2017 MERA/Manitoba 4-H Young Horse
Development Project Presentations Highly Successful


2017 MERA/Manitoba 4-H Young Horse - Development Project Presentations
2016 MERA/Manitoba 4-H Young Horse - Development Project Presentations
2015 MERA/Manitoba 4-H Young Horse - Development Project Presentations
2014 MERA/Manitoba 4-H Young Horse - Development Project Presentations
2013 MERA/Manitoba 4-H Young Horse - Development Project Presentations

(September 29, 2017 - Brandon, MB) --- The 20th annual presentations of the Manitoba 4-H Young Horse Development Project (YHDP) were held September 4, 2017 at the Westoba Agricultural Centre of Excellence, in Brandon, Manitoba. The project provides a venue for senior 4-H members to demonstrate their knowledge gained through the 4-H Equine Program, as well as to showcase the stock being bred and raised on Manitoba's equine ranches.

Each year, interested senior 4-H members (14 years of age by January 1 of the current year) apply to the YHD Project's Advisory Committee. Upon selection, members are given a list of participating Manitoba Equine Ranching Association (MERA) and Saskatchewan Equine Ranching Association (SERA) ranchers from whom they may purchase a weanling. Prices are pre-set and ranchers receive half of the purchase price; the balance is placed in that year's Project Enhancement Fund.

The YHD Project involves a two-year commitment, and teaches 4-H members valuable life skills about taking responsibility, setting goals, and applying the knowledge gained. Members raise and train their horses with the objective of presenting them as a yearling "in hand", and as a twoyear-old "under saddle". Members receive payouts through their yearling presentations (1/3 of the Enhancement Fund) and through their two-year-old presentations (the remaining 2/3 of the fund); completing their project books; and by adhering to the rules and regulations. Formal placings for the presentations are irrelevant. Members receive an Enhancement Fund payout based on their individual efforts, so the experience is self-achieving.

In 2017, four 4-H members exhibited their yearling Quarter Horses, "in hand". They were evaluated on the elements of basic showmanship skills, conditioning of the horses, and their abilities to teach their horses to work on a longe line and to load into a trailer. Scores ran18ged from 180 points to 218 points, out of 260 possible points. The members earned a share of the $583.33 in the 2016 Enhancement Fund. As a group, they accumulated 769 points, averaging 192.25 each, and will be paid $0.76/point, based on their individual scores. Each yearling presenter received a copy of their evaluation, a tri-coloured neck banner, a Horse Industry Handbook - A Guide to Education, Care and Management, published by the American Youth Horse Council sponsored by the North American Equine Ranching Information Council (NAERIC).



2017 Yearling Presentations (in order of appearance):

yearling

4-H Club:

4-H Member:

Horse's Name:

Participating Ranchers:

Riding Mountain Wranglers 4-H Club

1
Photography by Wilf Davis

Robyn Yaremchuk

Good Hot Treasure

Greg & Faye Little
Little Valley Quarter Horses
Decker, MB

Ethelbert 4-H Horse & Beef Club

2
Photography by Wilf Davis

Gabriel Coffey

Flying Commodity

Kevin & Julie Bridgeman
K & J Bridgeman
Binscarth, MB

Austin Blazing Saddles M

3
Photography by Wilf Davis

Miriam Funk

DF Chexo For Frost

Dean & Debbie Fenty
D5 Performance Horses
Miniota, MB

Gainsborough Combined 4-H Club

4
Photography by Wilf Davis

Reanne Blanchette F

Foxy

Greg & Faye Little
Little Valley Quarter Horses
Decker, MB

4-H member Miriam Funk, 19, graduated from Austin Christian Academy and lives on an acreage in MacGregor, Manitoba. Funk is working at a bakery while she considers her future as a medical laboratory assistant. This is Miriam's first involvement with the YHD Project, although as she said, "My sister (Esther) participated two years ago and that inspired me to try. Miriam is no novice horsewoman, "I have been involved with horses through 4-H since I was ten, and now I compete in the MBRA barrel racing open division," she said. When asked why she chose DF Chexo For Frost, Miriam said, "I really enjoyed visiting D5 Performance Horses to pick one out. I was looking for a filly as a barrel racing prospect and had researched the sires before I went. I liked her colouring, her dam, and she had Sun Frost bloodlines. What I have learned from this project so far is that you need a lot of patience, perseverance through obstacles and to ask for help, when it is needed."

Dean and Deb Fenty of D5 Performance Horses at Miniota, Manitoba have been equine ranchers since 1991. Deb said, "We've been raising Quarter Horses for speed events, working cow horses, and as good using horses for work and play and showing." They farm 1.5 sections of land used for pasture and to grow hay for their 14 stallions and 140 mares. "We have offered weanlings for this project since the beginning (twenty years ago), because we really enjoy seeing youth get a good quality horse for a reasonable price and to see what they are looking for. These kids are so enthusiastic and they get to learn the proper care and handling of a horse. For us, the Young Horse Development Project is good advertising and provides us an opportunity to showcase what we have to offer."

