Brooklyn Dahl lines up with her horse during the 4-H senior horse showmanship exhibition during opening day at the Jackson County Fair in Central Point Tuesday.

For Makenzie Shelman, the blue ribbon she won at the Jackson County Fair was far more than a prize — it was the product of months and years of effort.

The nearly 17-year-old Central Point girl was all smiles Tuesday morning as she held her ribbon outside the gate after the senior showmanship exhibition at the fair with her family and her paint quarter horse Willow by her side.

The equestrian events Tuesday morning kicked off a host of 4-H and Future Farmers of America livestock activities happening at the Jackson County Fair. This year the fair is making them a central focus with a theme of “Experience the Ag-venture.”

During the showmanship exhibition at the Isola Memorial Arena at the Expo, Willow walked calmly and gracefully at Shelman’s command. A turnaround demonstration went off without a hitch, and a round of polite applause could be heard from the audience of roughly two dozen in the stands.

Shelman said she has been showing horses in 4-H for seven years, six of them with Willow. She said months of work went into Tuesday’s competition.

“I worked with her every morning for months,” Shelman said.

Among the first to congratulate Shelman was 14-year-old Hannah Stouder, a fellow 4-H member.

The incoming Crater High freshman was waiting at the stables with her Friesian gelding named Stefano. The 17-hand dark horse towered over the incoming Crater High freshman. Her mom, Melissa Stouder, joked that Stefano was so big her daughter had a tea party on his back.

Stouder had to learn Stefano relatively late in the game this year because her first horse was injured in May. She said adapting to the large breed is a challenge. For starters, “I have to use my legs more,” she said. “I’m learning his buttons.”

Stouder said it’s her fifth year participating in 4-H horse events. She said that she particularly enjoys showing horses because “I’m very competitive.”

“I also love the club experience,” Stouder said. “They’re like my sisters.”

According to Shae Johns, one of 4-H’s three volunteer superintendents, between 55 and 60 horses are scheduled to compete in horse exhibitions at the fair this year. The exhibitions involve different age brackets for competitions including horse showmanship, English equitation and Western equitation.

The exhibitions at the Jackson County Fair can lead to a place at the Oregon State Fair, but Johns said that excelling in showmanship is a core 4-H requirement. The event showcases a person’s ability handling and controlling the horse, and participants must achieve a score of 80 or higher as part of their qualifications.

Blue ribbons symbolize a score of 90 or higher and means “excellent mastery,” a red ribbon means a score in the 80s, and a white ribbon means a score in the 70s and indicates “there’s still stuff for them to work on,” Shae said.

If the youth gets a combined score of 170 or higher in their equitation or riding competition, they will qualify for the Jackson County 4-H horse state fair team.

Johns said she’s involved in 4-H because her daughter has been participating in the program. The club offers kids opportunities for growth and skills they wouldn’t otherwise get, she said.

“I’m a firm believer in what 4-H does for youth,” Johns said.