The North American International Livestock Exposition (NAILE) celebrated its 56th anniversary in 2024. Walking through the barns of the Kentucky Exposition Center, livestock of all kinds are prepared to walk the green shavings. Farmers and breeders from across the country can be seen conversing about their latest and greatest animals, and the halls are filled with a diverse array of agricultural vendors.
For many, NAILE is the high point of their show season, where the best of the best come to compete in the open, junior and 4-H divisions. The same message holds true for the five New Hampshire 4-H’ers who made the trip to Louisville to compete in the Eastern National 4-H Horse Roundup Contest (ENHR), held annually in conjunction with NAILE.
The ENHR is considered one of the capstone experiences for equine 4-H members. 2024 marked the 54th anniversary of the contest. Over 240 4-H’ers from 26 states came to compete.
The event consists of five different contests including Public Speaking, Illustrated Talks, Hippology, Horse Bowl and Horse Judging. All of these contests demonstrate different elements of equine industry knowledge. 4-H youth 14 and older from across the country prepare for their contest throughout the year and travel to ENHR to demonstrate their collective knowledge gained from their 4-H careers and compete.
The NH 4-H delegation consisted of a Hippology Team and an Illustrated Talk contestant. Hippology is considered one of the most intense contests at ENHR as it consists of five different phases including an individual quiz, individual matching stations, judging classes, a team problem and an impromptu team problem. This specific contest is meant to test how well-rounded one’s knowledge is and the ability to complement teammates in a collaborative effort.
The NH team – Marissa Nichols, Grace Scarpa, Lily Moser and Katie Caldwell – locked in for the competition. They placed sixth in the team judging phase, with Scarpa earning individual recognition for fifth place for the judging phase.
“My favorite part of attending ENHR this year for the hippology team was being able to be a part of a team of amazing people and learning about horses,” noted Moser. “It was such a cool experience to go to the competition and meet other 4-H horse kids from across the country.”
Hannah Stetson represented the NH in the Illustrated Talk contest. Stetson created a presentation titled “The Benefits of Lesson Programs” in which she researched and explained the numerous benefits youth can receive by participating in equine riding lessons at various establishments. She was able to use her own experiences with the 4-H program to relate to the audience and further drive home why youth should get involved in their local horse barns and programs like 4-H. Her powerful message and high-quality presentation earned her seventh place overall in the contest.
The New Hampshire 4-H equine crew – with their winning ribbons and coaches – in Louisville. Submitted photo
These teams would not be possible without the behind the scenes work of coaches championing their dedicated 4-H’ers. This year’s NH ENHR teams were coached by Andrea Kenter and Jalin Marston. Kenter is a longtime volunteer and has coached NH 4-H members for several ENHR contests. Marston is a 4-H alum who competed at ENHR in the hippology contest as youth – and Kenter was her coach.
“A trip to the Eastern National Horse Roundup contest exposes these youth to similar-minded kids from across the country and broadens their love for a subject they are already passionate about – horses!” reflected Kenter. “It is rewarding to watch their personal growth not only in the contest subject matter but also in bonding as teammates and friends.”
Coaching typically starts in late springtime after the qualifying state level contests are hosted. The coaches then help the youth find study materials and create homework assignments throughout the summer months so that they can learn as much as possible by the time of the contest in November. Practicing for an ENHR takes a large amount of time and dedication, but the payoff is large.
One of the goals of the 4-H program is to expose youth all aspects of a project area so that they can think about their 4-H projects in the context of a career later in life. Kentucky is the heart of the horse racing world, so while youth travel to Louisville to compete at ENHR, time is also made to tour several Thoroughbred and horse racing entities. The NH group visited the Keeneland Sales Barn, Alltec Arena for the U.S. Dressage Finals, Kentucky Horse Park and Churchill Downs. They were able to witness these industries on another level and learn about the ways they could become involved later in their adult lives.
“I learned so much through my experience at ENHR, especially about Thoroughbreds and the racing/auction process!” said Scarpa. “It was so much fun to get to see the auction in Keeneland and all about behind the scenes.”
ENHR is a capstone experience for the 4-H youth who attend. It creates a place for youth to culminate their 4-H experience with other passionate youth from across the country. It’s thanks to partnerships with organizations like NAILE and individuals like dedicated coaches to make the event a success.
The NH crew made the most of their time in Louisville, learning to become future leaders in the equine industry.
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