Michigan 4-H Horse and pony program has a successful 2024!

David Lindsay<lindsa75@msu.edu>, Michigan State University Extension -

As we head into the holiday season, the Michigan 4-H horse program is celebrating a successful year of programs in 2024 and gearing up for the 2025 year!

Two horse statue awards on top of a row of ribbons and medals.
Awards ready for the 2024 Michigan 4-H Hippology Contest. Photo Credit: Kendra Van Order

As we head into the holiday season, the Michigan 4-H horse program is celebrating a successful year of programs in 2024 and gearing up for the 2025 year!

As part of Michigan State University Extension, the program remains strong, with over 4,600 youth participating in 4-H horse and pony projects across the state in the 2023-2024 program year. In the past few years, Cloverbud participant numbers have grown greatly, and some counties have seen participation in horse and pony projects increase by over 10%.

In addition to local programs, youth in horse and pony projects have also had the opportunity to compete in statewide educational contests and events. The 2024 program year started with the Michigan 4-H State Hippology Contest in March. Over 75 youth participated in the event, displaying their knowledge and skills related to the equine industry. In April, the Michigan 4-H and FFA Horse Judging State Contest saw great participation, with more than 200 youth registered for the event. The program year wrapped up with the 2024 2024 Michigan 4-H State Horse Show, which saw over 375 participants and was a huge success. New to this year’s showbill was ranch riding, which proved so popular that an entire Ranch Day will be added for the 2025 show.

It was a phenomenal year for the Michigan 4-H Horse Program, and that wouldn’t have been possible without the help of the many volunteers and supporters! Are you interested in supporting the Michigan 4-H Horse and Pony project? Reach out to MSU Extension Educator David Lindsay at lindsa75@msu.edu for more information!

Interested in joining a 4-H horse and pony club? Reach out to your county MSU Extension Office to find the horse and pony project clubs in your area. Already have a 4-H club and interested in participating in these contests? Go to 4-H Horses & Ponies for more information about upcoming contests and programs!

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

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