2024 Youth Exhibitor Activities

Exciting youth academic and entertainment activities are planned during the 121st Kentucky State Fair’s World’s Championship Horse Show (WCHS). 

The ever popular “First Timer” event for exhibitors and trainers participating in their first World’s Championship Horse Show will be presented in Freedom Hall on Tuesday, August 20 at 5:30 PM.  The United States Saddle Seat Association (USSSA) will sponsor this presentation that has become a beloved tradition at the show.  We look forward to meeting and welcoming our first-time participants.

The Junior Judging Competition, which is a decades old tradition of the WCHS, will be held on Wednesday night, August 21 in the upper level of Freedom Hall in Section 337. Starting at 6:00 PM, two former WCHS judges, Allison Deardorf and Clark Clouse, will provide judging tips to our participants with the actual judging contest beginning at 6:30pm. Registration will be open in the horse show office from 12:00pm Sunday, August 18 until 12:00pm Wednesday, August 21, but you can go to the area to participate without pre-registering. There will be two age groups comprised of 13 & under and 14-17. Presentations will be made to the Champion and Reserve Champion at the Junior Exhibitor Party on Thursday, August 22.

The Junior Exhibitor Party will be held on Thursday, August 22 from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM in the Saddlebred Café. This year’s Hawaiian themed Ice Cream Social will be hosted by the WCHS, the UPHA, and William Woods University Equestrian Department. Todd Graham will be the moderator of a panel consisting of the trainers of the seven 2023 World’s Grand Champions: Burt Honaker, Steve Wheeler, Matt Shiflet, Tom Lowry, and Rich Campbell. There will be autographed posters of all seven World Grand Champions donated by Tim Cherry and Sandy Backer’s Cedar View Farm for all junior attendees. For the ice cream social, there will be “Celebrity” servers including Isabelle Fisher, Camille Cowart, Donna Pettry-Smith, Ella White, Alayna Applegate, Kolby Smith, Whitney Shiflet, Jackie Ware, Billy Jarrell, and Sarah Track.  Door prizes have generously been donated by Erin Boggs, Renee Zubrod, Alyssa Curry, The American Hackney Horse Society, American Road Horse & Pony Association, and the Dutch Harness Horse Association. Swag bags and their contents have been provided by Grey Ridge Farm, Altar-Win, Milestone, Stoneridge, Gasparilla Horse Show, Equine Sports Council, and High Caliber Stables.  Sarah Bennett Peerce will be photographing the event.  A very special thank you to all the above supporters of our junior exhibitors!  We invite all junior exhibitors to make your way to the Saddlebred Café on Thursday, August 22 at 1:00 for a fun filled afternoon of ice cream, socializing, and meeting legends of the Kentucky State Fair World’s Championship Horse Show.

Immediately following the party will be the popular Golf Cart Decorating Contest.  Get your golf carts decorated early and be ready to “show” on Thursday, August 22 after the junior exhibitor party. Meet at the outdoor arena at 3:30 p.m. to show it off and see if your golf cart is chosen as Best Overall, Most Creative or Best Theme.

Ellen Beard will be hosting the WCHS Youth Activity Program each night starting Sunday night, August 18 through Saturday night, August 24 in the upper level of Freedom Hall in the President’s Room starting 30 minutes prior to the session start times.  There will be open door games, crafts, and camaraderie for all ages. Hippology will be one of the features at night.  You may go to Hippology- Wikipedia to learn more and be outstanding in this study of horses. Thursday Night, August 22 the favorite Horseless Horse Show will be held. 

The UPHA Open Gate Learning Center will once again be held on site starting Monday, August 19 through Saturday, August 24 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The goal of the Open Gate Learning Center is to provide students academic support to complete educational assignments while absent from classes during the show. This program is free to all UPHA Junior Members, grades 5-12. The fee for non-members is $200, payable to UPHA Foundation. Application deadline is Friday, August 9, 2024. Applications will be sent to all UPHA Junior Members. For more information contact Debbie Murphy at opengatelearningcenter@gmail.com.

The Kentucky States Fair World’s Championship Horse Show and our gracious event sponsors are looking forward to a fun week celebrating our junior exhibitors and offering some informative events, as well as the chance to mingle with new and old friends when not showing your horse or pony. See you soon and come join the fun!