Horse Judging Champions Crowned at 2025 NC State Contest
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Collapse ▲One hundred and eighteen talented 4-H members from across North Carolina converged at the Martin Community College Equestrian Center on April 26, 2025, for the annual NC State 4-H Horse Judging Contest. Representing 23 different counties, the contestants evaluated a total of nine classes of horses provided by the Martin Community College Equine Program and local Tennessee Walking Horse owners.
In the Junior Rookie division, top honors went to Cabarrus County 4-H’er Providence Moore. Providence’s coach was Sarah Newman. Emma Ball of Johnston County emerged as the high scoring Senior Rookie individual, with guidance from her coaches Diane McAlinn and Nicole Worth.
Junior Division individual awards were separated into 8-10-year-old and 11-13-year-old age categories. Valerie Poole, coached by Carrie Pickworth, earned the high individual overall title in the 8-10 year-old category. In the 11-13 year-old division, Reagan Shelton from Rockingham County continued her winning streak, repeating as the top scorer for the second consecutive year. Reagan’s coach is Bill Crouse. For the second year running, the Cabarrus-Harper team, coached by Laura Harper and comprised of team members Anna Yemtchuk, Evanna Yemtchuk, Verabeth Geremia, and Madison Bishop, claimed the champion Junior team honors.
In the Senior Division, Rori Michaud from Union county excelled in performance judging, securing first place. Rori was coached by Samantha Taylor. Mattison Winslow from Perquimans County continued her impressive streak, not only repeating as the Senior High Individual but also achieving the highest individual scores in halter and reasons. Sarah Wolfgang serves as her coach. Continuing their reign, Union County once again secured the high scoring senior team title. Team members included Addison Taylor, Macy Zelch, Aurora Michaud, and Kylee Greene, and they were coached by Samantha Taylor.
The State Horse Judging Contest also saw the energetic participation of seven Cloverbuds (ages 5-7), who gained valuable experience judging two halter and three performance horse classes. Harrison Toole and Grayson Williams from Cleveland county, Nolan Cross from Franklin, Blake Kessel from Lenoir, Audrey Cornish from Lee, and LilaJane Majors and Amelia Wilson from Rowan were the participants.
We extend our sincere gratitude to the many volunteers who served in various roles throughout the day, to Martin Community College students and staff members Tami Thurston and Mary Dalcourtt for their efforts, and to our invaluable contest sponsor, The Dale Earnhardt Foundation, without whom this event would not have been possible.
Contest Results
Full contest results available on JudgingCard.com
Junior Rookie
| Rank | Name | County | Score |
| 1 | PROVIDENCE MOORE | Cabarrus | 459 |
| 2 | ALAINA ANDERSON | Jones | 451 |
| 3 | SOPHIA KESSEL | Lenoir | 420 |
| 4 | AUBREY HALL | Lee | 418 |
| 5 | MANDY JO BENNETT | Jones | 415 |
| 6 | CATHERINE CLARK | Cabarrus | 403 |
| 7 | PARKER STANFORD | Gaston | 386 |
| 8 | ASHLYNN HENTZELL | Lee | 377 |
| 9 | EMMA HARRELL | Lenoir | 375 |
| 10 | MACI GREEN | Jones | 374 |
2025 Horse Judging Junior Rookie Top Ten Individuals
Senior Rookie
| Rank | Name | County | Score |
| 1 | EMMA BALL | Johnston | 492 |
| 2 | NORA ISABELLE | Onslow | 486 |
| 3 | MIA PISCITELLI | Harnett | 451 |
