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.

 

Montana Working Ranch Finals is September 3 and September 4, 2022.

Photo Credit: Tom Aldrich

 

The 4-H Ranch Horse Competition will be Saturday, September 3rd starting at 9:00AM and the Versatility Ranch Horse Show will be on Sunday, September 4th starting at 8:30AM. 

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 

Sunday’s competition will be a Versatility Ranch Horse Show (VRH) and is open to all youth. Youth do not need to be enrolled in 4-H but will enter the appropriate age groups to compete.  Age groups are based on the age of the child as of October 1, of previous calendar year. Age categories for youth are:  

  •  Juniors: 8-10 years old    
  • Intermediate: 11-13 years old     
  • Senior: 14-18 years old 

Colt classes are for horses 5 years old and younger.  

The WRHF VRH events are formatted in accordance with the Montana 4-H Working Ranch Horse project and styled after the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) Versatility Ranch Horse (VRH) and Stock Horse of Texas (SHOT) organizations. Rules are adapted from these organizations.  

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. 

 

working ranch horse logo

 

Working Ranch Horse Finals 2022 Results

Congratulations to our finalists!

VRH TRAIL Class Results - Sponsored by Associated Veterinary Services

Category/ Place
Junior
Intermediate
Senior
Colts 2 & 3
Colts 4 & 5
1st
Ariana Banner
Reagan Jassen
Leann Murphy
Dakota Woordring
Reagan Fink
2nd
Kiley Wilkins
Avery Banner
Clayton Jassen
Avery Banner
Clayton Jassen
3rd
Connor Fryberger
Keegan Kennedy
Anna Tretter
Carter Fryberger
Lane Smart
4th
Taylor King
Ella Fryberger
Lane Smart
Asa Jassen
Carter Fryberger
5th
Luke Jassen
Norah Stromberg
Dakota Woodring
Reagan Jassen
Dakota Woodring
6th
Amya Otto
Aspen Smart
Carter Fryberger
Madelena Preston
Kiarra Kennedy

 

VRH PLEASURE Class Results - Sponsored by Montana Cowboys Association

Category/ Place
Junior
Intermediate
Senior
Colts 2 & 3
Colts 4 & 5
1st Ariana Banner

Kiley Ohs

Allie Uecker Aspen Smart Kiarra Kennedy
2nd Luke Jassen Reagan Fink Kiarra Kennedy McCoy Banner Reagan Fink
3rd Jimmy Fryberger Caden Brooks Asa Jassen Mariah Olson Carter Fryberger
4th Amya Otto Keegan Kennedy Carter Fryberger Madelena Preston Hannah Goffena
5th Hunter Fryer Maddy Taylor Clayton Jassen Avery Banner Clayton Jassen
6th Logan Kellom Avery Banner Madelena Preston Clayton Jassen Lane Smart

 

VRH REINING Class Results - Sponsored by Cowan Select Horses

Category/ Place
Junior
Intermediate
Senior
Colts 2 & 3
Colts 4 & 5
1st Ariana Banner

Makenze Woodring

Hannah Goffena Aspen Smart Carter Fryberger
2nd Kylee WIlkins Reagan Fink Asa Jassen Madelena Preston Hannah Goffena
3rd Connor Fryberger Ella Fryberger Mariah Olson Avery Banner Reagan Fink
4th Jimmy Fryberger Norah Stromberg Dakota Woodring Clayton Jassen Dakota Woodring
5th Logan Kellom Keegan Kennedy Kiarra Kennedy Coleman Otto Kiarra Kennedy
6th Amya Otto Reagan Jassen Allie Uecker Dakota Woodring Lane Smart

 

VRH COW WORK Class Results - Sponsored by Stockman Bank

Category/ Place
Junior
Intermediate
Senior
Colts 2 & 3
Colts 4 & 5
1st Arianna Banner Reagan Fink Hannah Goffena Avery Banner Hannah Goffena
2nd Connor Fryberger Makenze Woodring Carter Fryberger McCoy Banner Asa Jassen
3rd Jimmy Fryberger Reagan Jassen Mariah Olson Madelena Preston McCoy Banner
4th Emma Brown  Caden Brooks Coleman Otto Asa Jassen Carter Fryberger
5th Kylee Wilkins Avery Banner McCoy Banner Dakota Woodring Reagan Fink
6th Luke Jassen Norah Stromberg Anna Tretter Mariah Olson Kiarra Kennedy

 

