The Coweta County Senior horse judging team won 2nd place honors at the State 4-H Horse Judging Contest in Athens, GA on May 3, 2008. Emilee Brinton, Erin Davis and Megan Smith faced nine other teams and will represent Coweta County and Georgia 4-H in Colorado in January 2009 for their success.

Individually Emilee Brinton placed 4th out of 38 senior participants and out of 91 junior participants Amy Goddard took 4th place honors and Kimmey Moore placed 8th. Amy and Kimmey were joined on the junior team by Oasis Davis and Grace Echols placing in the top 15 junior teams.

They judged four conformation classes and four performance classes: grading the conformation classes according to individual breed standards and the performance classes according to the discipline standard. They each also presented 2-4 sets of oral reasons to justify their placings and explain their decisions.

The teams were coached by volunteer leader Sue Ann Kelley and the following parents assisted in numerous ways: Pam Brinton, Pat Miolen, Kelly Davis and Cathy Goddard.

All the 4-H'ers not only learned the basics of judging and placing horses, they also learned valuable life skills of decision making, critical thinking, organization, teamwork, competition, public speaking, and self confidence.

For additional information about Horse Judging or any 4-H event, please contact the Coweta County Extension Office at 770-254-2620 or visit www.ugaextension.com/coweta.

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