Youth Participates in 4-H Equine Career and Industry Tour

Fifty enthusiastic Missouri 4-H teens embarked upon the ninth annual 4-H Equine Career and Horse Industry Tour in late May 2015 traveling to destinations in Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin, Canada, and Michigan. Shelbie Scheffer of the Arnsberg 4-H club in Cape Girardeau County was a participant on the tour.

The quote from Mary Webb, "Saddle your dreams before you ride them" sums up the focus of this great opportunity for youth who hope to couple their equine passion with a career. The tour gained insight into the equine programs at the University of Missouri, Stephens College, Williams Woods University, and Michigan State University. Harness racing and learning more about the Standardbred horses was a highlight of Illinois. Traveling to St. Joseph Island, Ontario, Canada, the tour group helped celebrate the 100th anniversary of Ontario 4-H with the local 4-H club hosting a dinner. Traveling by ferry to the renowned non-motorized Mackinaw Island was a true highlight for participants who enjoyed sightseeing in horse drawn carriages and bicycling around the island. Equine professionals in the upper Midwest area echoed the advice to follow your dreams with an education coupled with a strong work ethic, solid business skills and tremendous people skills.

Over the past nine years, this equine tour has helped over 500 young people make informed, educational decisions with regards to their future with horses. Their dreams may have widened, their career path may have been changed or their future educational plans may have been altered to clarify their current goals. The tour destination for 2016 will be Kentucky. For more information about 4-H and the 4-H Equine tour, contact the Cape Girardeau County Extension office at 573-243-3581 or visit: http://mo4h.missouri.edu/.

Photo was taken at Lake Huron with the Mackinaw Bridge in the background.