🐴 Horse Advisory Committee - August Meeting will be elections! WE need you!

 

Call for Board Members 

Annual Fall Meeting- August 15, 2026 

Location: Pinal County 4-H Office

Time: 11am to 1pm 

The Horse Advisory Committee will be seeking new members to join the board this August!

We will have all positions open, including: (one year term)

• President

• Vice President

• Secretary

• Treasurer

• Member at Large

Who Can Apply?

To be eligible for a board position, you must be a Certified Leader.

Interested?

If you’re passionate about supporting the horse program and helping guide its future, we encourage you to consider serving on the board. If you need more information feel free to email us at pinalcounty4hhorse@gmail.com

📅 Stay tuned for more details on how to get on the ballot coming in late summer.

Pinal County 4-H HAC

Officer Roles and Responsibilities

President

• Coordinate & facilitate events and meetings, communicate policy & process changes for Horse Project

• Horse Show Event Tasks - class listings, program, sponsors, patterns, judges

• Voting Member on policies and Horse Project activities

• Create and distribute judges show and rule packet

• Coordinator for Horse skill-a-thon

• Project newsletters and communications county wide

• Update website with announcements, horse show results

• Coordinate county members for State Fair qualification

Vice President

• Coordinate horse show facilities with President

• Find Judges/Cattle (maintain judges docs on Dropbox)

• Voting Member on policies and Horse Project activities

• Ensure horse show ribbons/awards are available

• Audit horse show results spreadsheet and maintain annual points (electronic copy maintained @ every event) 

Secretary

• Take meeting minutes - link on website and send notification to Maria they are available

• Update event schedule on website (roll older stuff to bottom)

• Send meeting notification form to extension office

• Create and distribute agenda for HAC meetings

• Keep up to date member listing from extension office - required prior to horse shows

• Update pattern book and send show patterns to President prior to show

• Ensures sponsorship tax eligible letters go out from the office by Jan 31

• Voting Member on policies and Horse Project activities

Treasurer

• Keep an up to date electronic ledger of account balance and all debit/credits

• Create a budget for the year - year end award and horse show estimates

• Provide horse show event reports at each meeting- how much received/expenses, etc.

• Reconcile HAC ledger with extension office Ledger

• Withdraw/deposit funds with Extension Office

• Responsible for paying for purchase orders, etc. (Ribbons, Buckles, Awards, Horse Show Expenses) 

• Voting Member on policies and Horse Project activities

 Member at Large

• Voting member

• Knowledge source

• Responsible for volunteer sign up and tracking for each show 

• Responsible for managing and posting for social media accounts

• Securing sponsorships (both members at large sponsorship committee)

• Coordinate equipment to shows

Zoom HAC Committee Meeting Rescheduled Due to Technical Issues

 Hello Pinal County 4-H Horse Members, 

We unfortunately had to cancel our HAC Zoom meeting tonight due to Zoom being down. Please keep an eye out for a new link to the meeting rescheduled to tomorrow night 2/10/26 @6:30pm.

Thank you

-HAC Committee

Feb 16 - Sorting Program

 Hello Sorting Families, 

Here is the program for our sorting show on February 16, 2026! 

This will be the final sorting event of the season. Please take the time to review the teams and make sure that we have not made any errors. If you see an error email us at pinalcounty4hhorse@gmail.com no later than Wednesday, February 11th so that we have time for edits prior to printing the program. 

Check in time is 5pm with a start time of 5:30pm. 

See you then! 

2nd Horse Show- Remndee to register

🐎 Horse Show Reminder! 🐎

 Don’t forget to get signed up for our upcoming Horse Show at Pinal Cowboy Church!

📅 Show Date: February 21
📍 Location: Pinal Cowboy Church
⏰ Registration Deadline: February 8 at 5:00 PM - Register here

This show will offer both English and Western classes, so there’s something for everyone! Gymkhana will be at our March show! 

👉 Once you register, please choose your volunteer spot. Volunteer Here

👉 Be sure to register before the deadline — late entries will not be accepted. Registering at day of show will incur a $15 on site registration fee. 

We can’t wait to see you and your horses in the arena!