Two 4-H members presented their two-year-old Quarter Horses "under saddle". Each horse and rider was scored based on their individual performance over a predetermined horsemanship pattern. Scores ranged from 188 points to 216 points out of a possible 270 points. The members earned a share of the $1400.00 remaining in the 2015 Enhancement Fund. As a group, they accumulated 404 points, averaging 202 each, and will be paid $3.46/point based on their individual scores. Each member received a copy of their evaluation, a tri-coloured neck banner, and trophy cooler, sponsored by NAERIC.

2017 Two-year-olds Under Saddle Presentations (in order of appearance):

two-year-old

4-H Club:

4-H Member:

Horse's Name:

Participating Ranchers:

Decker Country Riders

1
Photography by Wilf Davis

Keegan Burt Tee Jays Stylish Kid

Greg & Faye Little
Little Valley Quarter Horses
Decker, MB

Interlake Trailblazers

1
Photography by Wilf Davis

Michelle Larsen

Lenas Driftin Leo

Kirk & Gail Bridgeman
Bridgeman Land & Livestock
Rapid City, MB

4-H member Michelle Larsen, 17, is in grade 12 at Ashern Central School in Ashern, Manitoba. Michelle is looking forward to becoming a construction safety officer, training either at Red River College (in Manitoba) or in Alberta. Michelle presented her Quarter Horse gelding, Lenas Driftin Leo as a yearling in the 2016 Young Horse Development Project presentations. Michelle said, "What I like most about him, is that he's easy to train, very laid back." Michelle has been active with horses since she was seven, riding her Grampa's horse and participating in 4-H. She said, "I chose him from the Bridgeman's because he really stuck out with his buckskin colouring. I knew he was the one by his conformation and build. I plan to keep him - give him time off to grow and become a barrel or working cow horse. What I have learned from this project is that it takes lots of time and patience working with a young horse."

Kirk and Gail Bridgeman, who own and operate Bridgeman Land & Livestock Ltd., at Rapid City, Manitoba, have been equine ranchers for 36 years. They are second generation equine ranchers, as Kirk's late parents, Ken and Janie Bridgeman were pioneers in the business. Gail said, "We farm about 2,200 acres of grain, hay and pasture and have about 30 commercial cow/calf pairs. Our breeding operation consists of approximately 120 mares and 10 stallions. Quarter Horses make up 75% and Appaloosas make up 25% of our herd. We have been offering weanlings to 4-H members in the YHD Project since the beginning (twenty years ago) and have had two weanlings chosen as project horses for 2017. We like to see kids raise a foal, we hope they get some knowledge and satisfaction from it and feel they are the future of the horse industry. We try to attend the event every year to see them present their horses."

Sherald Joynt, of Sherald Joynt Quarter Horses, Virden, Manitoba, was the evaluator of the yearling and two-year-old presentations. Joynt said, "I have been judging for 40 years, starting as a 4-H leader prior to judging at 4-H clinics. I have been a horse breeder for 30 years, and currently have two stallions and five broodmares. About 25 of the horses I've raised have been exported to Europe."

Following completion of the two presentations, Joynt offered her perspective to the members. "I suggested to the yearling presenters that they let their horses to walk two full circles first, before they ask for the jog and lope circles during the longe-line section. This would allow their young horses more time to relax in a new setting. I suggested they practice at home with a stop-watch to develop a feel for how much time they have for that gait in each direction. I also suggested that besides using their own horse trailers, they practice loading using a strange trailer at home to develop their horses' confidence. Both the two-year-old presenters' horses performed well above average on all maneouvres and were in good body condition. My only suggestion was that when unbridling their horses, not to let the reins touch the ground at all. I was impressed with the handling abilities of all the youth. But it would have been nice to see even more members participating."

"Dawn Krinke, Office Manager, Manitoba 4-H Council Inc., Brandon, Manitoba said, "We had a total of 2088 Manitoba 4-H members in 2016-17 and 378 equine projects were undertaken. The YHD Project's Working Committee manages enrollment in the project, provides the project materials, and directly administers the project. The project provides an opportunity for members to establish relations with Manitoba and Saskatchewan ranchers and to own and develop a young horse. The members gain advanced skills in selecting, feeding and handling horses, and an increased awareness of the equine industry."

Lynn Coffey, Chairperson of the YHD Project's Advisory Committee said, "There were five new senior members approved to select weanlings in 2017. There were 5 senior 4-H members approved to select weanlings in 2016. We have a commitment from MERA and SERA ranchers and NAERIC to continue this program through to the 2019 'under saddle' presentations. We are grateful to the Manitoba 4-H Council for sponsoring the fees to cover our project evaluator. We also appreciate the ongoing support of the individual NAERIC-member equine ranchers who offer their weanlings and NAERIC for sponsoring the costs of awards, facilities - including the arena and stabling, post-event press releases, and colour photographs for the members and ranchers."

The YHD Project's Advisory Committee consists of: Lynn Coffey, Ethelbert; Amanda Mantik, Ashern; Darlene Dudar and Marsha Dudar, Ethelbert.