Burlington--May 15, 2022 was a busy, jam-packed day for the 44 horse-savvy 4-H'ers who took part in two competitions: horse judging and hippology.

The day began at the Blackrose Morgan Farm in Colchester where they judged Morgan geldings in hand, stock horse in hand, English pleasure and Western pleasure. The host farm provided half of the horses for the classes, and Erin Longworth Performance Horses of Milton supplied the other half.

At the conclusion of judging, the participants moved to Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex Junction for hippology, which consisted of a general knowledge written test, slides and identification stations. The scores of all three phases were combined for an overall score and rankings.

Up to 10 rosette ribbons were handed out in each age group in each contest. 

Placements in the judging contest were as follows:

  • 8- and 9-year-olds: Leigh Ann Judd, Wolcott (first); Josephine Kascha-Hare, Milton (second); Elizabeth Foreman, Fairfax (third); and Nora Kidder, Cambridge (fourth)
  • 10- and 11-year-olds: Paityn Paradee, Swanton (first); Claire Romano, Fairfax (second); Natalie Chevalier, Franklin (third); Gabrielle Senecal, Fairfax (fourth); Brooklyn Miller, Craftsbury (fifth); Elyse Thurber, Bellows Falls (sixth)
  • 12- and 13-year-olds: Kelsey Paradee, Swanton (first); Emma Sibley, Georgia (second); Madeline Langlois, Westford (third); Sydney Gorton, Milton (fourth); Sara DiStasio, Londonderry (fifth); Reese Kilburn, Williston (sixth); Riley Mitchell, Northfield, Massachusetts (seventh); Autumn Dailey, Walden (eighth); Hannah Gendreau, Orwell (ninth); Madison Trudell, Fairfax (tenth)
  • Seniors (14 and older): Ella Dubin, Northfield, Massachusetts (first); Allessandra Hoffman, Milton (second); Madison Markwell, Vernon (third); Britney Zager, Gill, Massachusetts (fourth); Jenna Dolloph, Grafton (fifth); Haileigh Demers, Westford (sixth); Shyanne Wedge, Shoreham (seventh); Logan Claypool, Milton (eighth); Jasmine Ackley, Vernon (ninth); Rose Ouimette, Rutland (tenth)

Winners in the hippology contest were:

  • 8- and 9-year-olds: Nora Kidder, Cambridge (first); Josephine Kascha-Hare, Milton (second); Elizabeth Foreman, Fairfax (third); Leigh Ann Judd, Wolcott (fourth)
  • 10- and 11-year-olds: Paityn Paradee, Swanton (first); Brooklyn Miller, Craftsbury (second); Claire Romano, Fairfax (third); Natalie Chevalier, Franklin (fourth); Elyse Thurber, Bellows Falls (fifth); Gabrielle Senecal, Fairfax (sixth)
  • 12- and 13-year-olds: Emma Sibley, Georgia (first); Jackson Tylenda, Essex Junction (second); Sydney Gorton, Milton (third); Kelsey Paradee, Swanton (fourth); Madeline Langlois, Westford (fifth); Autumn Dailey, Walden (sixth); Sara DiStasio, Londonderry (seventh); Reese Kilburn, Williston (eighth); Hannah Gendreau, Orwell (ninth); Madison Trudell, Fairfax (tenth)
  • Seniors (14 and older): Allessandra Hoffman, Milton (first); Madeline Tylenda, Essex Junction (second); Haileigh Demers, Westford (third); Ella Dubin, Northfield, Massachusetts (fourth); Maddie DiStasio (fifth) and Megan Carson (sixth), both from Londonderry; Jenna Dolloph, Grafton (seventh); Shyanne Wedge, Shoreham (eighth); Britney Zager, Gill, Massachusetts (ninth); Rose Ouimette, Rutland (tenth)

The contests were hosted by Chittenden County 4-H in collaboration with University of Vermont Extension 4-H. For information about the Vermont 4-H horse program and events, contact Wendy Sorrell at wendy.sorrell@uvm.edu.