⏰ REMINDER: Sorting Show Registration Closing on Sunday at 5pm! ⏰

4-H Horse Families, this is your last call to register for the February 16 Sorting Show—our final sorting show of the season!

📍 Location: Rock’N A Arena, Queen Creek
🕠 Check-In: 5:00pm
🕕 Show Start: 5:30pm

⏳ Registration Deadline: February 8th at 5:00 PM
No late entries will be accepted. Click here to register.

🐎 Important Reminder:
Please be sure you have spoken with your teammate and confirmed they are a “GO” before submitting your entry.

If you’re planning to ride, now’s the time—let’s finish the season strong! 🐴✨

EHV-1 Updates- Upcoming Sorting Show

 EHV-1 Neuropathogenic/EHM Update—The following is directly from the Arizona state veterinarian. As always, we’ll update again if new travel requirements are released.

“The AZDA was notified by the attending veterinarian Wednesday night that two horses from Pinal county displaying neurologic signs tested positive with point of care EHV-1 tests on samples collected that evening. On Thursday, AZDA began reaching out to event organizers requesting information of attendees / registrants or contact info for messaging. On Friday 1/30/2026, one of the two hospitalized horses was humanely euthanized due to progressive neurologic deterioration. Confirmation of EHV-1 (neuropathogenic) by the reference lab was reported Friday afternoon. The events where exposure to the affected horse(s) or dangerous contact (exposed) horses of the affected horses (ie. other horses from the premises of origin of the two clinical horses) are as follows:

January 18, 2026 – Horseshoe Park Extreme Barrel Race

January 20, 2026 – ICE Wittmann Breakaway Roping

January 21, 2026 – Roper Nation Breakaway Roping

January 21, 2026 – John Volken Academy Ranch

January 23, 2026 – TACC Thunderbird Farms Arena

January 24, 2026 - Horseshoe Park Extreme Barrel Race

January 27, 2026 – TACC Thunderbird Farms Arena

As always, many horses even in a normal population may be completely asymptomatic intermittently shedding herpes virus and a smaller subset of those will be shedding neurotrophic herpes (and still may be asymptomatic). Given the extensive show history that has already occurred it's difficult to be on the leading edge of this like the horses returning to Arizona from the Waco, TX and Guthrie, OK events at the end of November where quarantine of returning horses was more feasible. In the current situation the best course of action for your clientele if they have had horses at these historical events would be to encourage rectal temperature monitoring twice daily with logging the results to chart trends, prompt reporting of any signs consistent with EHV-1 (respiratory or neuro) infection to their attending veterinarian and testing (nasal swab and whole blood PCR) if indicated, and voluntary self-quarantine from attending any new shows for the next 14 days.”

The Pinal County Horse Committee is asking that you self quaratine the next 14 days and avoid traveling so that we may still hold our Feb 16th Ranch Sorting Event. We are being hopeful!

What to Know About EHV-1:

• Horses may incubate the virus for 2–14 days, typically showing fever first, followed by neurologic signs.

• Horses infected at an event may appear normal traveling home but can become contagious and sick after returning.

• Fever of unknown origin (FUO) is often the earliest indicator—temp >101.3°F warrants immediate action.

Biosecurity Is Your Best Defense:

• Don’t share equipment (buckets, grooming tools, tack).

• Clean and disinfect trailers and stall areas after returning from events.

• Keep new or traveling horses separate for 7–10 days when possible.

• Monitor temperatures on any horse that has been off-property.

We will keep everyone updated as more details come out.

Year End Awards - Save the Date

 

🐴💚 SAVE THE DATE 💚🐴

Pinal County 4-H Horse

💚🤍 Proudly representing 4-H green & white 🤍💚

🌟 Year-End Awards Celebration 🌟

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📅 Saturday, April 25

🎉 Join us as we celebrate an incredible year of hard work, sportsmanship, and success in the Pinal County 4-H Horse Program!

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📌 Event Details

Who: Pinal County 4-H Horse Members 
What: Year-End Awards Ceremony
When: Saturday, April 25
Where: Circle C Stables, 971 E. Ranch Road, Apache Junction, AZ 85119 (in western town)
Time: TBD

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🏆 Awards & Recognition
🐎 Celebrating Our Riders & Horses

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📣 Mark your calendars now!
More information will be shared soon.

