Okaloosa riders score big in state 4-H championships

Three young people from Okaloosa County have returned from Tampa, as winners of state level awards, and two of them as state champions.

Lily Hall, 12, Klarissa Williamson, 11, and Kelvin Williamson, 13, all qualified to attend the 2011 Florida 4-H State Equestrian Finals this year by first winning Area A championships in Marianna this past March. After winning against riders from the entire Panhandle area (Escambia to Madison counties) at the area finals, these three rode against the best riders in the state in a variety of events (in both western and English classes) and came home with top honors.

Klarissa and Kelvin Williamson, children of local veterinarian Dr. Reese Williamson and her husband Ken of Crestview, impressed the state judges in their western events.

Klarissa Williamson, riding her horse Oran Berry Ina, is state grand champion for Saddle Type & Gaited Horses, state champion for Saddle Type & Gaited Mares, and placed 2nd in Road Hack Trotting (13 years and under), 4th in Saddle Seat Pleasure Trotting (13 and under), and 7th in Saddle Seat Equitation (13 and under).

Kelvin Williamson won the Junior Western High Point championship for Area A, and placed eighth in the state championships in Halter Class for Stock Horse Mares on his horse, Fadjurs Shahbiz.

Lily Hall, daughter of Steve and Sherry Hall of Niceville, won the title of state champion for Dressage (13 and under) riding her horse Heart of Gold. She also won the state High Point Dressage Award, competing against almost 60 other junior and senior Dressage class participants. Lily is especially proud of her award,  because her dressage trainer, Jodie Kelly of Destin, won the same championship title when she was 12.

These young people and their families are all supporters and participants in Okaloosa County 4-H organizations, and are proud to be affiliated with Florida’s strong statewide 4-H equestrian program, which produced almost 300 state qualified riders to compete for three days at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa from July 7-9.

When asked for a comment, Lily said, “We were all honored to be able to represent Okaloosa County and the whole Panhandle at state against all the south Florida riders. It was important for us to bring these titles back home to make sure they don’t forget where the best riders in the state come from."