VRH Overall Placings

Category/ Place
Junior
Intermediate
Senior
Colts 2 & 3
Colts 4 & 5
1st Ariana Banner Reagan Fink Carter Fryberger Avery Banner Reagan Fink
2nd Connor Fryberger Reagan Jassen Hannah Goffena Madelena Preston Carter Fryberger
3rd Jimmy Fryberger Avery Banner Mariah Olson Dakota Woodring Hannah Goffena
4th Kylee Wilkins Caden Brooks Kiarra Kennedy Asa Jassen Kiarra Kennedy
5th Amya Otto Keegan Kennedy Lane Smart McCoy Banner Clayton Jassen
6th Luke Jassen Makenze Woodring Anna Tretter/ Asa Jassen Carter Fryberger Asa Jassen / Lane Smart

 

TOP HAND AWARDS

Category/ Place
Junior
Intermediate
Senior
1st Luke Jassen (811 points) Caden Brooks (770 points) Carter Fryberger (813 points)
2nd Jimmy Fryberger (785 points) Reagan Jassen (768 points) Asa Jassen (776 points)
3rd Connor Fryberger (742 points) Kiley Ohs (741 points) Leann Murphy (768 points)
4th Logan Kellom (739 points) Avery Banner (732 points) Clayton Jassen (767 points)
5th Kylee Wilkins (719 points) Reagan Fink (730 points) Mariah Olson (765 points)
6th Mesa Scalese (714 points) Norah Stromberg (714 points) Coleman Otto (761 points)

 

4-H Pattern Class Results

Category/ Place
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
1st Kylee Wilkins Leanne Murphy Aspen Smart Carter Fryberger
2nd Luke Jassen Kiley Ohs Dakota Woodring Caden Brooks
3rd Connor Fryberger Reagan Fink Mariah Olson Asa Jassen
4th Logan Kellom Hannah Goffena Clay Stott Clayton Jassen
5th Jimmy Fryberger Keegan Kennedy Anna Tretter Coleman Otto
6th Mesa Scalese Carson Fryer Norah Stromberg Lane Smart

 

4-H Heading Class Results

Category/ Place
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
1st Logan Kellom Shealyn Berner Avery Banner Caden Brooks
2nd Luke Jassen Kora McCray Tanner Stott Coleman Otto
3rd Mesa Scalese Taylor Kellom Clay Stott Carter Fryberger
4th Jimmy Fryberger Kaylee Otto Mariah Olson Reis Speer
5th Connor Fryberger Samantha Lee Dakota Woodring Asa Jassen
6th Kylee Wilkins Kiley Ohs / Reagan Jassen Kiarra Kennedy McCoy Banner

 

4-H Heeling Class Results

Category/ Place
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
1st Luke Jassen Reagan Jassen Aspen Smart Clayton Jassen
2nd Jimmy Fryberger Taylor Kellom Mariah Olson Carter Fryberger
3rd Connor Fryberger Cale Fryberger Norah Stromberg Asa Jassen
4th Kylee Wilkins Carson Fryer Kiarra Kennedy Coleman Otto
5th Taylor King Kiley Ohs Clay Stott McCoy Banner
6th Lynsie Pond Regan Jassen Tanner Stott Caden Brooks

 

4-H Knowledge Test Results

Category/ Place
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
1st Mesa Scalese Reagan Jassen Kiarra Kennedy Asa Jassen
2nd Luke Jassen Leann Murphy Tanner Stott Carter Fryberger
3rd 3rd / 4th: Jimmy Fryberger Hannah Goffena Anna Tretter Clayton Jassen
4th 3rd / 4th: Justine Curry Shealyn Berner Mariah Olson Allie Uecker
5th 5th / 6th: Kylee Wilkins Madelena Preston Clay Stott Coleman Otto
6th 5th / 6th: Talon King Kiley Ohs / Keegan Kennedy Norah Stromberg Caden Brooks

 

4-H Overall Placings

Category/ Place
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
1st Luke Jassen Reagan Jassen Clay Stott Carter Fryberger
2nd Jimmy Fryberger Leann Murphy Mariah Olson Coleman Otto
3rd Logan Kellom Kiley Ohs Tanner Stott Asa Jassen
4th Mesa Scalese Taylor Kellom Dakota Woodring Caden Brooks
5th Connor Fryberger Hannah Goffena Norah Stromberg Clayton Jassen
6th Kylee Wilkins Shealyn Berner Kiarra Kennedy Reis Speer