We can’t wait to celebrate with you!

— Pinal County 4-H Horse Program

💚🤍 4-H | Head • Heart • Hands • Health 🤍💚

**If awards are not ready we will update with a new date as soon as possible**

🐎 Horse Show Reminder! 🐎

 Don’t forget to get signed up for our upcoming Horse Show at Pinal Cowboy Church!

📅 Show Date: February 21
📍 Location: Pinal Cowboy Church
⏰ Registration Deadline: February 8 at 5:00 PM - Register here

This show will offer both English and Western classes, so there’s something for everyone! Gymkhana will be at our March show! 

👉 Once you register, please choose your volunteer spot. Volunteer Here

👉 Be sure to register before the deadline — late entries will not be accepted. Registering at day of show will incur a $15 on site registration fee. 

We can’t wait to see you and your horses in the arena!

⏰ REMINDER: Sorting Show Registration Closing Soon! ⏰

 4-H Horse Families, this is a friendly reminder that registration is currently open for the February 16 Sorting Show—the final sorting show of the season!

📍 Location: Rock’N A Arena, Queen Creek
🕠 Check-In: 5:00pm
🕕 Show Start: 5:30pm

🗓️ Registration Deadline: February 8th at 5:00 PM
No late entries will be accepted. Click here to register.

🐎 Team Check:
Before entering, please be sure you’ve talked with your teammate and confirmed they are a “GO.”

Don’t miss your chance to close out the season in the arena—we can’t wait to see you there! 🐴✨

Horseless Clinic

 We are very excited to host a clinic for any of our horse members that want to know what a judge looks for at a show!! 

When: February 4, 2026 @ 6pm

Where: Circle C Stables, 971 E. Ranch Road, Apache Junction. AZ 85119

Who: any registered Pinal county 4-H horse or horseless member 

RSVP is required : Click here please RSVP no later than February 2.

Horse do not come to this clinic. 

Details about what will be covered:

This session uses video and photos (equipment provided) to break down what judges are truly looking for during a class or ride—highlighting the elements that matter most versus details riders often stress over unnecessarily. We’ll explore how small, often overlooked details can impact placement and answer the common question: “Why did I place third?” 

By comparing what a rider feels in the moment to what is actually happening, participants will see firsthand how visual feedback improves awareness, accuracy, and overall performance. Seeing on video is a powerful tool for understanding execution, refining technique, and gaining a competitive edge.

We hope to see so many of our horse members there!!

Volunteer Sign up - Feb 21 Show

Here is the link to sign up for your volunteer slot for the Feb 21 show. 

Just a reminder that you are must volunteer in each discipline your rider participates in! 

 Sign up here

🐎 Pinal County Horse Members — You’re Invited to the 2nd Horse Show of the Season! 🐎

 Mark your calendars! We’re excited to invite all Pinal County Horse members to our upcoming February 21st show at Pinal Cowboy Church. It’s shaping up to be a great day of horses, community, and fun—don’t miss it! Classes at this show will be English and Western only. Gymkhana riders we will see you at the March show!

📅 Important Dates

• Show Date: February 21

• Entry Deadline: February 8 at 5:00 PM (no late entries) Click here to enter

• Volunteer Sign up: Click here

Be sure to get your entries in on time so you can join us in the arena!

🍔 Lunch Available at the Show (Cash Only)

Come hungry—Cowboy Church will have lunch available:

• Burger Combo: $6

• Hot Dog Combo: $4

• À La Carte:

  • Soda – $1

  • Chips – $1

  • Candy Bar – $1

📌 Cash only for all food purchases.

We’re looking forward to a fantastic turnout and a fun-filled show day with our Pinal County horse community. Spread the word, get your entries in early, and we’ll see you on February 21 at Pinal Cowboy Church!

Show Patterns

Correction to Sorting Pricing – Rockin-A Productions

Dear Sorting Families,

We recently identified an error in our pricing for the sorting session held at Rockin-A Productions. Each student was charged for only one go, rather than the intended two goes.

