Stephenson and Winnebago County 4-H youth demonstrated their knowledge and dedication to the equine industry at the Northwest Regional 4-H Horse Bowl and Hippology Contest held Saturday, March 14 at Sauk Valley Community College.
Seven youth from the two counties participated in the day-long event under the guidance of coach Kelly Nestler. Since last fall, the team has been meeting weekly to build its skills and prepare for the competition.
Horse Bowl is a quiz-style competition in which participants answer questions on equine science, management, and care. Hippology expands on this knowledge with hands-on stations, written exams, and problem-solving activities focused on horse health, anatomy, nutrition, and industry practices.
“These youth have shown incredible commitment over the past several months,” said Jen Schultz, Stephenson County 4-H Program Coordinator. “Their willingness to meet weekly, study, and challenge themselves speaks volumes about their dedication and passion for learning about horses.”
Several youth earned top honors at the contest. In Intermediate Judging, Grace Maskell of Stephenson County placed third, and Jennika Bausic of Winnebago County placed second. In Senior Judging, Lilly Nestler of Winnebago County earned first place. These youth can advance to the state competition in mid-April.
In Junior Hippology, Reese Nicholas of Stephenson County placed third, Blair Schultz of Stephenson County placed seventh, and Cora Schultz of Stephenson County placed tenth. Reese and Blair will advance to the state competition in mid-April.
In Horse Bowl, Grace Maskell’s team placed third in the junior team competition and will advance to the Illinois State 4-H Competition in mid-April in Champaign. Individually, Lilly Nestler of Winnebago County placed tenth in the senior Horse Bowl division.
Also participating in the contest was Taylor Geddes, Stephenson County. Ella Baker, Winnebago County, was also a part of the team, but was unable to attend the contest.
Throughout the contest, participants demonstrated teamwork, quick thinking, and an in-depth understanding of equine topics as they competed against other teams from across the region.
Stephenson and Winnebago County 4-H are proud of the hard work and accomplishments of these youth and commend them for representing their counties so well.
4-H continues to offer a wide range of opportunities for youth to explore their interests, build life skills, and connect with others. To learn more about 4-H programs in each county, contact the University of Illinois Extension office: in Stephenson County, (815) 235-4125 or Winnebago County, (815) 986-4357 or visit go.illinois.edu/jsw.
Stephenson and Winnebago County 4-H members practiced weekly in preparation for the Northwest Regional 4-H Horse Bowl and Hippology Contest held Saturday, March 14 at the Sauk Valley Community College. Team members included: (Back row left to right) Reese Nicholas, Taylor Geddes, Lily Nestler, Jennika Bausic; (front row left to right) Grace Maskell, Cora Schultz, and Blair Schultz. Not pictured: Ella Baker.
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 500 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.