By Maura Britt

Courtland
August was a busy month for the Britches & Boots 4-H Horse Club members with the fair and our meeting. We had a great time at the fair with members entering their posters, photography and record books. The club entered our Britches & Boots 4-H Horse Club scrapbook for the first time this year, and it won first place.
It was a great time for all at our booth as we were awarded “First Place – Best Educational Booth.”
Club members welcomed folks showing them our posters, photography, scrapbook, information about our club and how to join 4-H. There was a game that everyone could play called “Name that Horse Part” with some candy for all who tried to name the horse parts.
The results for the horse posters were:
• Seniors
Desensitizing Horses – Abby Boyce – First Place
Horseman’s Knots & How to Use Them – Abby Boyce – Second Place
Horse Safety – Abby Boyce – First Place
Horse Diseases – Megan Guglielmmini – Third Place
Eastern Equine Encephalomyeltis – Joshua McPherson – Third Place
Equine Influenza – Joshua McPherson – Third Place
• Juniors
Horse Breeds – Fiona Kee – First Place
A Little Bit of Fun – Alana Holzer – First Place
Colic – Alana Holzer – Second Place
Horse Tails Talk – Blair Wright – Second Place
• Cloverbuds
Horse Braids – Alani Hasty – Cloverbud Ribbon

Photography
• Juniors
Wild Child – Alana Holzer – First Place
Baby’s Day Out – Alana Holzer – Second Place
Warbling 18 – Alana Holzer – Second Place
Carousel Pony – Alana Holzer – Third Place
Valentino – Blair Wright – First Place
Savannah Sunset – Blair Wright – Third Place

Record Books
• Seniors
Abby Boyce – First Place
Joshua McPherson – First Place
• Juniors
Fiona Kee – Second Place
Alana Holzer – Third Place
Blair Wright – First Place
• Cloverbuds
Alani Hasty – Cloverbud Ribbon

Each month, the club has a meeting to discuss the plans and conduct business. This meeting was in preparation for our club election in September and our new year celebration in October. After the meeting, club officers demonstrated horse safety, discussed the tools used for grooming a horse and demonstrated how the tools were used to groom a pony (Polar Bear) and how to cool down your horse. Club members enjoyed petting Polar Bear.
There are many opportunities for 4-H members. Britches & Boots 4-H Horse Club members enjoyed the fair and are planning for the new 4-H year beginning on Monday, Oct. 1.
To join 4-H, you can register online at https://va.4honline.com, or call the –Southampton County Extension Office at 653-2572.