The 2022 NC State 4-H Horse Show was dedicated to Johnston County and NC 4-H Volunteer, Joyce Bohn. Joyce has served as a North Carolina volunteer for over 25 years.
Joyce grew up in farm country in New Jersey, and fell in love with horses at a young age. She joined her 4-H horse club in Salem county New Jersey at the age of 8 and has stayed involved in 4-H, in some capacity ever since. She has never turned down an opportunity to assist or advise families interested in getting involved in 4-H. With her knowledge of horses and equipment and tireless enthusiasm, 4-H and the general horse industry have been able to thrive and improve because of people like her.
Joyce has served on the State, North Central, and Southeast District 4-H Advisory Councils. She has been a member of the State Executive Committee and was chairperson in 2009-2010. She also has taught sessions and served on the planning committee for the NC Horse Volunteer Leader Training Conference. Joyce served as an adult volunteer and gave demonstrations at Millstone 4-H Camp.
Over the years, Joyce has helped numerous 4-H youth find project horses so they could participate in shows and camps, solicited donations of show clothes, and secured sponsorships for horsemanship camp fees. In 2002, after organizing an impromptu tack sale to help 4-H’ers raise money to attend the Southern Regional 4-H Horse Show, Joyce agreed to organize and manage a consignment shop at the NC State 4-H Horse Show. Since its inception, close to $30,000 in proceeds from the consignment shop have been donated to the NC 4-H Horse Program to offset travel expenses for the educational teams.
Even though her daughter, Lacey, has aged out of the 4-H program, Joyce continues to volunteer and give back to the program. She often helps with tabulations at the state contests, recruits judges for artistic expression, reviews scholarship applications, and of course, organizes the consignment booth. Her husband, Rex, is also a long-time supporter and volunteer with the Horse Program. We cannot thank Joyce enough for all that she has done to support the 4-H horse program and its participants.
