Knox County 4-H Teams: 1st Row: Juniors: Andrea Gaddis, Brandon Livingston, Alyssa Stephenson: 2nd Row: Junior High: McKenzee Petree, Jennifer Johannes, Nick Knoefel, Chris Carris, Lydia McCurdy, Aidan Ohle, Sage Bambery: 3rd Row: Seniors: Rachael Millard, Catherine Albert, Moriah Brothers, Sophie Antol

By Nick Knoefel

7th grade 4H correspondent

On February 16, the Knox County 4-H Senior Team went to Roane State in Harriman and took home 1st place ribbons for Senior High Division Team Champs in the State Hippology Competition and 1st place ribbons for Senior High Division Team Champs in the Horse Bowl Competition. Their win qualifies them for the National 4-H Hippology and Horse Bowl Competition in Louisville, KY in November 2013 to compete.  They will also be competing at the Southern Regional in Monroe, LA in July. Other State Awards were presented: Catherine Albert placed 1st in the individual speech contest, Moriah Brothers placed 2nd in the individual speech contest;  Rachael Millard and Sarah Millard (not pictured) placed 1st in the team presentation contest. In the individual State Senior Division Hippology Competition the following awards were presented: R. Millard placed 1st , Brothers placed 2nd , and Albert placed 8th. In the Junior High individual Hippology Competition, McKenzee Petree placed 9th.

All four Knox County teams, comprised of fourteen 4-H Students grades 4th thru 12th , competed at the State Competition after qualifying at Eastern Regional Hippology and Horse Bowl Competition held on January 19th at the UT Agricultural campus. (picture below). Regional Results: Junior Team: Individual Placing: Andrea Gaddis 1st. Team Placing: 3rd in Hippology. Junior High Team: Individual Hippology Placing: Lydia McCurdy 4th and McKenzee Petree 8th. Knox County A Team Placing: 2nd in Hippology and 2nd in Horse Bowl. Knox County B Team placed 6th in Hippology and 4th in Horse Bowl.  Senior High Team:  Individual Hippology Placing: Rachael Millard 1st, Catherine Albert 3rd, Brothers 4th: Team Placing: 1st in Hippology and 1st in Horse Bowl.

The communications contests (public speaking, individual presentation and team presentation) allow senior (9th-12th grade) 4-H members to demonstrate their equine knowledge and skills while also developing public speaking skills. The Horse Bowl contest challenges youth to learn scientific information about horse nutrition, reproduction, genetics, behavior, health and management. The Hippology Contest is a written test which allows 4-H youth to demonstrate skills they have learned in equine science, horse judging and identification of horse related tack and equipment.

Way to go Knox County 4-H for representing the Region and State with such Tennessee pride.