Each 4-H horse show or event in the state must be consistent with the objectives of the 4-H horse project as approved by the state 4-H Program Leader and outlined in this guide.
All competitors in a 4-H horse show must be currently enrolled in the 4-H horse project through the county Extension office. Their mounts must meet the following ownership and identification requirements.
Ownership Requirements
Each project horse must be owned and/or managed according to the following requirements:
- A 4-H member enrolled in the Horse Project may own the horse, use a family-owned horse, or use a horse owned by someone else. The member is encouraged to manage the project horse a majority of the time while the horse is listed as the youth's project. The horse becomes a project horse when it is enrolled at the local Extension office (no later than June 15) and ends when the member completes 4-H activities or by a county deadline.
- A horse may be carried as a project animal by more than one member of a family. When family members use the same horse as a project animal, management of the horse must be shared equally.
- “Riding Double”: A project horse may be carried jointly by a family member and one non-family member with the management of the horse shared equally. Both 4-H members must be enrolled in the same county 4-H program. When a horse is ID’ed by more than one 4-H’er, each member should complete an ID sheet and all members sharing the horse must be listed on each ID sheet. A shared horse (either with another family member or non-family member) may not be shown int he same class by both 4-H members.
- The term manage includes feeding, grooming, exercising, training, stall management, and use of the horse.
- Substitution of a project horse will not be permitted after June 15 each year.
Identification Requirements
- Any project horse to be shown at a 4-H show must be properly identified on Form F 2-97-77, 4-H Horse Identification Certificate and Owner’s Affidavit which is available on the State 4-H website at 4h.unl.edu/horse
- A member using a non-family owned horse must comply with the above requirements and have the owner of the horse complete the Owner’s Affidavit, F 2-97-77 at 4h.unl.edu/horse
- Normally, a Nebraska 4-H horse project member would not be expected to provide adequate attention nor obtain maximum project enrichment if that person tries to enroll more than three to five project horses in any one year. Large breeding projects along with riding projects would be an exception.
- For regular project horses, F 2-97-77 must be completed and submitted to the county Extension office on or before June 15 of the current year.
- A colt or filly foaled after June 15 is eligible for show during the current year only if it is the foal of a project mare. If a horse is to be shown at a 4-H show before June 15, the identification form must be submitted to the county Extension office before the date of the show.
- Horses cannot be identified as a project in more than one county.
- The age of a horse shall be computed on the basis of the calendar year starting on January 1 of the year foaled. For example, a horse foaled anytime in 2000 was considered to be one year old on January 1, 2001, and two years old on January 1, 2002.
Delegation of Responsibilities
A smooth-running show is the result of careful planning and delegation of responsibilities to capable and reliable individuals. After the date and location of the show have been determined, the show management should appoint committees or individuals to assume specific responsibilities. The following suggestions are offered:
Committees
- Finance
- Entries
- Publicity
- Equipment
- Awards
- Grounds and facilities
- Premium list and program
Show Officials
- Superintendent
- Judge
- Ringmaster
- Announcer
- Clerks
Work Details
- Program sales
- Gate and ticket sales
- Stall assignment
- Food concessions
- Decorations
- Ring maintenance
- Clean up
Protection
- First aid
- Ambulance
- Fire protection
- Police protection
- Employer's and public liability insurance
- Local veterinary and farrier information
General Horse Show Management Considerations
- Public announcements should be made well in advance, giving the name of the judge and the date, time, and location of the show. Announcements also should include when, where, and how participants can enter the show.
- Every show announcement should carry a full description of the show and events to be offered.
- Diagrams of all patterns and courses should be posted a minimum of 1 hour before the class.
- The management should provide:
- A show ring 80-by-200-foot or larger
- Necessary equipment for the officials
- Adequate space for parking and seating for spectators
- An exercise area for use by exhibitors
- Restrooms, food, drinking water, and other considerations for the comfort of exhibitors and spectators
- Questions regarding conduct of the show should be referred immediately to the superintendent of the show. The show superintendent should confer with other show officials or judges, if necessary, and give an on-the-spot decision that will be accepted as final.
- An explanation of proceedings should be carried over the public address system while the show is in progress to inform the public of events being conducted.
- All decisions of the judge will be final. The management should require the judge to make a reasonable effort to give reasons for final placing.
- Where preliminary selections are made in certain classes, the judge should give reasons for elimination.
- Because riding and showing proficiency may be perfected after several years of club work, subdivisions of classes may be set up based on age of the exhibitor. Several divisions could be suggested for local shows with a variety of contestants.
- Where the number of entries is large, management should reserve the right to have preliminary selections made in any class.
- Each class should have a minimum of five entries or be combined with another class of like sex (i.e., halter mares in place of 2-year-old fillies, 3-year-old fillies, and aged mares) and/or different exhibitor ages (for example, pony pleasure in place of jr. pony pleasure and sr. pony pleasure).
- In an 80-by-200-foot ring, a group workout should not exceed 20-25 riders.
- Each class should be called at least two times before the “last call.”
- Alcohol Policy. No alcoholic beverages are allowed on grounds of Nebraska State 4-H Horse Exposition and 4-H Rodeo. This applies to current 4-H members, parents, leaders, volunteers, and spectators. Offenders will be expelled immediately. 4-H members who are expelled shall be suspended from 4-H activities for the remainder of the year. (Ruling by the 4-H Horse Advisory Committee, 1978)
- Severe Storm Policy and Plan. The show superintendent has the overall responsibility of monitoring the current and predicted weather conditions. Arena superintendents have the responsibility of monitoring weather conditions during all their scheduled classes. In the event of severe weather or impending weather conditions, the exhibitors will be notified. All exhibitors and volunteers will be notified and ask to take shelter. All volunteers will be asked to report to the nearest storm shelter (i.e. during the State 4-H Horse Expo, the Thompson Indoor Arena). Criteria for suspension of the show: When a cloud-to-ground lightning bolt is seen or lightning is within 10 miles of the event., the show will be suspended and all will be asked to take shelter immediately. Wait at least 30 minutes after the last lightning strike is witnessed or has moved at least 10 miles away prior to resuming the show. Any subsequent lightning after the beginning of the 30-minute count, resent the clock and another 30-minute count should begin.
- Horse Show Appeals. All appeals concerning 4-H horse shows will be ruled on by the management of a respective show. Appeals not resolved by this method can be referred to the Nebraska State 4-H Horse Advisory Committee for consideration.