Submitted Photo Team members are shown with all the medals earned from horse judging. From left to right are Mikaela Woodruff, Emily Fannik, Anne Schauer and Olivia Lebrun.

The American Quarter Horse Congress in Columbus, Ohio, hosted national Horse Quiz Bowl and Horse Judging contests on Oct. 12 and 13. North Dakota was represented by four Ward County 4-H members. The team comprised of Emily Fannik, Max; Olivia Lebrun, Berthold; Anne Schauer, Carpio; and Mikaela Woodruff, Garrison.

The first competition was Horse Quiz Bowl where the team faced Texas 4-H in the first round. They won with a score of seven to four. The second round they competed against New York and were defeated, 22 to negative two. The contest was double elimination; therefore, the team would have to lose twice to be eliminated. The third round was against Indiana-Northwood FFA. The team was victorious, winning 12 to two. The final team they faced was North Carolina 4-H; it was a close match, but North Dakota lost with a score of eight to five.

Also, during Horse Quiz Bowl, individual points are tracked. When a player answers correctly or incorrectly, points are added or deducted to their individual scores. Individually, Woodruff placed seventh and received a medal. Overall, North Dakota placed sixth out of the twelve teams. The two teams they lost to, New York and North Carolina 4-H, won first and second places.

Horse judging began early the next morning. The team judged 12 classes and gave oral reasons on four. The performance classes judged included Trail, Western Riding, Hunter Hack, Hunter Under Saddle, Western Pleasure, English Equitation, Western Horsemanship, Ranch Riding, and Reining. The three halter classes were Performance Mares, 2-year-old Geldings, and Aged Geldings.

Team and individual awards are as follows:

10th place – Halter Classes – Team

6th place – Performance Classes – Team

7th place – Performance Classes – Individual Fannik

8th place – Reasons – Team

7th place – Overall – Team

8th place – Overall – Individual Fannik

Paige Brummund, Donnybrook, and Emily Burkett, Carpio, were the volunteer coaches.