2016 Missouri 4-H Equine Tour

Fifty Missouri 4-H horse project teens spent six days exploring the equine careers and industry in the Lexington, Kentucky area May 23-29, on the tenth annual Missouri 4-H Equine Tour. Shelbie Scheffer, from the Arnsberg 4-H Club in Cape Girardeau county attended the tour. The 2016 tour had a strong emphasis on the thoroughbred racing industry beginning with a daybreak viewing of race horses breezing at Keeneland, visiting the premier thoroughbred farms of Clairborne, Gainesway, and Judemont; a thoroughbred rehabilitation facility, New Vocations; and viewing the races at Churchill Downs. The tour also included visits to outstanding Icelandic, Saddlebred, and Quarter Horse farms.

Participants gained information about equine education programs at the Universities of Missouri and Kentucky, Midway University, North American Racing Academy and Kentucky Horseshoeing School. The tour visited equine related health facilities at Kentucky Equine Research, KESMARC, Park Equine Hospital and observed a surgery at the Lexington Equine Surgery facility. Many presenters during the tour were former 4-H members including the editor of The Horse, staff at the United States Equestrian Federation and KEEP. A visit to the Kentucky Horse Park gave participants opportunities to view multiple equine competitions and explore the world renowned equine exhibits. The 4-H slogan, ‘Learn by Doing’, was evident with the visit to the Ride on St. Louis as the group learned about equine assisted therapy and completed a community service project.

“This tour has proven invaluable for our 4-H youth who have an equine passion looking for career directions combining their personal skills and equine interests. We continue to learn from former tour participants how life-changing career decisions have been a direct result of experiences from our Missouri 4-H Equine Tours. This tour has a four-year plan visiting a different destination annually to learn more of the indigenous equine industry with the states of Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas 2017 destinations. Our staff strongly believes that this tour provides Missouri 4-H youth with a valuable exploration into a multi-million-dollar industry and how they can find their niche in the horse world.” states Debbie Davis, 4-H Youth Specialist. Additional Equine Tour University of Missouri Extension staff are Marci Crosby, Shane Potter, Amanda Davis, Karen Branstetter and retired staff member, Carol Parmenter.