The 53rd 4-H State Horse Expo was started on Friday, September 14 and ended on Sunday, September 16.  The State Horse Expo is held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at the Wisconsin State Fair Park.  Competitors can compete in a variety of events from showing horses to submitting various art projects- drawing, quilting, creative writing, poster and pictures. When you compete at State, you need to be prepared to explain your project face-to-face with the judge. Showing horses is slightly different in that you do not have to interact with the judge. However competitors do have an opportunity to flip the script and judge other horse & rider combinations and participate in a judging class. There were eight people from Bayfield County this year. This year we had seven people ride horses and compete in educational events and one that competed exclusively in educational events. The team consisted of two seniors, one junior, one freshman, two eighth graders and two seventh graders. All of which were from different schools. The four competitors from South Shore this year included,  Abby Lahti, Paige Lahti, Beau Reijo and myself. There were also three people from Northwestern that competed, which included, Talia Martens, Bryce Tonn and Brinley Tonn.  Avana Beeksma, from Ashland, competed in the educational events.

Myla and her horse Skipa Dee Doo Dah received five top tens in trail, western horsemanship and western pleasure, individual horse judging and photography. Talia Martens and her horse Echo received a grand champion in reinsmanship driving and pleasure driving. She also received a top ten in cone driving. Abby Lahti and her horse Majestic Kay Too got a grand champion in hunt showmanship and top tens in English equitation and team horse judging. Brinley Tonn and her horse Popeyes Win Dixie received a top ten in English pleasure and team horse judging. Paige Lahti and her horse Lady Scotch Time received a top ten in hunt showmanship and a top ten in team horse judging. Beau Reijo received a top ten in team horse judging. Avana Beeksma received a grand champion in woodworking and creative writing. She also received a reserve champion in vet science and two top tens in art.

Overall Bayfield County was well represented at the 2018 Wisconsin State 4H Horse Expo!