CENTAURS 4-H CLUB ACTIVITIES
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
Local Club Meetings
The Centaurs 4-H Club holds local Club
meetings once a month, usually on the
third Thursday of the month. Meetings
are held at the 4-H Building located at the
Howard County Fair Grounds. A yearly
agenda is developed each January by a
Planning Committee comprised of Club
members. Each meeting generally
consists of a business portion, followed
by a special topic. A supporting craft is
usually provided to reinforce discussion
topics. Finally, a snack is provided to
encourage socialization and team
development. Various members are
responsible for different aspects of the
meeting. Side meetings are held for
various Committees and special learning
activities such as Performance Level
Testing, Horse Bowl, and Horse Judging.
Horse Projects and Record Books
All members carry a Horse Project. You
do not have to own a horse to participate.
Members list their goals, experiences,
activities, and accomplishments in a
Horse Project Record Book. 4-Hers
complete various project levels, learning
about horses and related subjects at an
individual pace. 4-H Record Books help
members summarize their 4-H activities
and project work on paper. Record
Books enable members to measure the
progress they have made toward their
goals. Leaders review the books for
completeness. The Record Book also
serves as an application for consideration
in State and national award programs.
Horse Bowl
Horse Bowls allow 4-Hers to use their
knowledge of horses to compete on a
four member team against other 4-H
teams. Competition is open to all
interested 4-Hers and offers a friendly
atmosphere in which learning can be
displayed. These contests provide an
educational experience for both
participants and spectators. Teams are
divided by age into Junior, Intermediate,
and Senior divisions. State winners are
able to travel to National competitions.
Our Horse Bowl teams consistently place
in State and National competitions.
The Centaurs 4-H Club holds local Club
meetings once a month, usually on the
third Thursday of the month. Meetings
are held at the 4-H Building located at the
Howard County Fair Grounds. A yearly
agenda is developed each January by a
Planning Committee comprised of Club
members. Each meeting generally
consists of a business portion, followed
by a special topic. A supporting craft is
usually provided to reinforce discussion
topics. Finally, a snack is provided to
encourage socialization and team
development. Various members are
responsible for different aspects of the
meeting. Side meetings are held for
various Committees and special learning
activities such as Performance Level
Testing, Horse Bowl, and Horse Judging.
Horse Projects and Record Books
All members carry a Horse Project. You
do not have to own a horse to participate.
Members list their goals, experiences,
activities, and accomplishments in a
Horse Project Record Book. 4-Hers
complete various project levels, learning
about horses and related subjects at an
individual pace. 4-H Record Books help
members summarize their 4-H activities
and project work on paper. Record
Books enable members to measure the
progress they have made toward their
goals. Leaders review the books for
completeness. The Record Book also
serves as an application for consideration
in State and national award programs.
Horse Bowl
Horse Bowls allow 4-Hers to use their
knowledge of horses to compete on a
four member team against other 4-H
teams. Competition is open to all
interested 4-Hers and offers a friendly
atmosphere in which learning can be
displayed. These contests provide an
educational experience for both
participants and spectators. Teams are
divided by age into Junior, Intermediate,
and Senior divisions. State winners are
able to travel to National competitions.
Our Horse Bowl teams consistently place
in State and National competitions.
State Horse Jamboree
volunteer leaders at a two day gathering held
each July. Jamboree includes professional
horse demonstrations and presentations and
public speaking competitions for all age
groups. Winners in Senior-division
competitions participate in national 4-H
competitions. Members are able to compete
for the prize of a beautiful personalized jacket.
Horse Judging and Hippology
Members learn conformation, breed
character, and performance ideals for various
breeds of horses. 4-Hers learn how to
evaluate horses using knowledge and facts
and to orally defend their decisions. Four
member judging teams and individual judges
place several classes of conformation (halter)
and performance classes. Members are also
able to combine their knowledge and skills
acquired in horse judging, bowls, public
speaking, demonstrations, and showing to
participate in Hippology competitions. Senior
division State winners participate in National
contests.
