The Blazing Bridles 4-H Horse Club earned 54 top-ten ribbons at the Kentucky 4-H State Horse Contest and 44 more at the state horse show.
The horse contest was held in Lexington on June 17-18. Contest participants competed in horse judging, horse bowl, hippology exam and arts. The horse show was held in Louisville from June 28 through July 2. Youth demonstrated their riding skills in the drill team, saddleseat, miniature, walking/racking/mountain, speed, western, and hunter divisions.
Here are the following state championships:
Ashlynn Allen (age 14, Ryland Heights)
- 2025 Kentucky State 4-H Horse Contest; Art; Junior Equipment; State Champion
Katherine Rose Gibbons (age 11, Latonia)
- 2025 Kentucky State 4-H Horse Contest; Photography; Single Photo; State Champion
- 2025 Kentucky State 4-H Horse Contest; Art; Junior Clothing/Sewing; State Champion
- 2025 Kentucky State 4-H Horse Show; Miniature Division; Pleasure Driving Junior; State Champion
Fionna Lawrence (age 12, Independence)
- 2025 Kentucky State 4-H Horse Show; Saddleseat Division; Showmanship; State Champion
- 2025 Kentucky State 4-H Horse Show; Saddleseat Division; Walk Trot Pleasure; State Champion
- 2025 Kentucky State 4-H Horse Show; Saddleseat Division; Walk Trot Equitation; State Champion
- 2025 Kentucky State 4-H Horse Show; Miniature Division; Jumper 34-38″; State Champion
- 2025 Kentucky State 4-H Horse Show; Saddleseat Division; High Point Reserve Champion
Catalina Mejia (age 13, Independence)
- 2025 Kentucky State 4-H Horse Show; Drill Team Division; State Champion
Kylie Patton (age 14, Morning View)
- 2025 Kentucky State 4-H Horse Show; Walking Racking Mountain Division; Trail Pleasure Racking Lite Shod Junior; State Champion
- 2025 Kentucky State 4-H Horse Show; Walking/Racking/Mountain Division; Western Country Pleasure Racking Lite Shod Junior; State Champion
Chelsey Ruby (age 14, Crittenden)
- 2025 Kentucky State 4-H Horse Show; Drill Team Division; State Champion
Adela Suarez Presley (age 12, Ryland Heights)
- 2025 Kentucky State 4-H Horse Contest; Judging; Junior Individual Performance; State Champion
- 2025 Kentucky State 4-H Horse Contest; Hippology; Individual Stations; State Champion
Elisha Wilson (age 14, Ryland Heights)
- 2025 Kentucky State 4-H Horse Contest; Art; Photography; Black & White; State Champion
- 2025 Kentucky State 4-H Horse Contest; Art; Senior Original Design; State Champion
- 2025 Kentucky State 4-H Horse Show; Miniature Division; Halter Obstacle Senior; State Champion
- 2025 Kentucky State 4-H Horse Show; Miniature Division; Senior High Point Reserve Champion
Members Sophia Lipscomb (age 12, Kenton County) and Blake Terharr (age 12, Independence) rounded out the state teams, which are led by 4-H volunteers Melinda Martino and Leah Wilson.
“The Kenton County 4-H Horse Program provides members with opportunities to combine their passion for horses and riding with leadership, creativity, and educational skills that will serve them throughout life,” said club leader Leah Wilson. “These kids continue to amaze me with their commitment and consistently exceed my expectations.”
Blazing Bridles has been Kenton County’s 4-H horse club since 1969, with Martino and Wilson assuming leadership in 2022.
“I am proud of our 4-Her’s and delighted with their success,” said leader Melinda Martino. “All this was made possible because of the tireless efforts of Leah Wilson and the support of the parents.”
At the county level, Fionna Lawrence was awarded Kenton County Fair 2025 High Point Champion and Katherine Rose Gibbons was awarded Kenton County Fair 2025 High Point Reserve Champion for their performances on July 19 at the fair.