We have many ways for you to learn about horses -- and you don't need to own one. You can learn about grooming, visit a farrier or veterinarian, join a team and compete on your horse knowledge.
Minnesota opportunities
Team and individual contests in Minnesota
Eligibility
- Senior team members may be no more than one year past high school graduation. All intermediate team members must have completed grade 6, but have not turned 14 years old by Jan. 1 of the current year.
- Senior teams may be comprised of both intermediates and seniors for the Minnesota contest. If one member is a senior, the whole team is a senior team.
- To be eligible to compete as a substitute for team members, list alternates on the entry form (i.e., they may be listed as alternates and also compete as an individual). Each county may register four judging and four hippology teams (i.e., Int./Int., Int./Sr., or Sr./Sr.)
- Hippology only can have a maximum of four members participate as individuals, two intermediate individuals and two senior individuals.
- Each team may have three or four members. If four compete, the three highest scores will be used.
- Counties not able to organize their own county team are eligible for a multi-county team. A county with members on a multi-county team may also have a county team in the same age division.
- Team members must be enrolled in 4-H, but need not be enrolled in the horse project to participate on a judging team, hippology team or speech and demonstration contest. Note: A team demonstration has only two members.
- Members with disabilities will be provided the help necessary to be able to participate.
Rules
- Minnesota team contests are not considered state show trips.
- No member may be undergoing training for or have participated in an official post-secondary for the same event.
- Team members shall have had practice sessions prior to the state contest.
- To be eligible for the national competition, team packets must be verified at registration prior to the start of the contest.
Entry forms are due at your county state fair registration. More information will be sent to the coaches after the entries are received.
The horseless horse program gives youth in grades 3 and up who don’t have a horse the opportunity to learn about horses through educational, hands-on and leadership opportunities.
In this project area, you will engage and explore horses in a variety of ways.
Learn more about the horseless horse project.
Questions?
Contact Kirstin Koch at [email protected] or Renee Kostick at [email protected].
In this fun, friendly competition, 4-H'ers show their knowledge and understanding of equine science and husbandry. Any 4-H'er can join — you don't need to be in the horse project or own a horse.
The competition is held every September at the Minnesota 4-H State Horse Show. Winning teams go on to represent Minnesota in national competitions.
Learn more at our 4-H Hippology Contest page.
4-H'ers, parents and supporters, please consider volunteering at the annual Minnesota Horse Expo tack sale. You can support the 4-H program by buying, selling or volunteering at this sale.
In this event, you will make a careful study of a horse, measuring it against an accepted ideal. Horse judging is the art of ranking animals, using your knowledge of ideal horses. Then, use your public speaking skills to defend your choices. Read more on the Horse Judging Contest page.
Do you love horses? You can become a 4-H horse judge! To train and be certified to judge 4-H horse shows, you must be at least 18 years of age and not a current 4-H member.
Learn more about Becoming a 4-H Horse Judge.
In Project Bowl, teams of 3-6 youth build skills working and thinking together while testing their knowledge in these 4-H areas: dairy, dog, general livestock, horse, llama/alpaca, poultry, and rabbit. More about Project Bowl.
Give a speech or demonstration about horses, competing against other speakers. Learn more about 4-H Horse Project Speech and Demonstration Contest.
This event is held every September during the Minnesota 4-H State Horse Show.
Winter Round Up is an exciting three-day, two-night conference of adult and youth leadership and 4-H Horse Project learning. It's for youth in sixth grade or older who are interested in horses. Their families and adult 4-H volunteers are also welcome.
National opportunities
Top hippology teams, horse judging teams, speech and demonstration participants and project bowl teams can compete against teams from other states.
Team and individual contests at national level
Eligibility
- State entry form must be completed to be eligible for the national competition.
- Senior team – three or four members who have turned 14 years old but have not turned 19 years old as of Jan. 1 of the current year.
- Intermediate team – three or four members who have completed grade 6, but have not turned 14 years old as of Jan. 1 of the current year.
- Note: Minnesota rules are different. If your team is considering a national contest, be sure that all members who do not meet the national age requirement compete as an individual in the state contest.
- Speech and demonstration individuals must have turned 14 years old but not 19 years old as of Jan. 1 of the current year.
- No member may be undergoing training for or have participated in an official post-secondary for the same event.
Additional national criteria
First place eligible Minnesota team or individual must attend the Eastern National Roundup in Louisville, KY. At Eastern National’s, each individual may participate in each activity (judging, hippology, speech and demo) only once in their 4-H career.
Arabian Youth Hippology Contest
Typically in October in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Qualify through the Minnesota 4-H Hippology Contest.
American Quarter Horse Congress Youth Contests
Typically in October in Columbus, Ohio.
Eastern National 4-H Horse Roundup
Typically in November in Louisville, Kentucky.
Black Hills Stock show / Central States Fair and Rodeo
Typically in January in Rapid City, South Dakota.
Youth World Championship Judging Contest
American Paint Horse Association. Typically in July.
Reviewed in 2025