Girls win big in 3 yr old futurity

Kaufman County Hits Top 5 at the State 4-H Horse Show.
Kaufman County 4-H’ers Lisa Roberts and Sarah Murff competed in the 2008 State 4-H Horse Show held July 20-26th at the Taylor County Expo Center in Abilene, TX, on their 3 year old Stock Horse Futurity Projects.
24 youth from across the state of Texas worked their 3 year old horses in the event sponsored by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service. The Texas 4-H offers 4 different futurity programs - Yearling Halter, Yearling Longe Line, 2 year old Western Pleasure and the 3 year old Stock Horse Futurity.
Lisa and Sarah were required to work their horses individually on two different designated patterns, where they were judged on how they negotiated the pattern in a quiet, and controlled manner. Lisa Roberts placed 1st overall by winning 1st in each of the two pattern classes (pictured on right). Sarah Murff placed 4th overall (pictured left).
Carrie Sharp, AgriLife Extension agent for Kaufman County, said this event gives an opportunity for the young people to learn how to train and show a young horse. As of May 1st the 4-H’er may only receive advice and counsel on fitting, developing and training techniques from parents and outside sources, no family members or trainers are allowed to ride the futurity projects after that date.
This year Sarah Murff received counsel and advise from Alumni 4-H’er Casey Deary originally from Forney, TX, now in Weatherford, TX. Casey competed in the 3 year old Futurity for several years before breaking out to now own his own training barn, Deary Performance Horses.
If you would like to know more about the 4-H program and the activities available email Carrie Sharp at cl-sharp@tamu.edu or call the Texas AgriLife Extension Office - Kaufman County at 972-932-9069.

Kaufman County 4-H'ers Win Big at State 4-H Roundup

Kaufman County 4-H'ers Alyssa Word and Sarah Murff and Alumni 4-H'er Cassie Bable were amoung the more than 2,500 youth who were present in College Staion to attended this years Texas 4-H Roundup competition and award ceremony. During the roundup, the Texas 4-H Foundation presented a record $1.2 million in scholarships to 233 young people. Among the largest donors are the Houston Livestock Show,which will provide 70 scholarships of $15,000 each; the Richard Wallrath Educational Fund, which will provide 71 scholarships of $10,000 each, and the San Antonio Livestock Show, which will offer 13 scholarships of $16,000 each.
"This is our 49th year to present scholarships during roundup," said Jim Reeves, executive director of the foundation. "The generosity of our donors has helped thousands of deserving young people go on to college."

The program will give more than $1 million in scholarships to Texas 4-H members - the first time that any state has met that amount, according to Gayle Hall, 4-H and youth development specialist for the Texas AgriLife Extension. Sarah Murff, Silver Spurs 4-H Horse Club member was awarded the Richard Wallrath Educational Fund, Alyssa Word a Scurry Rosser 4-H member was awarded the Farm Ag Credit, and Cassis Bable, a 4-H alumnus from the Silver Spurs 4-H Horse Club received the Baccalaureate Scholarship from the Texas Thoroughbred Association.

Alyssa Word wins Farm Bureau Memorial Scholarship

Alyssa Word recently met with the Kaufman County Farm Bureau and State
Director Charles Huddleston to thank them for the Joe Kapavik Memorial
Scholarship.
Alyssa is planning to attend Texas A&M University and major in Biomedical
Science. She was active in 4-H and FFA for four years and received the Gold
Star Award for her 4_H leadership in 2007.
She recently graduated from Scurry-Rosser High School where activities
included showing Polled Herefords, judging livestock, running track and
playing softball. In addition she assisted with numerous Kaufman County Farm
Bureau AITC Field Days for elementary students in Kaufman County.
Pictured are Carrie Sharp, Charles Huddleston, Alyssa Word, James Poston,
Chuck Carpenter and John Porter.

Caroline Costello Selected for Vet Camp

Kaufman County 4-H’er Caroline Costello one of the ninety youth selected in the State of Texas for the West Texas Youth Veterinary Science Workshop, held June 29 - July 3 at the Tom Green County 4-H Center in San Angelo.
The event is sponsored by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service offices in Sutton, Schleicher and Tom Green counties.
Carrie Sharp, AgriLife Extension agent for Kaufman County, said the event, now in its sixth year, is meant to expose high school students to careers in veterinary science. University and research faculty members, AgriLife Extension and Texas Animal Health Commission personnel, as well as veterinarians, served as instructors.
Course topics included: zoology, the Beef Quality Assurance Program, toxicology, parasitology, anaesthesiology, anatomy, nutrition, first aid, beef feedlot health management, large and small animal practice, necropsy and horse medicine. The workshop included classroom study, lab work and field excursions.
Caroline said she had the best time at vet camp and that it was such a wonderful experience. She learned that there were so many job opportunities in the veterinary world. She learned about the physiology of a badger, silver fox, porcupine, and a jack rabbit just to name a few of the classroom and field excursions.
IF you would like to know more about the 4-H program and the activities available email Carrie Sharp at cl-sharp@tamu.edu or call the Texas AgriLife Extension Office - Kaufman County at 972-932-9069.