Showing
Not sure what to wear for a show?  Check out the current rule books (King County and OR/WA/ID Contest Guide.  You may also want to download this "Showing with Style" article.
Rules
Upcoming 4-H Shows
What To Wear
2010 County & State Fair News
Dates have not yet been set for the 2010 King County Fair.  More information will be posted as it becomes available.  In the event that there is no county fair this year, an alternative State Fair qualifying event will be scheduled, tentatively in August.  As details about State Fair become available, they will be posted on the State Fair page.
Banding your horse's mane is just one of the extra touches that can improve your placings in the show ring.  Here Allison shows the attention to detail that has helped her win seven showmanship supremes.
The 2010 show schedule is already filling up.  Here are a few of the upcoming dates:
  • April 3 - Leader's Gaming Show
  • April 17 - Leader's Performance Opener
  • April 24 - Trailblazer's Gaming Show
  • May 2 - Leader's Gaming Show
  • May 8 - Mounted Mischief Performance Show
  • May 22 - Trailblazer's Gaming Show
  • May 29 - Leader's Dressage/Jumping Show
  • May 30 - Leader's Performance Show
  • June 5 - Royal Rider's Performance Show
  • June 12 - Leader's Gaming Show
  • June 26 - Leader's Pre-Fair Show
  • June 27 - Trailblazer's Gaming Show
  • July 3 - Happy Hayburners Performance Show
New rule for 2010
You can no longer wear chaps in equitation classes at 4-H shows.  Make sure your show pants are long enough!
When showing at 4-H shows, your clothes don't have to be fancy. But they do need to comply with 4-H rules and should be clean and pressed.  Your hair should also be neat and should not hide your number.  Goodwill and other thrift stores are great places to find inexpensive show clothes.  Online options include Craigslist, Ebay and Tacktrader.com. You can also access the club's free show clothing exchange.  Contact Kim Giglio for more information.
Links To Show Sites
The King County medals program recognizes
exhibitors who demonstrate advanced-level skills in 4-H events.  To qualify, you will need a "high blue" in a medals event.  Bronze, silver and gold medals are available.  The highest award is a Supreme.  To learn more about the medals program, contact Kim Giglio.

Tip:  Bring your own copy of the medal pattern you are attempting.  Sometimes shows don't have them on hand.

Medals Program
Tessa and Sara show off the medals they earned at the 2009 King County Fair.
Johannah and Mack graduated out of the Novice Program after a successful first year in the show ring.
King County 4-H offers a novice program for new members who are also inexperienced riders.  The program allows these members to compete with other novices from their own age group.  Riding classes are limited to walk and trot.  Most novices only remain in the program for their first year.  In some cases, a novice rider may move up during their first year if they are ready to compete in canter classes. 
Novice Program
What 4-H Shows Teach Us
In 4-H, horse shows are used as a tool for teaching important life lessons like goal setting, hard work, and good sportsmanship.  Mounted Mischief celebrates when our members do well.  But we also celebrate the "small victories" that may not always result in a top placing.  Also, sometimes the most important lessons come from times when things didn't go our way. 
Tessa and Construction