Kootenai-Shoshone 4-H Youth Compete in Hippology Contest, Advance to District

Kootenai County Fairgrounds drew 25 youth on March 19 with four senior district team spots on the line in the Kootenai/Shoshone County 4-H Hippology Contest, a multi-component test of horse science covering written examination, judging rounds, breed and anatomy identification, and team problem-solving scenarios. The contest is one of the program's primary academic tracks, and advancement to the Northern District level can carry a competitor all the way to the state competition.

Named to the 2026 senior hippology district team were Melanie Rabello, Sophia Paliotto, Shelby Roberge, and Zia Izzard. They will represent Kootenai/Shoshone County at the Northern District 4-H Horse Contests on June 16-17 at the Nez Perce County Fairgrounds in Lewiston.

Two days later, on March 21, the program hosted the county 4-H Horse Bowl Contest with 48 competitors. In the junior division, Catherine Perry, Reese Robb, Audrey Johnson, Paisley Laudeman, and Aralynn Torba placed in the top five. In the senior division, Shelby Roberge, Zia Izzard, Kenzlie Gerig, Melanie Rabello, and Emery Mort rounded out the top five.

The junior horse bowl district team will include Catherine Perry, Aralynn Torba, Roselee Williams, and Reese Robb, with Kenna Stanley as alternate. The senior team will field Kenzlie Gerig, Zia Izzard, Melanie Rabello, and Shelby Roberge, with Sophia Paliotto as alternate.

Roberge, who earned spots on both the senior hippology team and the senior horse bowl team, stands out among a group whose cross-discipline performance reflects the program's depth. The skills tested in hippology track directly onto careers in North Idaho's equine and agricultural economy: the written and oral components parallel requirements in veterinary medicine and farrier certification programs, while the team problem-solving format mirrors the decision-making demanded in feed and livestock operations. District team selection also figures into 4-H scholarship evaluations, making the Lewiston trip a credential that carries weight beyond a June weekend.

For the youth now named to district teams, June 16-17 at the Nez Perce County Fairgrounds is the next proving ground.