The North Carolina 4-H Horse Program delivered an outstanding performance at the 2026 Southern Regional 4-H Horse Championships Educational Contests!

Our youth represented the state with excellence across multiple contests, highlighted by strong team results and some individual honors.

The Horsebowl and Hippology teams placed first and second, respectively, while the Horse Judging teams finished third and fourth.

Individually, NC 4-H'ers earned top honors, placing first in Hippology, Public Speaking, and Individual Presentation.

Special thanks to the Dale Earnhardt Foundation for their generous sponsorship, which directly supported our delegates and made this successful trip possible.

Communications

Individual Presentation:

2nd- Rebekah Cieslak

1st- Harper Branigan

Public Speaking:

5th- Karleigh Meads

1st- Abigail Poirrier

Team Presentation:

2nd- Morgan Grossheim & Rachel Winter

3rd- Kinley Johnson & McKennon Yanez

Horsebowl

Coached by Jessica Hicks

North Carolina A- 1st place team:

Regina Chaney- 8th place

Moriah Owenby- 6th place

Karleigh Meads- 4th place

McKennon Yanez- 7th place

North Carolina B- 2nd place team:

Audrey Taylor- 5th place

Ruby Desrosiers- tied for 10th place

Haley Matthis

Shelby Taylor

Hippology

Coached by Sarah Wolfgang

North Carolina A: 1st Written/Slide IDs, 2nd Stations, 2nd Judging, 4th Team Problem, 1st Overall

Marissa Rathbun- 2nd Written/Slide IDs, 1st Stations, 6th Judging, 1st Overall

Kylee Greene- 5th Written/Slide IDs, 10th Stations, 7th Judging, 5th Overall

Charli Williams- 6th Written/Slide IDs, 8th Stations, 6th Overall

Zoey Lovelace

North Carolina B: 2nd Written/Slide IDs, 1st Stations, 3rd Judging, 2nd Team Problem, 2nd Overall

Ruby Desrosiers- 4th Written/Slide IDs, 3rd Stations, 4th Overall

Kinley Johnson- 7th Written/Slide IDs, 5th Stations, 6th Overall, 7th Overall

Reese Daress- 8th Written/Slide IDs, 2nd Stations, 8th overall

Eva Taylor- 10th Written/Slide IDs, 8th Judging, 10th Overall

Horse Judging

Coached by Samantha Taylor

North Carolina B: 2nd Halter, 2nd Performance, 5th Reasons, 3rd Overall

Kylee Greene- 3rd Halter, 10th performance, 8th reasons, 5th Overall

Emmy Creek- 10th Halter

Shelby Taylor- 8th performance

Natalie Sprinkle

North Carolina A: 5th Halter, 3rd Performance, 4th Reasons, 4th Overall

Dai Akers- 6th Halter, 4th Performance, 5th Reasons, 4th Overall

Madison Bishop

Eva Taylor

Rachel Winter