Vermont 4-H horse club members had a jam-packed day on Feb. 11, as they competed in the annual Windham and Windsor County 4-H horse hippology and quiz bowl contests. Sponsors were University of Vermont Extension and Windham and Windsor County 4-H.
The event, held at Springfield High School, was open to all 4-H members in the state, attracting 52 contestants from five counties who competed by age with special divisions for Cloverbuds, ages 5 to 7, and first-time competitors.
In the hippology contest, points were awarded for the written general-knowledge test, horse judging, and identification stations where contestants were asked to name pieces of tack, parts of a horse, and other equine-related items. The quiz bowl, consisting of several fast-paced buzzer rounds, tested knowledge of breeds, horse colors, genetics and reproduction, horse care, nutrition, and related horse and industry topics.
Placements, from first to last, in hippology were:
• SENIORS (14 and older): Kassidy Wyman, Cambridgeport; Arin Kenyon, Chester; Kylee Taylor, Athens; Lillie Tuckerman, South Woodstock; Amanda Ferguson, Springfield; Lilia Kocsis, Vernon; Garrette Shanks, Vernon; Kelsey Kissell, Vernon; Yachne Nilges, Townshend; Bradford Cutts, Brookline; and Alex Taylor, South Royalton.
• JUNIORS (ages 11-13): Emeillia Gomo, Chester; Emma Cushman, Barre; Ryley DuBois, Addison; Tanya Wheeler, Wilmington; Jenna Dolloph, Chester; Peter Thorton, South Royalton; Shiane Wheeler, Wilmington; Megan Robart, East Dover; Zoe Chaves, Chester; Jordan Bombard, Waterbury; Sadie Scott, Bellows Falls; Ella Clark, Bellows Falls; Weston Cutts, Brookline; Britney Zager, Gill, Mass.; Keith Nilges, Townshend; Makaylee Cutts, Brookline; and Kayli Aldrich, Athens.
• ROOKIES (first-time participants, ages 11-18): Madison Zimmerman, Northfield; Rylie Zager, Gill, Mass.; Olivia Campbell, Randolph; Greg Banchand, Randolph; Emma Zimmerman, Northfield; Isabelle Fisher, Barre; MaKayla LaFlam, Vernon; Madison Glidden, Chester; Geneva Audette, South Royalton; Camiren Audette, South Royalton; and Emma Lee, Barre.
• BEGINNERS (ages 8-10): Abby Williams, Andover; Megan Carson, Windham; Viola Brown, Vernon; Kyrah Cutts, Brookline; Lucy Palmer, Ludlow; Elizabeth Brown, Vernon; Garrett Cutts, Brookline; Linsey Miles, Chester; and Gabriel Nilges, Townshend.
• NOVICES (first-time participants, ages 8-10): Natalie Beliveau, Williamstown; and Natalie Noyes, Cambridgeport.
• CLOVERBUDS: Annabel Carson, Windham; and Jacolby Madden, South Royalton.
In the quiz bowl, contestants placed as follows:
• SENIORS: Kassidy Wyman, Cambridgeport; Amanda Ferguson, Springfield; Lilia Kocsis, Vernon; Kylee Taylor, Athens; Lillie Tuckerman, South Woodstock; Garrette Shanks, Vernon; Yachne Nilges, Townshend; Alex Taylor, South Royalton; Bradford Cutts, Brookline; and Kelsey Kissell, Vernon.
• JUNIORS: Emeillia Gomo, Chester; Emma Cushman, Barre; Ryley DuBois, Addison; Tanya Wheeler, Wilmington; Britney Zager, Gill, Mass.; Peter Thorton, South Royalton; Ella Clark, Bellows Falls; Jenna Dolloph, Chester; Keith Nilges, Townshend; Weston Cutts, Brookline; Zoe Chaves, Chester; Shiane Wheeler, Wilmington; Makaylee Cutts, Brookline; Sadie Scott, Bellows Falls; Megan Robart, East Dover; Jordan Bombard, Waterbury; and Kayli Aldrich, Athens.
• ROOKIES: Olivia Campbell, Randolph; Madison Zimmerman, Northfield; Emma Zimmerman, Northfield; Rylie Zager, Gill, Mass.; Isabelle Fisher, Barre; MaKayla LaFlam, Vernon; Emma Lee, Barre; Madison Glidden, Chester; Greg Banchand, Randolph; Geneva Audette, South Royalton; and Camiren Audette, South Royalton.
• BEGINNERS: Abby Williams, Andover; Megan Carson, Windham; Linsey Miles, Chester; Viola Brown, Vernon; Kyrah Cutts, Brookline; Elizabeth Brown, Vernon; Lucy Palmer, Ludlow; Gabriel Nilges, Townshend; and Garrett Cutts, Brookline.
• NOVICES: Natalie Noyes, Cambridgeport; and Natalie Beliveau, Williamstown.
• CLOVERBUDS: Annabel Carson, Windham; and Jacolby Madden, South Royalton.