Lyndonville—Twenty-seven 4-H'ers took part in the 2024 Northeast Regional 4-H Horse Quiz Bowl and Hippology Contest, held February 4 at the Lyndon Town School in Lyndonville.

The two-part competition was open to 4-H'ers, ages 5 to 18, who belong to 4-H clubs in Caledonia, Essex, Lamoille and Orleans Counties. University of Vermont (UVM) Extension 4-H sponsored the event, which was organized by UVM Extension 4-H Educators Lindy Birch and Holly Ferris.

The event got underway with the hippology contest, which included a written exam and a series of identification boards to test participants' knowledge of horses. Hippology board topics varied for each age group and covered such areas as horse anatomy, popular horse breeds, horse colors, feeds and tack identification, among others. Following the hippology competition, the 4-H’ers took part in quiz bowl, scoring points for being the first to buzz in with the correct answer to questions on equine topics.

Up to six rosettes were awarded in each age group in both competitions. All other participants received a blue or red Danish ribbon based on their score. Zayne Franko, Lyndonville, the only 4-H Cloverbud (ages 5-7) who competed in this event, received a rainbow rosette participation ribbon for each of the two contests.

Placements for the hippology contest were as follows:

  • SENIORS (14 and older): Tieghan Perry (first) and Renee Payton (second), both from Danville; Molly Larrabee, West Danville (third); Adriana Leonard, East Hardwick (fourth)
  • JUNIORS (12-13): Carlie Rondeau, Coventry (first); Paige Hemond, Waterford (second); Jenesy Zwart, Danville (third); Kassie Koehler (fourth) and Penelope Longe (fifth), both from Newport; Keira Klos-Schiavoni, Littleton, New Hampshire (sixth)
  • JUNIORS (10-11): Vera Acheson, North Troy (first); Lillie Royer, Newport Center (second); Jayde Hopkins, Derby (third); Taylor Peck, Sheffield (fourth); Averill Scott, Lyndonville (fifth); Eva Lamothe, Barnet (sixth)
  • Also participating: Kylie Cabey, North Haverhill, New Hampshire; Kaylee Demars, St. Johnsbury; Breena Garcia, Woodsville, New Hampshire; Jaida Jenkin, Lyndonville; LeighAnn Judd, Wolcott
  • JUNIORS (8-9): Nora Acheson. North Troy (first); Alina Phillips, Newport (second); Maggie Guyer, Morgan (third); Thea Ross, St. Johnsbury (fourth); Quinn Charest, Derby Line (fifth)

Quiz bowl placements were:

  • SENIORS (14 and older): Renee Payton, Danville (first); Molly Larrabee, West Danville (second); Adriana Leonard, East Hardwick (third). Because Tieghan Perry, Danville, competed at the national level on a state horse quiz bowl team, she is no longer eligible to participate in county and state quiz bowls.
  • JUNIORS (12-13): Carlie Rondeau, Coventry (first); Paige Hemond, Waterford (second); Kassie Koehler (third) and Penelope Longe (fourth), both from Newport; Jenesy Zwart, Danville (fifth); Keira Klos-Schiavoni, Littleton, New Hampshire (sixth)
  • JUNIORS (10-11): Vera Acheson, North Troy (first); Jayde Hopkins, Derby (second); Taylor Peck, Sheffield (third); LeighAnn Judd, Wolcott (fourth); Lillie Royer, Newport Center (fifth); Breena Garcia, Woodsville, New Hampshire (sixth)
  • Also participating: Kylie Cabey, North Haverhill, New Hampshire; Kaylee Demars, St. Johnsbury; Eva Lamothe, Barnet; Jaida Jenkin and Averill Scott, both from Lyndonville
  • JUNIORS (8-9): Maggie Guyer, Morgan (first); Nora Acheson, North Troy (second); Alina Phillips, Newport (third); Quinn Charest, Derby Line (fourth); Thea Ross, St. Johnsbury (fifth)

Several parents and adult volunteers assisted with the contests.

Barb Kristoff, St. Johnsbury, served as the hippology room monitor. Amanda Turgeon, St. Johnsbury, and Jennifer Wood, Concord, prepared the hippology boards. They also helped supervise the testing rooms for the written exam along with Kristi Acheson, North Troy; and Jillian Dargie and Jo Perry, both from Danville.

Robbie Guyer, Morgan; Melissa Morin, Wolcott; Jo Perry, Danville; Shawna Royer, Newport Center; and Samantha Simoneau, Newport; scored the written exams. Quiz bowl monitors and scorekeepers were Kristi Acheson, North Troy; Jonathan Franko, Lyndonville; Emily Lacroix, Graniteville; Tieghan Perry, Danville; and Jennifer Wood, Concord.

To learn more about 4-H in Caledonia and Lamoille Counties, contact Holly Ferris at (802) 656-7562. For Essex and Orleans Counties, contact Lindy Birch at (802) 656-7572.