The goals of the Horse Creative Writing Events are to provide an outlet for written expression for the 4-H member on horse-related topics while encouraging youth to express their experiences and ideas in a creative manner. Furthermore, the Creative Writing Contests will recognize youth who have creative writing talent by expressing their ideas through writing. Creative writing entries must be related to horses or the horse industry, and a new topic must have been developed since the previous year’s contest. Any horse-related topic is acceptable.
The deadline to enter is June 10. Entry fees must be paid and entries/stories/documents must be digitally submitted by June 15. Your registration confirmation will have further details on where and how to send your entry. Consult pages 177-180. in the NC 4-H Rules and Regulations Manual for further details about scoring and formatting.
2026 Creative Writing Entry Form
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Eligibility
Each participant must be a current 4-H club member. Participants do not need to own their own horse.
The contest will consist of a Junior and Senior Division. Youths who have reached age 14 but have not reached age 19 as of January 1 are considered Seniors. Junior individuals must not have reached age 14 as of January 1.
Youth may compete in these events as long as they meet the above qualifications. Cloverbuds are not eligible.
State winners in the Junior Division are ineligible for future competition in the Junior Division in the same event. Junior state creative writing winners are eligible to compete in other Junior Division creative writing events in which they have not won a state championship. State winners in a Senior Division competitive writing event are ineligible to compete in that same creative writing event in future years. Senior state creative writing winners are eligible to compete in other Senior Division creative writing events in which they have not won a state championship.
Awards
First through sixth-place Junior and Senior winners in each event will receive ribbons. The first-place Junior and Senior winners will receive an award in each event. Ties will be broken starting with the judging criteria with the highest point value and continuing on in descending order. If ties are still present, the NC 4-H Horse Program will award multiple prizes of the same rank.
Please thoroughly read the Horse Creative Writing Contest section in the NC 4-H Horse Program Rulebook (pages 177-180) for additional information on contest rules, regulations, submission procedures, etc.
