March 2025 - 4-H Animal Lines

March 2025

DATES TO REMEMBER . . .

• March 8 -State 4-H Livestock Judging Contest, MSU
• March 21 -4-H Hippology Contest, MSU
• March 22 -4-H Horse Judging, Hippology and Communication Contests, MSU
• March 28 -4-H Dairy Judging Contest, MSU
• April 5 -4-H Horse Bowl, MSU
• May 16 -Ownership Deadline on Horses for 2025 District and State Shows
• May 16 -Membership deadline for 4-H’ers showing in 4-H Horse Shows
• May 16 -Entry deadline for State 4-H Horse Show
• June 1 -Ethics certification deadline for NEW exhibitors/parents & volunteers to show in the 2025 MS 4-H State Horse Show
• June 5-7 -NE Dist. 4-H Horse Show, Houston/Starkville
• June 5-6 -SW District 4-H Horse Show, Jackson
• June 5-6 -SE District 4-H Horse Show, Purvis
• June 7 -NW District 4-H Horse Show, Winona
• June 18-21 -State 4-H Horse Championship, Jackson
• July 30- -Southern Regional 4-H Horse Championships, August 3 Perry, GA
• August 1-2 -Heifer Development Contest, Raymond

▶Mississippi Livestock Council Meeting

The Mississippi Livestock Council will meet on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, starting at 1:00 p.m. in the East End of the Equine Center on the fairgrounds in Jackson. Minutes from the Livestock Directors meeting will be made available as soon as possible after their meeting.

▶Alert Horse Project Members about Ownership & Ethics Certification!!!

NOTE: The 2025 Horse Show Rule Book is being formatted! When it is ready, we will let you know!

Remind your 4-H’ers and adult leaders that May 16th is the ownership deadline for horses to be shown in the 2025 Mississippi 4-H State Horse Show. Each horse must be accompanied by an original registration certificate or official ownership form for grade horses (BOTH DATED & SIGNED BY MAY 16th). Copies of the registration certificate or ownership form must be sent in with entries for the state horse show. Horses must be in the name of the 4-H’er, or in the name of an immediate family member (farm name is not eligible). Also, any youth that wishes to show in this year’s Mississippi 4-H State Horse Show must be a 4-H member by May 16th. The state horse show entry deadline is May 16th.

In addition, a NEW 4-H’er who plans to show in the 2025 Mississippi 4-H Horse Shows and at least one parent must have completed the Horse Ethics Certification program by June 1st. Also, any NEW volunteers that assist 4-H’ers with their horses must be horse ethics certified by June 1st. Be sure to comply with the recently released Registered Volunteer Certification Process before certifying volunteers for horse ethics.

4-H’ers that are only competing in the non-riding contests (horse bowl, horse judging, art contest, photography contest, hippology, public speaking, and demonstration contests) do not have to be ethics certified. However, these 4-H’ers should be encouraged to be ethically certified!

▶Coggins Documentation

An Official Negative Equine Infectious Anemia Test Certification or certified Coggins document (PHOTOCOPIES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED) bearing lab number with animal identification issues within 12 months of the show date must accompany each horse in hand for the Mississippi 4-H State Horse Show. Digital Coggins will also be accepted. These certificates will be checked and must be in possession of the exhibitor and/or with the horse at the shows. If an agent maintains original registration papers, the agent MUST BE PRESENT at time of check in. Now is the time to be taking care of these important matters. Alert your 4-H’ers.

▶4-H Horse Education Contests

All 4-H Horse Education Contests will be held in the spring. On March 21-22, hippology, horse judging, and all horse communication contests will be held at MSU. Hippology will start on March 21 and conclude during the horse judging contest on March 22. The horse communication contests will be held after the horse judging contest on March 22. Horse bowl will be held on Saturday, April 5, at MSU. More information will be sent soon.

▶DISTRICT LIVESTOCK SHOWS

We had excellent shows at the five district locations. District show managers, agents, teachers, parents, leaders, and exhibitors are to be commended for their excellent job! Look at the following figures on district show exhibits for 2025 and a comparison for the past few years.

See more in PDF.