2010 Michigan Horse Bowl State Champions after winning both Junior and Senior championships at MSU in April
Marquette County 4-H members: Clara C., Emily B., Cassidy C., Mollyann H., RiLee W., Gentian W., Katie M., and Nick G.

Do you want to know LOTS more about horses AND have a ton of fun doing it? Join the Marquette County 4-H Horse Bowl team. Horse Bowl is just like Science Olympiad or High School Bowl competition seen on TV except - it’s all about horses! This year’s Marquette County Junior and Senior Regular Horse Bowl team qualified at the Regionals and went on to become the 2010 Michigan 4-H State Champions at Michigan State University in Lansing. Click here to see the State Horse Bowl results. The Senior State Champions will be traveling to Louisville, Kentucky to compete in the Eastern Nationals.

Read our newsletter article for details

Listen to the Radio Interview on FM 100.3

Read the Mining Journal Feature Story

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who is eligible?
2. Are beginners welcome?
3. Where and when are the practices?
4. How long do practices last?
5. When and where is the UP Regional Horse Bowl?
6. When and where is the Michigan Horse Bowl State Competition?
7. What are the official rules for Horse Bowl?
8. What kinds of questions are asked?
9. What resource materials are used?
10. What are the age requirements?
11. How large is each team and how far can they compete nationally?
12. Who pays for the trips for state and national competitions?
13. Who sponsored the 2010 State Champion teams?
14. How do I join the Horse Bowl team?
15. Can adults or local horse experts help the team?

1. Who is eligible?

Any Marquette County Michigan 4-H Club member is eligible. You do NOT have to belong to the U.P. Riders or any other horse club but since Horse Bowl is a State sponsored 4-H event, players must be members of one of the many 4-H clubs in Marquette County. If you are not a 4-H member... join! It's fun. It's educational. Here's how: How to Join 4-H!

If you ARE interested in the U.P. Riders and want to spend time with others who want to spend time with horses, care for them, showing them and just plain riding them, visit the U.P. Riders web site, visit their archives, and check out all the fun things they do.

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2. Are beginners welcome?

Beginners are very welcome. Players can be 4-H members from any Marquette County 4-H Club. Beginners usually start either as alternates or as part of Junior or Senior novice teams where questions are easier. There is a speical set of novice questions that are given to beginners.

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3. Where and when are the practices?

Weekly practices are held in a conference room at Peter White Public Library in Marquette (or other available location) and include fact reviews, games, activities, and speed drills using a “game box”, just like the one used for regional, state and national competitions. The game box puts some extra fun and friendly competition in the games. Click here to read about the game box. Horse Bowl is a great way to stay involved with horses all winter long. It might be too cold to ride but not too cold to play! Players should be available to meet on a weekly basis to study with the group.

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4. How long do practices last?

Teams formally get together on Sundays afternoons beginning in December for about an hour until the Regional championship on Saturday, March 5th (holidays excluded of course). If a team or individuals are selected to go beyond the regional competition then practices resume and continue (sometimes twice weekly) until the State competition on Saturday, April 16.

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5. When and where is the UP Regional Horse Bowl?

The Regional competition is held on Saturday, March 5, at Forest Park High School, 801 Forest Pkwy, Crystal Falls, MI, and starts at 9AM (Central time) with registration at 8:30 a.m. It concludes around 2 PM with an awards presentation.

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6. When and where is the Michigan Horse Bowl State Competition?

The State competition is held on Saturday, April 16, at Anthony Hall, Michigan State University, in East Lansing, MI, and starts at 9:30AM (Eastern time) with registration at 8:30 a.m. It concludes around 4 PM with an awards presentation at 7 PM.

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7. What are the official rules for Horse Bowl?

Basically, two teams compete against each other and are asked questions about horses. Players have only a few seconds to answer. Some questions are directed towards a single player, some are directed at the entire team, some are directed at both teams at the same time. Correct answers score points and wrong answers lose points. Winning the game requires horse knowledge, game strategy and team playing. Team and individual scores are tallied to see who wins the Horse Bowl.

Download the PDF file Michigan 4-H Horse Jamboree General Information which includes the Regional and State 4-H Horse Bowl Michigan 4-H Horse Jamboree Official Rules.

