March 2024 - 4-H Animal Lines

March 2024

DATES TO REMEMBER . . .

March 9 -State 4-H Livestock Judging Contest, Jackson

April 5 -4-H Hippology Contest, MSU

April 6 -4-H Horse Judging, Hippology and Communication Contests, MSU

April 12 -4-H Dairy Judging Contest, MSU

April 13 -4-H Horse Bowl, MSU

May 1 -Ownership Deadline on Horses for 2024

District and State Shows

May 1 -Membership deadline for 4-H’ers showing in

4-H Horse Shows

May 1 -Entry deadline for District 4-H Horse Shows & State Only Classes

June 1 -Ethics certification deadline for NEW exhibitors/parents & volunteers to show in 2024 District & State 4-H Horse Shows

June 6-7 -NW District 4-H Horse Show, Winona

June 6-7 -SW District 4-H Horse Show, Jackson

June 6-7 -SE District 4-H Horse Show, Meridian

June 6-8 -NE District 4-H Horse Show, Starkville

June 19-22 -State 4-H Horse Championship, Jackson

July 31- -Southern Regional 4-H Horse Championships, August 4 Perry, GA

August 2-3 -Heifer Development Contest, Raymond

Mississippi Livestock Council Meeting

The Mississippi Livestock Council will meet on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, starting at 1:00 p.m. in the East End of the Equine Center on the fairgrounds in Jackson. Minutes from the Livestock Directors meeting will be made available as soon as possible after their meeting.

Alert Horse Project Members about Ownership & Ethics Certification!!!

NOTE: The 2023 Horse Show Rule Book is being formatted! When it is ready, we will let you know!

Remind your 4-H’ers and adult leaders that May 1st is the ownership deadline for horses to be shown in the 2024 4-H horse shows. Also, each horse showing in the district 4-H horse shows must be accompanied by original registration certificate or official ownership form for grade horses (BOTH DATED & SIGNED BY MAY 1ST). Copies of registration certificate or ownership form must be sent in with entries by district show deadline. Horses must be in the name of the 4-H’er, or in the name of an immediate family member (farm name is not eligible). Also, any youth that wishes to show in this year’s District and State 4-H Horse Shows must be a 4-H member by May 1st. The horse show entry deadline is May 1st.

In addition, a NEW 4-H’er who plans to show in the 2024 District & State 4-H Horse Shows and at least one parent must have completed the Horse Ethics Certification program by June 1st. Also, any NEW volunteers that assist 4-H’ers with their horses must be horse ethics certified by June 1st. Be sure to comply with the recently released Registered Volunteer Certification Process before certifying volunteers for horse ethics.

4-H’ers that are only competing in the non-riding contests (horse bowl, horse judging, art contest, photography contest, hippology, public speaking, and demonstration contests) do not have to be ethics certified. However, these 4-H’ers should be encouraged to be ethics certified!

Coggins Documentation

An Official Negative Equine Infectious Anemia Test Certification or certified Coggins document (PHOTOCOPIES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED) bearing lab number with animal identification issues within 12 months of the show date must accompany each horse in hand for all district and state 4-H horse shows. These certificates will be checked and must be in possession of the exhibitor and/or with the horse at the shows. If agent maintains original registration papers, agent MUST BE PRESENT at time of check in. Now is the time to be taking care of these important matters. Alert your 4-H’ers.

4-H Horse Education Contests

All 4-H Horse Education Contests will be held in the spring. On April 5-6, hippology, horse judging, and all horse communication contests will be held at MSU. Hippology will start on April 5 and conclude during the horse judging contest on April 6. The horse communication contests will be held after the horse judging contest on April 6. Horse bowl will be held on Saturday, April 13, at MSU. More information will be sent soon.

DISTRICT LIVESTOCK SHOWS

We had excellent shows at the five district locations. District show managers, agents, teachers, parents, leaders, and exhibitors are to be commended for their excellent job! Look at the following figures on district show exhibits for 2024 and a comparison for the past few years.

See more in PDF.