Note: Please refer to the Nebraska 4-H Horse Project Contest rules for more detailed contest rules and guidelines. This information is available through your Extension office, the Nebraska 4-H Webpage or Animal Science web page:
4h.unl.edu/horse-expo-contests
- Contestants must be enrolled in the 4-H horse project in the county they represent (with the exception of the Art Contest).
- Nebraska 4-H Horse show dress code required. Exception: NO hats or headgear permitted.
- Contestants may participate in all contests during the 4-H Horse Stampede. During the Fonner Park State 4-H Horse Expo, contestants may enter either Horse Judging or Hippology. They may not enter both.
Age Division
- Senior division contestants must be 15 to 18 years old on January 1 of the current year. Junior contestants must be 10 to 14 years old on January 1 of the current year.
- Senior team events are designed for youth 14 years and older. Ages 10 to 13-year-olds may compete at the state contest; however, the team is then ineligible for selection as a Nebraska representative to the corresponding national event.
- All contestants competing in national or regional competition must be 14-18 years old on January 1 of the current year.
National Contest Eligibility
- Entire team and alternates as well as individual event winners must be eligible according to the national guidelines in order to represent Nebraska at the national event.
- Teams representing Nebraska at a National Contest MUST be comprised of the same team members which competed at the state contest. NO new team members may be added.
- The highest placing purple ribbon team or individual in which all members and alternates are 14 and older will qualify as the Nebraska representatives to the designated national or multi-state event. (All national events presently require team members to be 14 years or older.)
- State senior division winners of all contests will be highly encouraged to represent Nebraska at the National 4-H Horse Classic contest in Denver, CO. – usually held in January. Other contest options may be available if participation in this contest is not possible (contact State 4-H Office). A modest travel allowance will be provided for these winners.
- Members of a team who participated in the related national contest or designated recognition events may return and compete in state competition again as individuals, but not on a team. They are, however, no longer eligible for additional national competition or a designated recognition event unless allowed at a national level.
- Individual contest participants (Public Speaking, Individual Demonstrations, etc) who have participated in the related national contest or designated recognition events may not return and compete in state competition again.
- If the winning individual or team will not be representing Nebraska at the National 4-H Horse Classic, the next highest ranking eligible individual or team may choose to attend. This will be at their own expense unless the winner's travel allowance is unused. This offer will be made through the purple ribbon fifth place teams and MUST be approved by the State 4-H Office.
- The individual(s) or team(s) representing Nebraska at a regional or national contest also will be eligible to choose additional contests they want to attend. Where two teams or individuals are involved, the highest ranking will choose first, the second highest ranking will choose second. They will represent Nebraska at their own expense with approval from the State 4-H Office.
- Contestants in national 4-H competitive events must not have participated in official post-secondary (having completed one semester/quarter at a university, college, junior college or technical school) competitive events of a similar nature in the same subject matter area to be eligible for participation in national 4-H competitive events. They cannot be a member of a post-secondary team undergoing training in preparation for an event. (For example, a contestant who has competed in an official collegiate horse judging contest(s), either on or off campus, is ineligible to compete in a similar national 4-H judging contest.) The state program leaders are responsible for determining the eligibility of participants in national 4-H competitive events from their state. (Nebraska interpretation of undergoing training in a post-secondary setting is having completed one quarter/semester and having received at least 12 hours of college credit, a portion of which is coursework related to the contest.) All notification of contest selection, or offers made to alternate teams, will be made through the State 4-H Office.
Team Members
- All POTENTIAL team members and alternates MUST be listed on the contest entry form.
- Entry forms MUST be returned by the contest deadline.
- NO additional team members can be added the day of the contest.
- County staff/Coach will designate teams at the time of contest check-in.
Multiple Teams
- Counties may enter multiple teams.
Contest selection must be made by the following dates:
AQHA Youth World Show (Member Benefits) — July 15
All American Quarter Horse Congress — September 1
National 4-H Horse Classic (Western Division) — September 1