Logan 4-H members compete at State Horse Bowl/Hippology Contest

[June 01, 2015]  LINCOLN - The Logan County 4-H Junior Horse Bowl team recently competed at the State Horse Bowl Contest held in late April. To qualify to reach state competition you must win at the Regional level. “In the Horse Bowl Contest, participants must be quick-minded and fast-fingered in order to be the first to push their buzzer and give the correct answer to knowledge questions on equine management and industry,” said Debra Hagstrom, U of I Extension equine specialist.

The Logan County Junior Horse Bowl team included 4-H members Sarah Starasta, Ruthie Ruhl, Roux Starr, Cameron Starkey, and David Morrow. The 2015 Horse Bowl team coaches were Chelsea Lowe, Alicia Smith, and Leslie Starasta.

Logan County also had contestants in the State Hippology Contest. “Hippology is very comprehensive,” said Debra Hagstrom, U of I Extension equine specialist. “4-H members judged four classes of horses which tested their knowledge of breed conformation standards and requirements of performance classes.”

Members then answered a series of questions based on projected pictures, Hagstrom said. The third phase of hippology was a multiple choice written exam which covered a wide range of equine information.

The fourth stage involved 10 stations where youth answered 10 questions at each station. To add to the pressure, Hagstrom said, youth could only remain at each station for two minutes. The stations ranged from health to feed and nutritional requirements. Older youth were also tested in an oral competition.

Logan 4-H participants included Senior hippology contestant, Kamryn Aylesworth; Intermediate contestants Sarah Starasta, and Roux Starr; and Junior contestants Ruthie Ruhl and David Morrow. Top ten finishers at the state contest included Ruthie Ruhl who received second place as an individual in the Junior Hippology Contest.

To learn more about the 4-H Horse Bowl team, please contact the Logan County 4-H office at 732-8289.

[Patty Huffer, Logan County Extenison]

About 4-H: Illinois 4-H strives to help youth learn skills for living. University of Illinois Extension provides 4-H programs in every county in Illinois. Illinois 4-H aims to impact the lives of 200,000 youth each year through sustained learning clubs and groups and short-term programming.


For Further Information Contact:  Patty Huffer, Extension Program Coordinator/Youth Development, Logan County [phone]