Arabians, Percherons and minis, oh my! The 2025 Michigan 4-H State Horse Judging Contest continues to see growth
Print
EmailThe Michigan 4-H State Horse Judging Contest drew more than 200 participants once again in 2025.
On Saturday, March 29, the Michigan 4-H and FFA State Horse Judging contest saw record attendance numbers not seen since before 2020! The purpose of the horse judging contest is for youth to use their evaluation and selection skills to judge a class of four horses. Youth must then defend their placings by preparing oral reasons, using strong communication skills to create a short speech explaining why they choose their placings.
During the contest, youth saw four halter classes, evaluating Arabian geldings, Percheron mares, Quarter Horse geldings and Miniature Horse mares. They also evaluated four performance classes: Western Horsemanship, Arabian Country Pleasure, Performance Ranch Rail and a Hunter Pleasure class. The true difficulty of the contest lies in every breed having a different standard upon which to evaluate. In addition, a strong understanding of how to evaluate the conformation of a horse at halter allows youth to better understand how each horse moves when watching a performance class.
Many attendees were impressed by the quality of animals that they evaluated at the State 4-H Judging Contest and the caliber of animals keeps youth interested and excited. This year, among the eight classes, there were multiple horses that have been national champions in their respective breed and class. Being able to teach youth to evaluate horses while using some of the highest quality animals allows youth to better see what the standard is and what to look for when they enter the judging arena. Even the contest officials said the quality of horses was next to that of a national show, which is exciting for the future of the contest and the future of horse judging in the state of Michigan!
Michigan State University Extension is also excited about the increase in participation at this year’s event, as it brings increased visibility for the contest and the skills youth can develop while participating on an animal evaluation team. The event is a great opportunity for growth and skill development, with a side of fun that often piques the interest of 4-H members and FFA students, alike. 4-H youth of all ages attended the contest, including two Cloverbud members (ages 5-7).
In addition to growth, the contest also brings the opportunity to win a multitude of awards and a chance to represent Michigan 4-H at a national horse judging contest this fall. The top three senior 4-H teams will have the opportunity to choose between the All-American Quarter Horse Congress in Columbus, Ohio, or the Arabian Horse Nationals in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Congratulations to all who competed alongside these winning teams:
- First place overall senior 4-H team: Berrien County 4-H
- Second place overall senior 4-H team: Lenawee County 4-H
- Third place overall senior 4-H team: Allegan County 4-H
Interested in forming a horse judging team or joining one? Check out the article, “Animal judging – What’s it all about?” and each out to your local county MSU Extension office to find out how to get involved!
