Released June 10, 2008
BATON ROUGE, La. – Young people from across Louisiana will compete in the 39th annual Louisiana 4-H and FFA State Horse Show July 8-12 in West Monroe.
Coordinated by the LSU AgCenter, the event will be held at the Ike Hamilton Expo Center. The youth who participate in the state horse show already will have competed in parish and district shows.
The horse industry is an important part of Louisiana’s diversified agriculture, LSU AgCenter officials say. The latest figures show the total economic impact of the horse industry to the state’s economy was about $2.45 billion in 2007, said Clint Depew, LSU AgCenter equine specialist.
About 52,000 people own an estimated 207,000 horses in Louisiana.
“The goals of the program are development of life skills in young people and involvement in a wholesome industry, horses,” Depew said.
Approximately 600 youth will participate in a variety of competitions – some that show their skills with horses and others that demonstrate such abilities as public speaking on a subject pertaining to the equine industry.
Events include breakaway roping, team penning, pole bending, western riding, reining and barrel racing.
An awards banquet is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on July 10.
State winners will go to the Southern Regional Show in Lexington, Va., July 29-Aug. 3.
-30-
Contacts: Clint Depew, (225) 578-2219, cdepew@agcenter.lsu.edu
Mary Ann Van Osdell, (318) 741-7430, ext. 1104, mvanosdell@agcenter.lsu.edu
