GALVA, Ill. — Youth from 29 counties across Illinois participated in the 2026 Illinois State 4-H Horse Judging Contest on Feb. 1, at Black Hawk College East Campus in Galva.
Shelby Krutke of McLean County earned the Larry Carls Memorial Award as the contest’s overall high point individual.
In the non-reasons division, top individual placings were earned by Shelby Krutke of McLean County, Olivia Erjavsek of Bureau County, Shannon Bernard of Marion County, Harper Allen of Champaign County, Abby Johnson of Knox County, Na’ia Bailey of Champaign County, Addison Yordy of Ogle County, Allison Hemker of Bond County, Adalyn Bocker of Ogle County and Devin Burrs of Carroll County.
Top individual finishers in the reasons division included Payton Frueh of Bureau County, Mallory Zimmerman of Christian County, Lexi Merriman of DeWitt County, Anna Hessell of Rock Island County, Bailey Callahan of Rock Island County, Alexandra Holland of McLean County, Lindley Burns of Mercer County, Jenna Green of Kendall County, Landee Clark of Crawford County and Lola Hackney of Christian County.
Top-scoring individuals in the reasons division will be invited to participate in an invitational contest, from which the four-member Illinois 4-H state horse judging team will be selected.
The Illinois State 4-H Horse Judging Contest provides youth an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge of equine-related subject matter in a competitive setting that emphasizes fairness and sportsmanship. In the contest, youth judge six classes of horses, including at least two halter classes. Participants ages 14 and older may also compete in oral reasons, while those not giving reasons complete a questions class.
Beyond horsemanship skills, horse judging helps 4-H members build life skills such as objective reasoning, decision making, public speaking and teamwork.
The contest was hosted by the Black Hawk College Equine Program.
About Illinois 4-H:
Illinois 4-H is the flagship youth development program of University of Illinois Extension, administered through the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. Through hands-on learning and life-changing experiences, Illinois 4-H prepares youth to be Beyond Ready — ready for college, career, military service, entrepreneurship, and more. Young people build confidence, leadership, and resilience as they explore interests from agriculture to computer science. Independent research and national surveys confirm the powerful outcomes of 4-H: participants are 40% more likely to pursue a college degree, twice as likely to obtain technical training, and two times more likely to serve in the military. With a legacy of cultivating leaders, Illinois 4-H continues to grow the next generation who are equipped to thrive in life and work today and beyond.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 700 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through five program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, health and community wellness, and natural resources, environment, and energy.