Minnesota 4-H State Horse Show
The Minnesota 4-H State Horse Show is held each September on the weekend after Labor Day. Preparing for and taking part in it gives 4-H'ers life skills. It's a great experience for 4-H'ers and their families.
You must have completed sixth grade, be no more than one year beyond high school graduation and be enrolled in the 4-H horse project.
If you and your horse received a blue ribbon or higher at the county level, you qualify for the 4-H State Horse Show! You must ride the same horse.
Read more important information for participants.
2017 results
- Hippology
- Judging contest
- State western heritage event
- Horse show photos by MJM Sharpshooter Photography
Previous year
You must have completed sixth grade, be no more than one year beyond high school graduation and be enrolled in the 4-H horse project.
If you and your horse received a blue ribbon or higher at the county level, you qualify for the 4-H State Horse Show! You must ride the same horse.
Exception: Step 6 and Level 6 of training and achievement. Exhibitors must complete the program and be recommended by their county Extension educator or horse project leader. Exhibitors are not obliged to complete this test at the county show, but counties are encouraged to include them as part of their shows for demonstration or practice. Exhibitors may test at the state show regardless of their county test score as long as they have been recommended. Read more about horse training and horse achievement.
- Training project - Those exhibitors entering Steps 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 may show in showmanship if qualified at their county level. Only those exhibitors entered in Steps 4 and 5 are eligible for riding classes, if qualified at their county fair. To qualify you must have a blue ribbon or higher on your training project. If showing in trail, they are counted as part of the county quota.
- If the county qualification system awards pleasure and game trips, the exhibitor is eligible to participate in both game and pleasure classes, provided that they received a blue ribbon or higher placing on that same horse at their county qualifying show.
- A member can accept a horse show individual trip and a state fair individual trip. Members may participate in activities (judging, hippology, speech, demonstration, etc.) at both the state fair and the state horse show.
- Member must own or lease the mare or gelding exhibited. The horse must be identified, certifying ownership and/or management arrangements by May 15 on the animal science ID requirements and processes. 4-H'ers must provide all care, feeding, grooming, training and exercising for the horse from May 15 through to the state show.
- Horseless horse is limited to members whose household does not own or lease a horse.
- Substitution of exhibitors (horse and rider team) will be allowed up to 10 days prior to the show.
- The Dan Patch Award winner and finalists are not part of county quotas. They must pay appropriate fees and must have received blue ribbons at their county shows in the classes they enter.
- A negative Coggins test is required on all horses on the state fairgrounds and copies must be sent with county registration forms.
To be eligible for Minnesota 4-H State Horse Show, all county qualifying shows are required to use Minnesota 4-H certified judges from the current 4-H certified horse judges list.
Show chairs
Mark Storm, chair, markstormrw@gmail.com
Randy Dokken, chair, ralsdokken@embarqmail.com
Amy DeGroot, show secretary, adegroot@umn.edu
Staff
Renee Kostick, Extension educator, horse liaison, hinkx001@umn.edu, 218-828-2333
Amy DeGroot, executive administrative specialist, adegroot@umn.edu, 218-828-2300