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8. What kinds of questions are asked?

The practices will enable players to answer any of hundreds of questions about horses include showing, English/Western riding, feeding, horse care, horse health, breeds, colors and markings, gaits, anatomy, reproduction, genetics and much more. Participating in Horse Bowl is great way to quickly become a horse expert. Beginners usually start either as alternates or as part of novice teams where questions are easier. Regular teams get harder questions.

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9. What resource materials are used?

Questions in the Michigan State 4-H Horse Bowl will be based on the information found in the following material, but will not necessarily be limited to these references only.

1.) JUNIOR DIVISION:

• MI 4-H Horse & Pony Show Rules & Regulations, Rev. 2006
• Show Rules and Regulations Study Guide downloadable PDF
• 4-H 1228 4-H Horses and Horsemanship booklet (also available at the Marquette MSUE office) or an older (1989) downloadable PDF
• 4-H 1229 4-H Horse Science (also available at the Marquette MSUE office)
• Equine Science by Jean T Griffiths

2.) SENIOR DIVISION: All Junior Division references listed above plus:

• Illustrated Dictionary of Equine Terms by New Horizons Equine Education Center
  Alpine Publications, Inc. P.O. Box 7027, Loveland, CO 80537
• The Horse (2nd edition) by Evans, Borton, Hintz & Van Vleck
  W.H. Freeman & Co., 41 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10010. 800-903-3019
• The Horse Industry Handbook - American Youth Horse Council
  American Youth Horse Council, 4093-A Iron Works Pike, Lexington, KY 40511-8434. Ph. 800-879-2942
• Feeding and Care of the Horse (2nd edition) or CD version by Lon D. Lewis Williams & Walkins
  P.O. Box 1610, Hagerstown, MD 21740 800-638-0672
• American Youth Horse Council Leaders Manual.
  American Youth Horse Council, 4093-A Iron Works Pike, Lexington, KY 40511-8434. Ph. 800-879-2942

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10. What are the age requirements?

Junior contestants must be at least 9 years of age on January 1 of the current contest year and not be more than 13 years of age on January 1 of the current contest year.

Senior contestants must be at least 14 years of age on January 1 of the current contest year and not be more than 19 years of age on January 1 of the current contest year. Senior contestants must not have participated in official post secondary university, college or technical school competitive events of a similar nature in the equine subject matter area.

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11. How large is each team and how far can they compete nationally?

A junior or senior, regular or novice "team" consists of a team captain (who competes with the team), three other team members (team total - 4) plus up to two "alternates" for a total of six players on any one team.

Additionally, up to three individuals can compete in the junior or senior, regular or novice individual classes.

Here are the teams and the allowed levels of competition:

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12. Who pays for the trips for state and national competitions?

At this time, for the regional competitions, parents provided the financial support for their child to participate (books, transportation, game supplies, etc.). Each 4-H Club pays for team and individual registration fees.

To compete in state competition, the expenses increases dramatically. Gasoline, 3 days of meals on the road and 2 nights of hotel bills get the teams and their families to the state games in Lansing, MI. We estimate that it will cost $400 per competitor to travel and play in the state competition. 6 UPRiders X $400 = $2,400. The players families assume financial responsibility but team members also solicit funds and sponsorships from various organizations and individuals (see the next question below).

The 2009 state champion team solicited funds as part of their team activities and was generously supported by sponsors and contributors. The families had only minimal costs.

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13. Who sponsored the 2010 State Champion teams?

The team would like to thank all their supporters especially those individuals and businesses that helped sponsor their trip down to Lansing:
The 4-H Council & Marquette County's Michigan Extension Service & Tractor Supply

Fundraising efforts are being planned to get our Senior team to the Nationals this November.

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14. How do I join the Horse Bowl team?

If you are willing to become a horse expert in your 4-H club and want to have a great time with others who love horses as much as you do, come join the Marquette County 4-H Horse bowl team. Contact coach Cathy for details (906) 361-9255 or Cathy@UPWallers.net

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15. Can adults or local horse experts help the team?

ABSOLUTELY! Adult assistant coaches and/or subject experts are needed to help with the teams. We especially need people who can help with specific horse related subjects. If you are interested, contact coach Cathy (906) 361-9255 or Cathy@UPWallers.net.

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