.
Junior & Intermediate Divisions: The Junior Division is open to 4-H members 8-10 years old on January 1 of the current year & The Intermediate Division is open to 4-H members 11-13 years old on January 1.
Senior Division: The Senior Division is open to 4-H members 14-18 years old on January 1 of the current year. There will be no team component in 2023. Participants must not have competed in the National 4-H Hippology Contest or in any official collegiate level contest and may not have taken collegiate level courses above introductory level in the subjects involved.
Youth with special needs (physical, learning, etc.) who require accommodations, or their parent/guardian/leader should contact Mary Davis (see below) prior to the entry deadline.
STATE 4-H HIPPOLOGY or JUDGING TEAM CANDIDATES:
The top four Senior 4-H contestants in New Hampshire 4-H Hippology Contest and the NH 4-H Horse Judging Contest will be invited to practice and prepare to compete at the New England Regional 4-H Horse Contest in October. Team members are not guaranteed a spot on the final team. Final team selection will be made by coaches according to objective, written criteria approved by the State 4-H Office and announced and handed out to all of the tentative team and alternates at the first official practice held ASAP after the contest (within 3 weeks of final coach appointment). All youth qualifying for NH state teams will be asked to pay a portion of their trip expenses. Funding is uncertain for a Hippology or Judging team to attend the Eastern National 4-H Horse Roundup. The decision of which teams will attend ENHR will be determined by team rotation, team member qualification & participation and availability of a qualified coach.
HIPPOLOGY SOURCE MATERIAL
Cloverbuds – basic horse knowledge, including the contents of the NH 4-H Horse Project Manual
Junior & Intermediate:
- Pacific Northwest 4-H Horse Project Manual – most recent edition (PNW)*
- Pacific Northwest 4-H Horse Judging Manual (PNW Judg) New source 2020*
- Washington State University Harness Driving Manual (WSUDrM)*
- Equine Science: Basic Knowledge for Horse People of All Ages by Jean T. Griffiths, 2008. (Griff)
- Illustrated Dictionary of Equine Terms by New Horizons Equine Education Center (NewHor)
Seniors: ALL Junior and Intermediate sources above plus those listed below
- Feeding and Care of the Horse by Lon D. Lewis 2nd edition, 1996.
- Horse Industry Handbook by American Youth Horse Council (with all current updates).
- Horse Smarts by American Youth Horse Council, 2016
- The Coloring Atlas of Horse Anatomy by Robert Kainer and Thomas McCracken, 1998.
- Grains, forages, and feeds representative of those used in horse rations
- Common horse knowledge that every 4-H Horse Project member should know
*Quiz for Horse Show participants and Junior and Intermediate members will come from sources marked with an asterisk (*) only. The Hippology senior quiz 2 and all stations may draw materials from all sources listed above.
INFO AND WHAT TO BRING TO THE CONTEST:
1. Please dress appropriately for the weather and being outdoors or under cover in an unheated space. Wear appropriate footwear and bring insect repellant, sunscreen and a hat. Clothing or insignia that identifies
4-H may be worn during the contest.
2. Clipboard, pencils, notepad or paper. Phones or other electronics are not allowed during any phase of either contest. Outside assistance is not allowed except to accommodate a disability. Those referring to a device (even for non-related reasons) or receiving unauthorized assistance during the contest will receive a 0 score in that phase.
3. Personal items for outdoor weather (jacket, sunscreen, hat, etc.)
QUESTIONS: Mary Davis, Field Specialist, 4-H Animal and Agricultural Sciences. email: Mary.Davis@unh.edu Office: (603) 862-2188
The New Hampshire 4-H Hippology Contest is made possible by generous support from the 4-H Foundation of New Hampshire.
Payment: Checks can be made payable to "UNH Cooperative Extension" and mailed to Belknap County 4-H Office at 64 Court St, Laconia, NH 03246. (A fee is charged for this Extension program to cover costs. A limited number of scholarships are available to individuals unable to pay.)
For persons with disabilities requiring special accommodations, please contact Mary Davis (mary.davis@unh.edu) prior to the event. Given ample time, we will make any reasonable effort to make accommodations.
