Fuzzy horses on parade

Wednesday, January 31, 2018
Reece Mader, right, leads Dakota Jones and his horse through the poles course at the January 4-H Fuzzy Horse Show hosted by Vernon County Youth Horsemanship on Sunday afternoon at the Vernon County Fairgrounds.
Gabe Franklin

While Sunday afternoon started unseasonably warm and pleasant, clouds soon rolled in and the mercury dropped — but the spirits of the 4-Hers gathered at the Vernon County Fairgrounds for a fuzzy horse show remained high.

“To keep your horses moving and your kids from getting stiff and because it’s fun … That’s why one of the classes is fuzziest horse,” 4-H mom and club leader Crystal Burch said following the season’s first show last November.

On Sunday, competitors were broken into two divisions — over 10 years old and under 10 years old.

Kiera Stafford works her horse threw the weave poles at the January 4-H Fuzzy Horse Show hosted by Vernon County Youth Horsemanship on Sunday afternoon at the Vernon County Fairgrounds.
Gabe Franklin

In the Flags, over 10 event: Emma Black placed first, Katelin Kimberlin second and Kiera Stafford third. In the Flags, under 10 event: Hanna Black took first place with Draven Cooper in Second.

In barrels, over 10: Kiera Stafford placed first and Katelin Kimberlin placed second. In the barrels, under 10 event: Hanna Black places first and Draven Cooper placed second.

In the poles, over 10 event: Kiera Stafford placed first, Katelin Kimberlin placed second and Cole Burch third. In the poles, under 10 event: Haven Cooper took first place, Hanna Black second and Draven Cooper third place.

For the W race, over 10: Kiera Stafford placed first, Katelin Kimberlin second and Cole Burch third. In the W race, under 10: Haven Cooper placed first followed by Hanna Black in second.

In quad stakes, over 10: Kiera Stafford placed first followed by Katelin Kimberlin and Cole Burch. In quad stakes, under ten: Dakota Jones took first place with Hanna Black in second.

For the follow me event, over 10: Emma Black placed first with Kiera Stafford in second. In the follow me event, under 10: Hanna Black placed first, Jenna Black placed second, and Draven Cooper placed third.

In the buddy race, first place went to Katelin Kimberlin and Draven Cooper with Dakota Jones and Kiera Stafford in second.

In the show’s namesake event, fuzziest horse, over 10: Katelin Kimberlin took first place followed by Kiera Stafford and Emma Black. For fuzziest horse, under 10: Jenna Black placed first, Draven Cooper second, and Hanna Black third.

Earned points totals for over 10 years old: Cole Burch, 3; Emma Black, 11; Dakota Jones, 8; Katelin Kimberlin, 25; and Kiera Stafford, 30.

Earned points totals for under 10 years old: Haven Cooper, 10; Hanna Black, 25; Jenna Black, 8; and Draven Cooper, 16.

The next fuzzy horse shows are scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 18 and Sunday, Mar 18, at 3 p.m. at the Vernon County fairground.

In addition to the fuzzy horse shows, Vernon County Youth Horsemanship is also hosting two mini-shows in March and April that will feature the more formal showmanship classes in the run-up to the Vernon County Youth Fair this summer.

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