State 4-H/FFA Horse Judging Contest
April 5, 2025
UF Horse Teaching Unit, Gainesville
Draft Schedule
Registration through 4-H Online is now open through March 28th. To register, click here.
Contest Overview
The 2025 State 4-H/FFA Horse Judging Contest will be held on April 5 at the covered arena of the UF Horse Teaching Unit in Gainesville. Check-in for 4-H is at 9:00 a.m. and everyone should be seated in the stands and ready to begin by 9:30. Youth will be dismissed after their last set of reasons. The contest will consist of 6-8 placing classes – up to four halter and four performance. Reasons will be given on four of the classes and there will be no questions classes. An awards program after the event will recognize the top individuals and teams in halter, performance, and reasons as well as the highest individuals and teams overall.
The top-4 scoring individuals will be combined into one team to represent the state of Florida at the National 4-H Horse Judging Contest in Louisville, KY (November). The first and second-place teams may compete at Southern Regionals in Perry, GA.
Registration
Each county may enter two senior teams (14 and over as of September 1, 2024) of three or four members. All adults traveling with the team need to register as well. A maximum of 15 teams may enter the contest. If more than 10 teams enter by the deadline, counties with two teams will be asked to only bring one.
Individuals may be entered if a county does not have enough youth to fill a team. If there are individuals from a second county, we will ask both coaches and agents if they would like to join to compete as a team.
An entry fee of $40 per team or $10 per individual is required at check in. Payment may also be mailed to PO Box 110910 Gainesville, FL 32611 if it will be receive PRIOR to the contest day (April 5). Checks should be written to "Florida 4-H Foundation". Contestants will be provided lunch, as well as one coach per team.
Entrant Eligibility
- Must be Senior 4-H members (14 or older at the beginning of the 4-H year) and approved to represent the county at a State 4-H event by the County 4-H Agent.
- Must not have participated in the National 4-H or FFA contest in Horse Judging.
- Rare exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis with the Specialist in charge of the State contest.
To help plan/prepare
Please be sure that your team members are familiar with the scantron card and know how to fill it out correctly. Cards filled out incorrectly may be discarded and zero scores awarded. A copy of the scantron that will be used is provided to the coaches before the contest via email.
Potential Classes:
Halter Classes:
- Arabian
- Quarter Horse (or mixed Stock Type)
- Morgan Tennessee Walkers
- Paso Fino
- Hunters
- Appaloosa
- Thoroughbred
- Buckskin
- Paint
- Saddlebred
- POA
- Draft Horses
Performance Classes:
- Western Pleasure
- Hunter Hack
- Hunter Under Saddle
- Hunt Seat Equitation
- Western Riding
- Western Horsemanship
- Reining
- English Pleasure (Saddle Seat)
- Plantation Pleasure
- Ranch Pleasure (Ranch Riding)
- Pleasure Driving