JEHS senior Katherine Dristle, is celebrating a big win at a national competition.
Dristle recently competed in the National 4-H Horse Roundup in Louisville, Kentucky as part of the New York State Hippology team.
People from 24 states traveled to Kentucky to compete in horse bowl, hippology, horse communications, and horse judging.
Hippology is an equine knowledge event. It tests contestants’ ability on veterinary science and horse management throughout four phases. The first is the examination phase, which includes a written exam and identification slides. In the stations phase, there are about 15 stations, and contestants are asked to identify horse equipment and anatomy. Next is the judging phase, in which contestants judge 4 horse classes, which could be riding classes or conformation (In-hand) classes. Finally, there is the team problem phase in which contestants apply their equine knowledge to real world situations and present a problem and solution to a panel of judges.
Dristle was up against 70 other people from around the country, and was named the overall champion.
The win came with a $500 scholarship from the American Quarter Horse Association.
Dristle said she isn’t sure where she will attend college next year, but her top choices are Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, NC and SUNY Geneseo. She plans to study biology/pre-vet with hopes to go to veterinarian school after undergrad.
