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Virginia 4-H Champions Travel to 1998 Southern Regional 4-H Horse Championships
Livestock Update, October 1998
Larry A. Lawrence, Extension Animal Scientist, Horses, Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Tech
Virginia 4-H members compete at the State 4-H Horse Show for Championship awards that qualify them to go on the only regional 4-H horse competition in the nation. This year, thirty-five 4-Hers from across the Commonwealth traveled to Little Rock, Arkansas on August 3 - 6 for the 1998 Southern Regional 4-H Horse Championships.
The Southern Regionals is an all-breed show and Virginia made a strong showing in the Saddle Seat, Western and Hunter Divisions.
In saddle type trotting moves, Megan Longtain's Morgan, Windward's Capricious Air placed first and Lili Weik's Saddlebred, Dancing in the Moonlight placed second. Both 4-Hers represented Culpeper County. In saddle type geldings, Robyn Longtain (Culpeper) showed her black Arabian PF Hissan to a reserve placing.
In non-trotting saddle type mares, H. B. Hunter from Campbell County placed first with Top Flight's Queen. Showmanship was another class Virginia excelled in with Megan and Robyn Longtain placing first and second respectively and Lili Weik placing fifth overall.
Lili Weik placed first and received the blue ribbon in English Pleasure followed by Megan Longtain in third and Robyn Longtain in fourth. The Culpeper County saddle seat riders also placed in Equitation. Robyn placed fourth, Megan fifth and Lili seventh.
H. B. Hunter also placed in English Pleasure non-trotting and Saddle Seat Equitation. H. B. was fourth in Pleasure and ninth in Equitation. All the Saddle Seat riders did a tremendous job and are to be congratulated.
When you travel west of the Mississippi, the Western Divisions grow to phenomenal size and the competition gets very tough very fast. Carman Smith from Hanover County rode the prelims and finals of Western Pleasure almost flawlessly and placed sixth in the finals on her big bay gelding, Kings Hidden Talent. There were six heats of twenty Western Pleasure horses. Do the math, that's tough competition.
Virginia's Hunter tradition was continued and upheld by a strong group of excellent Hunter riders and quality Virginia Hunter horses. Virginia captured three of the top ten places in both Hunter Type Mares and Gelding In-Hand. Showing the wonderful mare, Southern Etiquette and winning the top spot was Jocelyn MacDonald. Whitney Gray (Culpeper) showed her thoroughbred mare, Carrots for the Governess, to reserve and Virginia Hartman (Orange) placed fourth with No Doubt.
Judith Boudreau showed Winthrop to third place for In-Hand Geldings. Sara Watson's (Fauquier) thoroughbred, Incantation, placed sixth and Rachel Miller from Orange 4-H showed the big bay, Hear No Evil to tenth place. Sara Watson had Incantation turned out beautifully and placed ninth in Showmanship.
The Working Hunter Class is always very competitive at the Regionals and 1998 was no exception. Jocelyn MacDonald rode Southern Etiquette to the top of the class, placing first. Sara Watson and Incantation placed sixth in this competitive class.
Virginia took three out of the top ten places in Equitation Over Fences. Jocelyn MacDonald placed third, Whitney Gray and Carrots for the Governess placed eighth and Rachel Miller and Hear No Evil placed ninth.
Hunt Seat Equitation winners included Jenny Altman from Chesapeake County and her horse, Kim Bay placing seventh. Karen Dennehy from Hanover rode her flashy Quarter Horse, Devonwood's Pride to eighth place in Equitation.
Virginia was exceptionally successful in Hunter Under Saddle, placing in four out of the top ten spots. Whitney Gray placed second, followed by Hope Rana (Orange County) riding her classic Hunter, Sounds of Silence to fourth place. Jocelyn and Southern Etiquette were fifth and Christina Henry from Orange County was eighth.
All of the Virginia representatives were champions before they traveled to Arkansas. They each deserve special recognition for their dedication to the 4-H program and their success in Virginia and at the Regional level. Please congratulate all the participants at the 1998 4-H Southern Regionals: Virginia Hartman, Jenny Altman, Rachel, Jessica Walters, Michelle Wagner, Christina Henry, Jocelyn MacDonald, Hope Rana, Quentin Rana, Jessie Mjoness and Kristen Tidwell of Orange County, Judith y, Karen Dennehy of Hanover County, Carman Smith, Stacy Vosnick, Kelly Gannon, Rebecca, Lesley Robins, Jessica Spencer and Kathryn Childress of Hanover County, Misty, Kim Taylor and David Taylor of Wythe County, Shelly Wise and Lindsey Williamson of Madison County, Whitney Gray, Megan Longtain, Robyn Longtain, Lili Weik and Glenna Kassel of Culpeper County, Katie Quick of Amherst County, H.B. Hunter of Campbell County, Brandi Scruggs of Chesterfield County, Sara Watson of Fauquier County, Laci Sponaugle of Highland County.