TheBridgeport FFA Chapter recently had a strong performance at the state horse judging competition at the WVU JW Ruby Research farm in Reedsville.

 

Bridgeport finished first overall and individual honors went to Payton Evans for placing third and Miyah Swiger placed seventh.

 

The BHS horse judging team advances to Indianapolis for the 97^th National FFA Convention and Expo in October.

 

Joining Evans and Swiger on the horse judging team are Gracie Burdette and Lauren Stone. Evans, Swiger and Burdette are in their second year on the team and Stone is in her first.

 

The horse judging competition involves hippology (The study of horses) and judging various classes of horses. Some classes are "in-hand" which means the students judge them on their body and structure, legs, top line, confirmation, proportions, etc. The other classes are "under saddle" which refers to them being ridden. While you still judge the horses, you are more focused on the way they listen and do the various motions in the class. For example in the Western Pleaser class, horses are expected to walk, trot, and canter on command. Students are looking for the horse that listens to their rider to do those things the best but also looking for acts of disobedience such as kicking out their hind legs. 

 

Each class features four horses, and students must place the class top to bottom. For instance a placing might be Horse 3, Horse 2, Horse 4, Horse , which indicates horse 3 did the best while horse 1 did the worst. Students are scored based on their placings when compared to the judges placings from the same class. 

 

For one of the classes (This year it was western pleasure), students must prepare and memorize reasons set on why they placed the class the way that they did. They had 30 minutes to use their notes they take during each class to prepare these reasons, however they are not notified until after all classes has been judged which one will be used for reasons. To be successful, students need to record everything they see in great detail. They then present their reason set to the judge and receive a score for that as well. 

 

Hippology is a general knowledge exam regarding species, diet, anatomy, and industry terminology. Additionally, students have to identify various tools and medications utilized in the industry.

 

Editor's Note: Top submitted photo shows (from left): Payton Evans, Lauren Stone, Miyah Swiger and Gracie Burdette. Bottom submitted photo shows (from left) Burdette, Swiger, Coach Sierra Wean, Stone and Evans.