Public Speaking and Presentations
Members are encouraged to share their
knowledge about horses with others by
participating in local, district, and State public
speaking contests. The State winner is eligible
to represent Maryland in regional and national
competitions. The Centaurs have sent many
members to National competitions within the
past three years. Members learn to teach
others to do something related to horses by
giving an illustrated talk or demonstrations at
local Club meetings. In fact, each year the
Centaurs holds a Demonstration/Public
Speaking night where all members are
encouraged to participate.
Horse Shows
Members are able to compete at local 4-H
horse shows held at Schooley Mill Park in
Howard County, Maryland. Members
compete in Western, English, showmanship
and jumper classes. The highlight of each
year is for each member to show at the 4-H
Horse Show held at the Howard County Fair.
Even Club members who do not show on a
regular basis usually come to the County Fair.
In addition, 4-H members are eligible to
compete in classes at the Maryland State Fair
Horse Show. Many members also show in
local horse shows, including the Maryland
Western Horse Show Series, the Carroll
County Horse Show Series, the Howard
County Horse Show Series, and a variety of
other show series.
Community Service Projects
Members are strongly encouraged to
participate in Community Service Projects. In
the past, Club members made gifts for
seniors at a local nursing home on Valentines
Day. We recently completed blankets for the
Linus Project to help children that are sick
and in need of a "cuddly". We have painted
fences at a horse farm that had a horrendous
fire, helped out at an equine rescue facility,
made gift baskets for the Howard County
Animal Shelter, and aided a therapeutic riding
establishment recover from the devastation of
a hurricane.
volunteer leaders at a two day gathering held
each July. Jamboree includes professional
horse demonstrations and presentations and
public speaking competitions for all age
groups. Winners in Senior-division
competitions participate in national 4-H
competitions. Members are able to compete
for the prize of a beautiful personalized jacket.
Horse Judging and Hippology
Members learn conformation, breed
character, and performance ideals for various
breeds of horses. 4-Hers learn how to
evaluate horses using knowledge and facts
and to orally defend their decisions. Four
member judging teams and individual judges
place several classes of conformation (halter)
and performance classes. Members are also
able to combine their knowledge and skills
acquired in horse judging, bowls, public
speaking, demonstrations, and showing to
participate in Hippology competitions. Senior
division State winners participate in National
contests.
Public Speaking and Presentations
Members are encouraged to share their
knowledge about horses with others by
participating in local, district, and State public
speaking contests. The State winner is eligible
to represent Maryland in regional and national
competitions. The Centaurs have sent many
members to National competitions within the
past three years. Members learn to teach
others to do something related to horses by
giving an illustrated talk or demonstrations at
local Club meetings. In fact, each year the
Centaurs holds a Demonstration/Public
Speaking night where all members are
encouraged to participate.
Horse Shows
Members are able to compete at local 4-H
horse shows held at Schooley Mill Park in
Howard County, Maryland. Members
compete in Western, English, showmanship
and jumper classes. The highlight of each
year is for each member to show at the 4-H
Horse Show held at the Howard County Fair.
Even Club members who do not show on a
regular basis usually come to the County Fair.
In addition, 4-H members are eligible to
compete in classes at the Maryland State Fair
Horse Show. Many members also show in
local horse shows, including the Maryland
Western Horse Show Series, the Carroll
County Horse Show Series, the Howard
County Horse Show Series, and a variety of
other show series.
Community Service Projects
Members are strongly encouraged to
participate in Community Service Projects. In
the past, Club members made gifts for
seniors at a local nursing home on Valentines
Day. We recently completed blankets for the
Linus Project to help children that are sick
and in need of a "cuddly". We have painted
fences at a horse farm that had a horrendous
fire, helped out at an equine rescue facility,
made gift baskets for the Howard County
Animal Shelter, and aided a therapeutic riding
establishment recover from the devastation of
a hurricane.