| 4 | MELODIE GULDIN | Onslow | 437 |
2025 Senior Rookie Horse Judging High Individual- Emma Ball
Junior 8-10
Halter
| Rank | Name | County/Team | Score |
| 1 | VALERIE POOLE | Franklin | 221 |
| 2 | KENNEDY LJUNGGREN | Onslow | 212 |
| 3 | WEBSTER ADELAIDE | Rowan | 210 |
| 4 | SKYLAR TOOLE | Cleveland-Williams | 207 |
| 5 | EVANNA YEMTCHUK | Cabarrus-Harper | 202 |
| 6 | GABBY YANEZ | Rockingham | 194 |
| 7 | LILLI POWELL | Cleveland-Williams | 189 |
| 8 | PEYTON AREY | Cleveland-Williams | 185 |
| 9 | WHITLEY ELLIS | Franklin | 184 |
| 10 | MIKAELA VAZQUEZ | Cleveland-Williams | 180 |
2025 8-10 Junior Halter & Overall High Individual- Valerie Poole
Junior 8-10 Performance
| Rank | Name | County/Team | Score |
| 1 | EVANNA YEMTCHUK | Cabarrus-Harper | 258 |
| 2 | VALERIE POOLE | Franklin | 254 |
| 3 | GABBY YANEZ | Rockingham | 242 |
| 4 | PEYTON AREY | Cleveland-Williams | 241 |
| 5 | KENNEDY LJUNGGREN | Onslow | 226 |
| 6 | MIKAELA VAZQUEZ | Cleveland-Williams | 217 |
| 7 | WEBSTER ADELAIDE | Rowan | 213 |
| 8 | SKYLAR TOOLE | Cleveland-Williams | 185 |
| 9 | LILLI POWELL | Cleveland-Williams | 176 |
| 10 | WHITLEY ELLIS | Franklin | 163 |
2025 8-10 Junior Performance & Reasons High Individual Evanna Yemtchuk
Junior 8-10 Reasons
| Rank | Name | County/Team | Score |
| 1 | EVANNA YEMTCHUK | Cabarrus-Harper | 77 |
| 2 | VALERIE POOLE | Franklin | 71 |
| 3 | KENNEDY LJUNGGREN | Onslow | 68 |
| 4 | WEBSTER ADELAIDE | Rowan | 68 |
| 5 | SKYLAR TOOLE | Cleveland-Williams | 66 |
| 6 | GABBY YANEZ | Rockingham | 60 |
| 7 | PEYTON AREY | Cleveland-Williams | 60 |
| 8 | WHITLEY ELLIS | Franklin | 60 |
| 9 | MIKAELA VAZQUEZ | Cleveland-Williams | 55 |
| 10 | LILLI POWELL | Cleveland-Williams | 45 |
Junior 8-10 Overall
| Rank | Name | County/Team | Score |
| 1 | VALERIE POOLE | Franklin | 475 |
| 2 | EVANNA YEMTCHUK | Cabarrus-Harper | 460 |
| 3 | KENNEDY LJUNGGREN | Onslow | 438 |
| 4 | GABBY YANEZ | Rockingham | 436 |
| 5 | PEYTON AREY | Cleveland-Williams | 426 |
| 6 | WEBSTER ADELAIDE | Rowan | 423 |
| 7 | MIKAELA VAZQUEZ | Cleveland-Williams | 397 |
| 8 | SKYLAR TOOLE | Cleveland-Williams | 392 |
| 9 | LILLI POWELL | Cleveland-Williams | 365 |
| 10 | WHITLEY ELLIS | Franklin | 347 |
2025 Horse Judging 8-10 Junior Top Ten Individuals
Junior 11-13 Halter
| Rank | Name | County/Team | Score |
| 1 | SHELBY TAYLOR | Union | 240 |
| 2 | REAGAN SHELTON | Rockingham | 239 |
| 3 | ANNA YEMTCHUK | Cabarrus-Harper | 238 |
| 4 | RYAN LJUNGGREN | Onslow | 237 |
| 5 | MCKENNON YANEZ | Rockingham | 234 |
| 6 | MARY MCLAUGHLIN | Chatham | 234 |
| 7 | MEREDITH POOLE | Franklin | 233 |
| 8 | CLAIRE STOECKEL | Chatham | 231 |
| 9 | LEAH GROVE | Nash | 231 |
| 10 | ABBEY CLINE | Cabarrus-Ashleigh | 230 |
2025 Junior 11-13 Halter & Reasons High Individual- Shelby Taylor
Junior 11-13 Performance
| Rank | Name | County/Team | Score |
| 1 | REAGAN SHELTON | Rockingham | 282 |
| 2 | MADISON BISHOP | Cabarrus-Harper | 280 |
| 3 | MCKENNON YANEZ | Rockingham | 279 |
| 4 | GRACE MATTHEWS | Chatham | 276 |
| 5 | LEAH GROVE | Nash | 276 |
| 6 | ANNA YEMTCHUK | Cabarrus-Harper | 271 |
| 7 | RYAN LJUNGGREN | Onslow | 270 |
| 8 | KYANN RACE | Rowan | 270 |
| 9 | ABIGAIL PETERLIN | Cabarrus-Miller | 268 |
| 10 | JORDAN PIERSON | Cumberland | 266 |
2025 Junior 11-13 Performance & Overall High Individual- Reagan Shelton
Junior 11-13 Reasons
| Rank | Name | County/Team | Score |
| 1 | SHELBY TAYLOR | Union | 85 |
| 2 | ANNA YEMTCHUK | Cabarrus-Harper | 82 |
