Vermont 4-H'ers from throughout the state gathered on the University of Vermont (UVM) campus, June 27, for the annual State 4-H Horse Communications Contest.

The first-place winner in each of the three competitions--Public Speaking, Individual Demonstration and Team Demonstration--at the UVM Extension event earned a spot on the Communications Team that will represent Vermont at the Eastern National 4-H Horse Round Up in Louisville, Kentucky, in November. The team will include Morgan Quimby, Westford (public speaking), Kyle Scott, Milton (individual demonstration) and Jessica Bachmann, Ira, and Julia Dockum, Fair Haven (team demonstration).

For the public speaking contest, the 4-H'ers were required to give a seven- to 10-minute speech about an equine-related topic without using any props. Quimby's talk, "A Helping Hoof," was on using miniature horses as therapy animals.

Other top finishers in this contest, listed second through fifth place, were Meaghan Hughes, Jericho, "Sapphire to Safir" (equine cloning); Jocelyn Hewitt, South Royalton, "Helpful Horses" (equine therapy programs); Mariah Harding, Barre, "Silent Killer" (lethal white foals); and Katelyn Patenaude, Derby Line, "Equine Slaughter" (slaughtering horses).

Individual demonstrations were nine to 12 minutes each with the presenter allowed to use charts, posters and props. The team demonstrations were 10 to 15 minutes in length.

In addition to first-place winner Scott, who did a demonstration on equine identification called "Who Are You?," winners in the individual demonstration category were Bridgette Charlebois, Jericho, "Stripes" (zebras); and Miranda Wright, St. Johnsbury, "The History of the Arabian."

In team demonstrations, the top team of Bachmann and Dockum provided information on how to help a mare when giving birth in their presentation entitled, "Stop, Drop and Foal."

Earlier in the year, other statewide horse contests were held including hippology, judging and quiz bowl, with the top four winners in the senior division (ages 14 and up) at each of those earning a spot on one of the three other teams invited to participate at the Eastern National 4-H Horse Round Up.

Vermont 4-H'ers, by team, who will be competing, along with the Communications Team, at the Round Up include:

HIPPOLOGY TEAM: Hillary Fay, Westford; Mariah Palmer, Hartland; Emi Schweikert, Underhill; and Courtney Stearns, Brandon.  Kathy Kennett of Panton is their coach.

JUDGING TEAM: Emily Campbell, Montpelier; Jennifer Dickinson, Colchester; Bethany Demuynck, Underhill; and Kaelyn Jenny, Essex Junction. Deb Danforth, Castleton, will coach the team.

QUIZ BOWL TEAM: Alli Bachmann, Ira; Jen Carp, Colchester; Summer Colley, Colchester; and Kaila Stewart, Waterford. They will be coached by Norma Katz, Springfield.

Coaches for the Communications Team will be Tina Bachmann, Ira; Kristin Quimby, Westford; and Andrea Scott, Milton. Mary Fay, a long-time 4-H horse volunteer, is the trip coordinator.

To learn more about the Vermont 4-H horse program, contact Wendy Sorrell, UVM Extension 4-H livestock educator, at (802) 656-5418 or wendy.sorrell@uvm.edu.