Demographics, impacts, & motivations of Michigan 4-h horse judges

The horse industry is a thriving, diverse industry with many breeds, disciplines, and levels of competition. Horse judges are a focal point of horse shows, given that their opinions are central to the competitive activity. There is very little known about horse judges, although, a survey done by Skelly et al. (2005) at an equine extension workshop found only 4% of respondents were comfortable with the current state of horse show ethics and 70% of respondents felt it was the judges' responsibility to uphold ethics at horses shows, showing dissatisfaction with judges. The Michigan 4-H Horse Judges survey was developed with the aims of identifying demographic information, motivations for becoming a horse judge, and how judges gained their horse judging skills. The results showed that the current average age of surveyed judges was 48.6 years, with a range from 23 to 81. Respondents identified judging an average of 15 shows per year, for a total of 790 shows represented annually (n = 53). Respondents identified primary positive themes of being a 4-H horse judge as the educational atmosphere, meeting people, and personal and professional fulfillment. The top negative themes included negative attitudes, long days, poor weather, and time away from family. Respondents also identified their motivations for becoming judges as giving back, helping others, and working with horses and youth; all of which may enhance the quality of life of judges and exhibitors. This information is important as it informs both the literature for future research on the horse judging experience, as well as the impacts of 4-H horse judging activities.