| 3 | RYAN LJUNGGREN | Onslow | 82 |
| 4 | REAGAN SHELTON | Rockingham | 81 |
| 5 | MADISON BISHOP | Cabarrus-Harper | 79 |
| 6 | GRACE MATTHEWS | Chatham | 79 |
| 7 | ABBEY CLINE | Cabarrus-Ashleigh | 79 |
| 8 | MCKENNON YANEZ | Rockingham | 78 |
| 9 | ELLIE HUDSON | Burke-Individual | 78 |
| 10 | VERA GEREMIA | Cabarrus-Harper | 78 |
Junior 11-13 Overall
| Rank | Name | County/Team | Score |
| 1 | REAGAN SHELTON | Rockingham | 521 |
| 2 | MCKENNON YANEZ | Rockingham | 513 |
| 3 | ANNA YEMTCHUK | Cabarrus-Harper | 509 |
| 4 | RYAN LJUNGGREN | Onslow | 507 |
| 5 | MADISON BISHOP | Cabarrus-Harper | 507 |
| 6 | LEAH GROVE | Nash | 507 |
| 7 | SHELBY TAYLOR | Union | 501 |
| 8 | MARY MCLAUGHLIN | Chatham | 495 |
| 9 | KYANN RACE | Rowan | 490 |
| 10 | CLAIRE STOECKEL | Chatham | 489 |
2025 Horse Judging 11-13 Junior Top Ten Individuals
Junior Team
| Rank | County/Team Name | Score |
| 1 | Cabarrus Harper | 1476 |
| 2 | Chatham | 1470 |
| 3 | Rockingham | 1470 |
| 4 | Union | 1437 |
| 5 | Nash | 1429 |
| 6 | Onslow | 1398 |
| 7 | Cabarrus-Ashleigh | 1389 |
| 8 | Cabarrus-Miller | 1335 |
| 9 | Cumberland | 1324 |
| 10 | Franklin | 1303 |
2025 Junior Judging Team Champions- Cabarrus County
Senior Division
Halter
| Rank | Name | County/Team | Score |
| 1 | MATTISON WINSLOW | Perquimans | 293 |
| 2 | EMMY CREEK | Wake | 287 |
| 3 | RORI MICHAUD | Union | 283 |
| 4 | KYLEE GREENE | Union | 283 |
| 5 | DAI AKERS | Wake | 278 |
| 6 | MACY ZELCH | Union | 278 |
| 7 | KINLEY JOHNSON | Rockingham-Individual | 277 |
| 8 | RACHEL WINTER | Wake | 277 |
| 9 | CARSYN SAWYER | Currituck | 276 |
| 10 | AUDREY TAYL R | Cumberland | 275 |
2025 Senior Horse Judging Overall, Halter & Reasons High Individual- Mattison Winslow
Performance
| Rank | Name | County/Team | Score |
| 1 | RORI MICHAUD | Union | 328 |
| 2 | MORGAN GROSSHEIM | Wake | 325 |
| 3 | MACY ZELCH | Union | 324 |
| 4 | KINLEY JOHNSON | Rockingham-Individual | 323 |
| 5 | DAI AKERS | Wake | 322 |
| 6 | EMILY MEADS | Perquimans | 321 |
| 7 | MATTISON WINSLOW | Perquimans | 320 |
| 8 | KYLEE GREENE | Union | 317 |
| 9 | KARLY STEVENS | Wake-Individual | 317 |
| 10 | EMMY CREEK | Wake | 315 |
2025 Senior Horse Judging Performance High Individual- Rori Michaud
Reasons
| Rank | Name | County/Team | Score |
| 1 | MATTISON WINSLOW | Perquimans | 180 |
| 2 | RORI MICHAUD | Union | 180 |
| 3 | DAI AKERS | Wake | 175 |
| 4 | KYLEE GREENE | Union | 173 |
| 5 | ADDISON TAYLOR | Union | 173 |
| 6 | EMMY CREEK | Wake | 168 |
| 7 | MACY ZELCH | Union | 165 |
| 8 | EVA TAYLOR | Perquimans | 165 |
| 9 | KINLEY JOHNSON | Rockingham-Individual | 164 |
| 10 | MORGAN GROSSHEIM | Wake | 163 |
Overall
| Rank | Name | County/Team | Score |
| 1 | MATTISON WINSLOW | Perquimans | 613 |
| 2 | RORI MICHAUD | Union | 611 |
| 3 | EMMY CREEK | Wake | 602 |
| 4 | MACY ZELCH | Union | 602 |
| 5 | DAI AKERS | Wake | 600 |
| 6 | KYLEE GREENE | Union | 600 |
| 7 | KINLEY JOHNSON | Rockingham-Individual | 600 |
| 8 | ZOEY LOVELACE | Gaston | 587 |
| 9 | ADDISON TAYLOR | Union | 585 |
| 10 | EMILY MEADS | Perquimans | 584 |
2025 Horse Judging Senior Top Ten Individuals
Senior Team
| Rank | County/Team | Score |
| 1 | Union | 1813 |
| 2 | Wake | 1781 |
| 3 | Perquimans | 1744 |
| 4 | Currituck | 1686 |
| 5 | Cabarrus | 1649 |
| 6 | Cumberland | 1621 |
| 7 | Gaston | 1534 |
2025 Senior Judging Team Champions- Union County
Cloverbud Participants
2025 Horse Judging Cloverbud Participants