As we begin to start heavy traveling times with our equine friends, note some helpful safety information from the University of Minnesota (HERE) to help your equine have a safe summer and see attached a PDF of quick information as well.
Congratulations to our 2025 graduates and we wish them the best for their future endeavors:
**Lachelle Dahlstrom
**Rachel Guski
**Rayne Heminway
**Kamryn Kunz
**Aubrey Musil
**Charlotte Odden
**Baleigh Stouffer
For information regarding the Barron County Horse project, see a quick link for Barron County 4H horse project: https://barron.extension.wisc.edu/4h/horse/
Stall Decorating theme for the fair is “Las Vegas” get excited to decorate your stall! Judging will take place by our Fair show judge, and prizes are awarded at the fall banquet.
**Just a bit of safety when displaying your decorations, be careful about stating too much personal information about yourself. For example, perhaps do not display your personal address, last name, school, etc. if you display a write up.
**All horses need to be at the fair by 4pm on Thursday.
Don’t forget about those Bronco Bucks and keep in mind you can earn Bronco Bucks by attending open riding nights, open horse shows, meeting attendance, volunteering at open riding nights (parents, friends, and relatives count for volunteering if under your member name) , and several other options. See Link:
New Classes at the Fair:
**Hunter in Hand, see Fair pattern attached
**In Hand Line Driving, see Fair pattern attached / this would be with a single horse, in hand, no cart, all that is needed is bridle, driving lines, and surcingle
For all the Speed riders, find attached a PDF of 101 quick riding tips, a great resource of information.
Open riding nights will begin Thursday 6/5/25, running Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-8pm.
**Drill team has a separate schedule, please refer to your group leader for schedule
**You cannot participate in open riding nights unless all paperwork for your horse, including coggins, etc is complete and received by the project attendance coordinator prior to attending.
Thank you to all the certified leaders that we have in our project, we have AMAZING VOLUNTEERS, please see below the open riding night schedule of leaders. Leaders, if you wish to bring in an Equine Specialist for your night, feel free to do so, however you must be in attendance. If you cannot be available for your night, please make sure another certified leader is in attendance, remember that you can always help at any and all open riding nights if you are in attendance. All 4H rules apply for both youth members and adults at all times.
**Note** for safety purposes, no drop off of minors with horses, parent/adult guardian must be in attendance at all times for minors to participate in any open horse riding nights.
Open Riding Nights at Barron County Fairgrounds
**Coggins and all paperwork must be turned in before riding
Thursday 6/5/25 Sheila Kisling (leader contact for night) anyone wishing to help may do so
Tuesday 6/10/25 Sheila Kisling (leader contact for night) anyone wishing to help may do so
Thursday 6/12/25 Rebecca Odden (leader contact for night), Mckenna George, Brittany Fiendschuh / Youth Helpers Charlotte Odden, Lachelle Dahlstrom
Tuesday 6/17/25 Michelle Stouffer (leader contact for night), Tammie Schultz / Youth Helpers Bailey Stouffer and Caylin Schultz
Thursday 6/19/25 Randy Drost (leader contact for night), Aleesha Drost, Jamie Shaffer, Jamie Christopherson / Youth Helpers Clara Drost, Addison Shaffer, Alaina Christopherson, Rayne Hemingway
Tuesday 6/24/25 Stacy Nelson (leader contact for night), Kenneth Wells, Carissa Ebler / Youth Helpers Brianna Wells, Lydia Gramberg, Sara Roff
Thursday 6/26/25 Suzette Byhre (leader contact for night),Mike Byhre, Diana Bazewicz, Jean Gurtner / Youth Helpers Aubrey Musil, Haylin Nelson, Kamryn Kunz
Tuesday 7/1/25 Trail riding and In Hand Trail @ Sheila Kisling house / all minors must have a parent in attendance / no dogs allowed (if there is interest in another session, may add 7/8/25)
**Horseless horse will have additional opportunities at home of Sheila Kisling
4H Horse Rules and Guidelines for all Fair Classes:
WI State 4H Pleasure Horse rules and Guidelines:
WI State 4H Gymkhana rules and Guidelines:
WI State Show Entry information. All completed entry forms with entry payment, and coggins, must be received at the Barron County 4H office by 7/1/25.
Sara Waldron
4-H Program Educator
1800 College Drive
Rice Lake WI 54868 Phone: 715-788-6219
**A $50 check /horse and rider combination payable to Barron County 4H Horse project, must all accompany all State Entry paperwork. If you attend your state event, this check will be given back to you, if you do not attend your state event, this $50 check will be deposited by the project. This requirement is due to the fact that our county must send in required sponsorships per state event depending on how many registered county participants we have, whether you attend or not.
WI State 4H Horse contest:
Gymkhana (must have completed 6th grade)
Horse Expo (Pleasure) (must have completed 6th grade)
Horse Expo (Educational) open to all who have complted grades 3-13
*Calling all artists, see the link below to create the winning design for State t-shirts.
Calendar of WI State 4H Horse project events:
Link for all WI 4-H Horse association information:
Hunter in Hand information:
Hunter in hand is a class geared towards the suitability for Hunter under saddle, creating the perfect venue for many performance-type horses the chance to be recognized in hand for their conformation, and movement.
The horse is initially judged in the “open” position, which means all four legs are viewable when set up for inspection. Judged 60% movement, 30% conformation, 10% temperament, horses are then asked to first perform a ground covering walk around the smaller triangle, once complete they swiftly, without hesitation move into an open trot that showcases their movement. Horses are expected to move around the triangle with ease, comfort, and a quiet relaxed & natural headset suitable for their body type.
Handlers should be wearing conservative collars, polo, or collared button up shirts, tucked into dress pants or khakis – belts must be simple, without western flare, and shoes, or you can wear your Hunter/English attire.
Many people new to Hunter in hand make the mistake of treating the class as if it is a pattern class similar to showmanship; but this is not the case! The absolute goal is to create the most desirable, fluid and complimenting go for the horse, and secondly the handler. Learn to match your horse’s stride, help them rate their speed with yours, and find the exact speed that your horse looks best at.
Some horses are big, with giant strides meaning their handler has to practically sprint, whilst others might be more ideal at a soft, controlled pace. Horses headsets should be natural, and relaxed from the withers out, some horses look best with an above-wither headset, while others may drop lower into the bridle. You also want your horse’s throat latch to be open, and not appear as if the handler is pulling on their horse to slow them down. No matter what, a happy, fluid horse is most ideal.
Another great free resource of information for all pleasure showing classes:
https://www.horseiq.com/pages/resource-library?item=ride-the-pattern-2024-apha-western-national-show
For additional questions, please contact Sheila Kisling 715-651-1213
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