The Waushara County Horse Quiz Bowl team competed successfully in the State 4H Horse Quiz Bowl and Hippology contest at the Dodge County Fairgrounds this past weekend.
On May 13, the team started with the Speaking and Demonstration Contest. Leading off with a PowerPoint demonstration on “Model Horse Showing 101” was Noah Ballinger, who received a Grand Champion ribbon for his speaking. Paige Doede and Mia Ridgen earned a Top Ten ribbon with their Team Demonstration “Considering Horse Leg Wraps or Boots”. Rachel Ballinger earned Reserve Grand Champion with her Individual Demo powerpoint presentation of “Rodeo, the Greatest Show on Dirt”. Sackett Brooks was awarded Grand Champion for his hilarious rendition of “Horse Kicks 101”.
Everyone started May 14 cheering for the Junior Team of Rachel Ballinger, Sackett Brooks, MaKayla Verstegen, Savannah Heise and Myah Kraft, who went against Winnebago County and won 8 to 1, battled Sheboygan county and won 15 to 1, then triumphed 11 to 6 over Ozaukee County to be Grand Champions. Individual High Point with the most questions answered correctly is Grand Champion Rachel Ballinger, with her teammate Sackett Brooks earning Reserve Grand Champion.
The Beginner team of Noah Ballinger competed against Sheboygan and La Crosse counites and earned a Top Ten ribbon and Reserve Grand Champion for Individual High Point and Hippology ribbons respectively.
The Junior team was also well represented in the Hippology, with MaKayla placing 9th to earn her first Top Ten in Hippology, and joined by Sackett who placed 4th and Rachel 3rd best in the state of Wisconsin.
The Senior team of Paige Doede, Mia Ridgen, Jaycie Sanchez, Annelise Dahnke and Eric Dahnke placed 6th over all earning Top Ten ribbons and Paige earned 3rd place in the entire state of Wisconsin in Hippology to gain her Top Ten ribbon, improving every year she has competed in Horse Quiz Bowl.
The team is so proud of Paige being accepted at the University of Findlay in Ohio where she will be majoring in Equestrian Studies. Appreciation goes out to all the parents who came to support the team and to coaches Debbie Haag, Kaitlyn Brooks and Marcia Riendeau.
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The Junior Grand Champion Team included Sackett Brooks, Rachel Ballinger, Savannah Heise, MaKayla Verstegen, and Myah Kraft. -
The Waushara County Horse Quiz Bowl Team including Paige Doede, Annelise Dahnke, Sackett Brooks, Rachel Ballinger (front), Mia Rigden, MaKayla Verstegen, Jaycie Sanchez, Savannah Heise, Eric Dahnke, and Noah Ballinger; not pictured is Myah Kraft.