Moving forward, we will apply the correct structure and charge for two goes per student. The accurate pricing is now reflected on the sign-up page for the upcoming sorting event, which can be found on the Pinal County Horse Project blog: https://pinalhorse.blogspot.com/

We sincerely apologize for this oversight and for any inconvenience or frustration it may have caused. We greatly value your participation and ongoing support of the Pinal County Horse Project, and we appreciate your understanding as we address this correction.

Should you have any questions or concerns, please reach out.

Thank you for your continued involvement and patience.

- HAC Committee

Sorting Scores

 Hello Sorting Families, 

Thank you for coming to our first sorting event of the season! 

I wanted to let you know that we made a small update to the scores from tonight. We had a list minute scratch and had to adjust some teams on site tonight, while doing that I still had them listed as Mixed, when they should have been moved to the senior teams. Didnt realize this till I got home to enter scores 

In mixed they placed 5th and 7th. Once corrected, in senior they placed 7th and 8th. 

That then made a few changes to the placings for mixed. If those mixed teams want the corrected ribbons we will have them at the next show.

I am sorry for not catching this at the show! 

I am including a link to the scores here: Jan 16 sorting If you see any other concerns please let me know 

Thanks so much, 

Michelle 

🐎 Registration is NOW OPEN – Final Sorting Show of the Season! 🐎

 Attention 4-H Horse Families! Registration is officially open for our February 16 Sorting Show, which will also be the final sorting show of the season—you won’t want to miss it!

📍 Location: Rock’N A Arena, Queen Creek
🕠 Check-In: 5pm
🕕 Show Start: 5:30pm

🗓️ Registration Deadline: February 8th at 5:00 PM
No late entries will be accepted. Click here to register

⚠️ Important Reminder:
Please be sure to communicate with your teammate and confirm they are a “GO” before submitting your entry.

Let’s wrap up the sorting season strong—we look forward to seeing everyone in the arena! 🐴✨

Pinal County Horse Committee 

Friday Night Sorting Event – Program & Teams

 

Below is the program for our sorting event on Friday night, including the teams assigned for the evening. Thank you to everyone who has signed up to help — your support is greatly appreciated.

Arrival & Start Times

• 5:30pm – Check-in

• 6:00pm – Event begins

PROGRAM HERE

Please make sure you arrive on time so we can start promptly and make the most of the evening.

We’re looking forward to a great night of teamwork. See you on Friday!

🐴 Only 5 Days Left to Sign Up for Our January 16 Sorting Event!

 

Horse Families — this is your friendly reminder! ⏰

We’re down to just 5 more days to register for our January 16 Sorting Event, and we don’t want anyone to miss out on the fun.

Sorting events are a great way to:

• Build confidence for both horse and rider

• Practice teamwork and horsemanship

• Enjoy a fun, supportive atmosphere with fellow horse families

Whether you’re a seasoned competitor or trying sorting for the first time, this event is a perfect opportunity to get involved, learn, and have a great time in the arena.

📅 Event Date: January 16
📝 Registration Closes In: 5 days

Spots are limited, so be sure to get signed up before registration closes. We can’t wait to see you, your horses, and your families out there!

👉 Sign up today and join us for a great day of sorting! [Registration Link Here]  

See you in the arena! 🐎✨

HAC meeting reminder

 Hello, 

We have had to move our HAC meeting to Jan 14th at 6:30pm. 

The calendar has been updated and you will find the link to the zoom there. 

This meeting we plan to review our upcoming sorting event and make sure that we are prepared for it to be successful. 

Thank you. 

HAC Committee

📣 Reminder for Horse Families – Sponsorship Balance Due

Dear Horse Families, 

Thank you to everyone who met the requirement of turning in half of your sponsorship by November 15th — we appreciate your support and commitment!

This is your friendly reminder that the remaining balance of $75 per rider is due by February 1st in order to qualify for Year-End Awards. You may make the payment here. 

Please make sure this final portion is submitted on time so your rider remains eligible.
We appreciate everything you do to help support our program! 💚🐴

Thank you!