4-Hers place well at district contests
By Sam Waller
Three Shackelford County junior 4-Hers received top prizes in District 7 equine and photography contests.
On Tuesday, June 13, Gage Burton won the Junior Stock Horse championship buckle at the District 7 Horse Show. Later in the week, Rainy Nitschke and Reese Nitschke each received a Best in Class award from the District 7 Photography contest.
A total of 11 club members, four of whom competed in both contests, were rewarded for their efforts a total of 46 times.
Horse Show
At the District 7 Horse Show, held at Spur Arena in San Angelo, Burton placed in six classes, winning two, to accumulate enough points to claim the championship buckle. He finished first in Stock Horse Showmanship and Reining, was second in Stock Horse Pleasure and Stock Horse Horsemanship, third in Stock Horse Trail, and fourth in Halter Geldings (5 and Over).
“The Burton kids (Gage, Truitt and Cameron) did great in the show events, and it was awesome that Gage won the buckle in the Stock Horse judged events,” Shackelford County extension agent Kelsey Bell said. “The speed events were a lot tougher this year, from my perspective.”
Faith Fry, one of two senior club members to compete, also won two classes – Yearling Halter Filly and Yearling Long Line.
DISTRICT 7 HORSE SHOW
Halter Geldings 5 & Over – 3. Truitt Burton; 4. Gage Burton
Showmanship at Halter – 3. Faith Fry
Stock Horse Showmanship – 1. Gage Burton; 2. Cameron Burton; 6. Faith Fry
Yearling Halter Filly – 1. Faith Fry.
Yearling Long Line – 1. Faith Fry.
Reining – 1. Gage Burton; 2. Truitt Burton; 3. Cameron Burton.
Stock Horse Pleasure – 2. Gage Burton; 3. Truitt Burton; 5. Cameron Burton.
Stock Horse Horsemanship – 2. Gage Burton
Stock Horse Trail – 3. Gage Burton; 4. Cameron Burton
Pole Bending – 3. Madailein Beard
Stakes Race – 5. Madailein Beard
Others who participated were Grace Fry, Reese Nitschke, Rainy Nitschke, and Artie Bell.
Photo Contest
In the District 7 Photography Contest, results of which were announced Wednesday, June 14, all six Shackelford County representatives were awarded at least one blue ribbon quality award. Rainy Nitschke received Best in Class for Macro, with -Reese Nitschke named Best in Class for Motion.
“Getting a Best in Class is definitely exciting,” Bell said. “That quite an accomplishment since there’s no telling how many photos are entered.”
DISTRICT PHOTO CONTEST
Junior Division
Artie Bell – Blue ribbon for Leading Line; Red ribbon for People, Theme (Reflections), Catch-all.
Cody Fry – Blue ribbon for Macro,Elements of Design and Leading Line; Red ribbon for Landscape, Plant Flora, Animals (Domestic), Theme (Reflections), and Catch-all.
Grace Fry – Blue ribbon for Landscape, People; Red ribbon for Shadow/Silhouette, Animals (Domestic) and Elements of Design.
Carly Kreitler – Blue ribbon for Food; Red ribbon for Macro.
Rainy Nitschke – Best in Class for Macro; Blue ribbon for Plant Flora; White ribbon for Motion.
Reese Nitschke – Best in Class for Motion; Blue ribbon for Animals (Domestic), Catch-all, Plant Flora.
Pool Time
The fourth Summer STEAM session will be held at 1:00 p.m. Thursday, June 22 (today), at the home of Tamara Trail.
“The life science day will include gardening, photosynthesis, water cycle, and then swimming.
More Pool Time
Bell said the club will take down Fandangle seating at 4:00 p.m. Sunday, June 25.
“We’re going to get that knocked out as quick as we can, then head to Jamie and Dustin Parsons’ house,” she said. “They are hosting us for swimming and hot dogs.”
After steer validation, scheduled for Tuesday, June 27 at Logan and Leslie Neve’s, only two items are on the 4-H calendar for July.
“We’ll continue STEAM, and the record book judging contest will be in July, but the kids don’t go to that,” she said.
