Working Ranch Horse Finals

The Montana 4-H Working Ranch Horse Project is a heritage-based, activity-rich program designed to pass on to today’s youth traditional practices of safe livestock handling from horseback. This is not a rodeo project, but instead a practical and exciting opportunity for youth to use horses for handling, sorting and moving cattle. This project also teaches mounted roping skills as a humane and useful livestock handling tool as well as branding techniques, housing and care of cattle and horses. Like all 4-H projects, Working Ranch Horse members will develop the qualities of leadership and responsibility that come with being engaged in4-H. In today’s world, managing cattle from horseback is a disappearing tradition. Ranches are increasingly automated, using four-wheelers and other machines instead of horses. Many of the skills once learned for necessity are being lost. The 4-H Working Ranch Horse Program is designed to teach and preserve the age-old skills and traditions.

Working Ranch Horse Finals September 9 2023 (image of horse)

Photo Credit: Tom Aldrich

The 4-H Ranch Horse Competition will be Saturday, September 9th starting at 9:00AM.

Saturday’s competition is open to any 4-H youth enrolled in the 4-H Working Ranch Horse project (Levels 1-4). There is no requirement that youth compete at a county level or qualifying show to participate in WRHF. The 4-H youth is required to be enrolled in the same county level as the level entered in at WRHF and be in good standing as a 4-H member. One horse must be used for all classes within the level. Horse must be an approved project horse for the current 4-H year.

Each competitor will exhibit in 5 classes:

Knowledge Test
Riding a Pattern
Sorting Cattle
Roping Heading
Roping Heeling

Colt classes are for horses 5 years old and younger.

Classes include ranch pleasure/riding, ranch reining, working cow horse, and ranch trail. Exhibitors may enter any number of classes. Different horses may be ridden for separate classes. However, for overall competition winners in each division, points will only be counted from one horse/rider combination that demonstrates exceptional versatility in many areas. Exhibitors show by age or enter by age of horse in colt classes.

Registration

Payment can be mailed to the Montana 4-H Center for Youth Development (address below) or completed at event check-in by check or cash.

Payment Submission by Mail

Make checks payable to MSU Extension and mail to:

MT 4-H Center

Attn: WRHF

PO Box 173580

Bozeman, MT 59717

Registration Deadline

Registration is due by August 28, 2023.

Contact Information

If you have questions or need assistance call Lisa Jassen at 406-781-3678 or email [email protected],

Schedule

Time	Event
7:00am	Large and small arenas open for warm-up
7:30am	Registration open
8:00am	Show staff meeting
8:15am	Exhibitor's meeting - explanation of events, schedule, and questions with judge
8:45am	Presentation of colors and pledges followed by group photo in event jackets
9:00am	Show starts
	Knowledge exam for all competitors
	Detailed scheduled for sorting, roping, patterns for each level and location for each event will be included in the check-in packet and posted in the facility
5:00pm	Dinner sponsored by Cascade County Farm Bureau for all competitors and families
5:30pm	Awards Ceremony
8:30pm	Barn Dance

Stalling

Stalls will be available at the 406 Arena. There are 20 indoor stalls and 50 outdoor covered stalls available. There will not be group pens for multiple horses at the facility this year due to all pens being occupied by boarding horses. Stalls are reserved by a first-register and pay basis. Bulk shavings will be available for stalls at no charge. Bagged shavings are available at $10/bag. Extra shavings will be available for purchase onsite or you may bring your own. It is allowed to build your own pens – the cost is $20 per each and site must be approved by arena owner before a pen is constructed.

Accommodations

There are 10 camping sites with electric plug-ins available at the 406 Arena. They will be assigned on a first-registered basis.

Great Falls offers many hotel options and is a short drive down the interstate from the arena.

Hotels with easy access include:

Comfort Inn - 1801 Market Place Drive 406-455-1000

Crystal Inn 3701 31st St SW 406-727-7788

Heritage Inn 1700 Fox Farm Road 406-761-1900

Days Inn 280 14th Ave NW 406-727-6565

Awards and Prizes

The WRHF committee has collected a wide variety of fabulous awards and prizes. The awards and prizes are made possible by a great number of generous sponsors and donors. Please make sure you send a thank you note for each award and prize you are awarded. A card with the sponsor’s name and address will be on the award or prize and sponsors will be listed and made available during the event.

Personal Safety and Helmet Policy

Please remember to be safe around horses and wear the proper riding gear. Do not communicate with strangers and be aware of your settings. Please make sure you are accompanied by an adult. If you would like to report an incident, do so immediately to the show office. Reference the Montana 4-H State 4-H Horse Rulebook for helmet policy.

Grievance Committee

Grievance committee shall consist of three committee members of the Montana State 4-H Working Ranch Horse Committee. A fee of $25 must accompany all protests.