Katie McAndrew named 2009 PA Outstanding 4-H Horse Member

Katie L. McAndrew, daughter of Joseph & Debbie McAndrew of Brockway, was recently named the Pennsylvania Outstanding 4-H Horse Member for 2009. Katie will be recognized for her achievement on Saturday, October 24th at the 50th Annual Pennsylvania State 4-H Horse Show held at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg. Katie is the first winner from Clearfield County since Janee Carr of Clearfield in 1995.

Katie, who currently serves as president of both the Town & Country 4-H Horse and Pony Club and the Clearfield County 4-H Teen Council, has been involved in the 4-H program for 11 years. Katie has been extremely active participating in both horse and leadership project areas. Katie has been recognized for her accomplishments at county, district, regional, and state level. In addition to qualifying and participating in the Pennsylvania State 4-H Horse Show annually with both performance and production projects, Katie has been recognized for her outstanding showmanship skills and has been rewarded with a Master Showman Ribbon at both the regional and state level.

Outside of the show ring, Katie has participated in the PA State 4-H Leadership Conference, Penn State 4-H Achievement Days, where she participated in both the Horse Judging and Horse Bowl contests, PA 4-H Capital Days, Regional 4-H Camp at Camp Kanesatake, where she has served as a camp counselor since 2007, 4-H Day at Kennywood, and numerous Regional 4-H Teen Retreats. Katie was recognized as one of Clearfield County’s Outstanding 4-H Teen Leaders for 2008. Recently, Katie was recognized as the Senior Division Master Showman during a contest held at the 2009 Clearfield County Fair. During this contest, Katie mastered the showmanship of a dairy cow, horse, lamb, and pig. Over her 11 year 4-H career, Katie has displayed terrific citizenship skills through her community service efforts. Through her 4-H club’s Adopt-a-Highway litter clean-up projects, sending care packages to troops serving in the military or children in need, and collecting items for our local food pantries, animal shelters, and the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, Katie has really made a difference in the lives of others within her community and truly lives by the 4-H Motto, “To Make the Best Better.”

“The entire Clearfield County 4-H program is extremely proud of Katie’s accomplishment! Katie is an extremely active 4-H member and serves as an outstanding role model and mentor to numerous 4-H youth members in not only her club, but throughout the county, region, and state.” Jana Lynne Davidson, Children & Youth Development Educator

Katie is a 2009 graduate of Brockway Area High School and is currently a freshman at California University of Pennsylvania.

At the end of October, Katie will be traveling to the 2009 Pennsylvania State 4-H Horse Show with three horse projects in a total of five classes. She will be showing two production horses, Docs Keystone Kid in the Palomino Three Year Old Gelding Class, as well as the Three Year Old Western Pleasure Futurity class and Col Bobs Skipa Peanut in the Palomino Yearling Fillies class. Katie will also be exhibiting her performance horse FP Zippos Image in the Western Grooming & Showmanship, Senior Division and Open Trail Horses, Senior Rider classes.

Clearfield County has been very competitive in the 4-H horse program and has had several finalists for this award of the years. Finalists include Janee Carr (1995 winner), Rebecca Moorhouse (1998), Jana Duttry (1999), Morgan Bacher (2003), Heather Mabie (2005), Joelle Palumbo (2006), Jenifer McAndrew (2007), and Katie McAndrew (2008 finalist & 2009 winner).