Jericho--A 4-H benefit horse show held Aug. 7 in Jericho raised nearly $3,700 for the Chittenden County 4-H Foundation, which provides scholarship aid to University of Vermont (UVM) Extension 4-H club members and leaders.

The third annual benefit horse show was held at the Freedom Farm and attracted 40 entries from 4-H'ers in six different 4-H clubs as well as non-4-H equestrians. Two former Chittenden County 4-H members, Sarah LaMothe of Winooski and Stefanie Pigeon of Fairfax, donated their time to judge the classes. Show organizer was Mary Fay, a long-time 4-H leader of the Whispering Pines 4-H Club in Jericho.

Winners at the horse show included:

BEGINNER (ages 8-18; walk/trot only): Champion--Shea Tomlinson, Colchester; Reserve Champion--Faith Ploof, Colchester

ADVANCED BEGINNER (ages 8-18; walk/trot/beginning to canter): Champion--Madison Gay, Jericho; Reserve Champion--Mikayla Grace, Jericho

JUNIOR (ages 13 and under): Champion--Kira Clokey, Jericho; Reserve Champion--Kaelyn Jenny, Essex Junction

SENIOR (ages 14-18): Champion--Kyla Ward, Jericho; Reserve Champion--Hillary Fay, Westford

ADULT: Champion--Katie Turnbull, Essex Junction; Reserve Champion--Timony Norris, Essex Junction

In addition to the show entries, money was raised at the event through sponsorships and raffle baskets prepared by 4-H clubs and individual 4-H'ers. These included the Flying Hooves 4-H Club, Colchester; Green Mountain 4-H  Club, Williston; High Hopes, Fairfax; Hinesburg 4-H Club, Hinesburg;  Midnight Riders, Hinesburg; Prancing Ponies, Shelburne; Starry  Nights 4-H Club, Jericho; Trail Trotters, Richmond; and Whispering  Pines 4-H Club, Jericho. Linden and Natalie Malmgren, both from Jericho and members of the Whispering Pines 4-H club, also donated a raffle basket.

Proceeds from the benefit horse show will help the Chittenden County 4-H Foundation provide scholarships for local 4-H'ers to attend UVM Extension events such as 4-H Teen Congress and 4-H Mini Congress (for 11 to 13-year-olds), as well as national opportunities including Citizenship Washington Focus (a citizenship and leadership event in the nation's capital) and Eastern National 4-H Horse Roundup in Kentucky, among others. The foundation also awards educational scholarships to 4-H members for college, career scholarships and funding for adult 4-H leaders to attend trainings at the state, regional and national level.

For information about the UVM Extension 4-H Horse Program, contact Mary Fay at (802) 656-0648. To learn more about the Chittenden County 4-H Foundation, call Rose Garritano, 4-H educator, at (802) 656-5429.