Students get ready for contests through school offered by the UF Department of Animal Sciences
EACH YEAR, The University of Florida’s Department of Animal Sciences operates informational and competitive youth programs for students within a 4-H Club or FFA Chapter. The UF/DAS recently held its annual 4-H/FFA Horse-Judging School, where students learned about judging at horse shows, which involves using decision-making skills, and how to objectively judge the form and function of the horse and encourages students to render defensible judgments in regard to current standards in the horse industry.
This year’s school was held on Saturday, December 12, 2015, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the University of Florida Horse Teaching Unit in Gainesville.
For only $5 registration, 4-H and FFA students, as well as adult leaders with an interest in horse judging contests, had the opportunity to learn all the necessary skills and rules required to do their best and be a fair judge when participating in shows and contests. The main objective of the school is to prepare the students for judging teams at the state contests; winning judging teams of the state contests can go on to compete at the national level.
Since this event is held annually, all 4-H/FFA students are advised to keep this event in mind for the 2016-17 year. Registration online is available a few weeks before each horse event. Below is a list of upcoming horse events of note. Interested attendees should visit the University of Florida Department of Animal Sciences website — http://www.animal.ufl.edu/ — for more information about these and other UF Department of Animal Sciences events for the 2016 year.
JANUARY (DATE TBA) – RANCH HORSE CLINIC IN GAINESVILLE
This clinic will focus on courses made available by the Florida 4-H State Horse Show’s Ranch Horse Division, and include Ranch Roping, Working Cow Horse-Boxing, and Ground Handling.
JANUARY 30 – STATE FFA MS HORSE-JUDGING CDE IN GAINESVILLE
For more information about this FFA Career Development Event, visit the UF Department of Animal Sciences website.
JANUARY (DATE TBA) – SOUTH FLORIDA FAIR YOUTH HORSE-JUDGING CONTEST IN WEST PALM BEACH
For more information about this event, visit the UF Department of Animal Sciences website.
FEBRUARY 6 – FLORIDA STATE FAIR HORSE & LIVESTOCK JUDGING IN TAMPA
Both contests – FFA Preliminary and 4-H Practice.
MARCH (DATE TBA) – HORSE-JUDGING REASONS WORKSHOP IN GAINESVILLE
Participants (youth and adult) interested in learning the key necessities in developing and working toward a high-scoring reasons set should attend this workshop.
APRIL 2 – STATE 4-H & FFA HORSE-JUDGING CONTEST IN GAINESVILLE
For more information about this event, visit the UF Department of Animal Sciences website.
CREDITS
article by JULIE GMITTER
photo by JEFF DJEVDET