4-H's first obstacle course this Friday

Hill County 4-H is holding a new activity this year during the Great Northern Fair.

Friday at 4 p.m. at the Bigger Better Barn, 4-H is hosting an obstacle course for the enjoyment of all local youth, Hill County Extension Agent Jasmine Carbajal.

“We’re just really excited to bring something new to the fair and 4-H Hill County is really excited to try something like this and see if it’s a hit or not,” she said.

Carbajal said there are not many obstacle course events on the Hi-Line, and she hopes this is a fun, exciting, way to get kids exposed and involved in the program. She added that all are welcome to the event, and even though the obstacle course is set up for kids, adults who want to can participate in some of the obstacles.

She said if the event is a success they will plan on doing it next year, as well, with more obstacles for a wider range of community members.

A sign-in table will be set up in front of the course at 4 p.m., Carbajal said, where parents have to sign to give permission for their children to go on the course.

Children must wear close-toe shoes in order to participate. Kids 6 and older are allowed on the course alone and kids 3 to 5 need adult supervision by parents, guardians or older siblings.

The obstacles will include saddling a miniature horse and leading it; a Hillbilly Hike where participants will climb over square bales; a Gunny Sack Race; a Tire Run; a hula-hoop and balance beam obstacle; and a water-bucket race. Each course will have an adult member of 4-H supervising the course, she added.

At the end of the course, Carbajal said, a photo station will be set up where kids can have their pictures taken with trophies or 4-H ribbons. Parents are welcome to take photographs themselves or give permission for 4-H to take photos and post them on the obstacle course Facebook page, where the parents will be able to download them.

She added that six of the 4-H clubs will be customizing these events and one is in charge of each obstacle. The clubs participating are the Kremlin Hawks, Mountain View, Bear Paw Beavers, Happy Havre, Blue Horizon and the Milk River Raccoons.

Carbajal said planning for the event began three months ago and the Hill County 4-H Council appointed a special committee with its main focus planning for the obstacle course. The committee plans to have a larger community course for adults for Havre Festival Days but wanted to start off with a smaller course for kids to enjoy at the fair.

In the future, she hopes that more clubs and community members will help the event grow, she said.

Carbajal added that it was exciting to see older kids get involved in the planning process as well as other 4-H leaders. The main members of the committee who organized the event were Lue Waite, Joshua Heitzenroder, Karla Vaughn and 4-H youth Abbigayl Ridgway; in addition to the clubs coming together in a joint effort to make the event possible.

This event has no sponsors, Carbajal added, but she said that 4-H is looking for partners and sponsors who might be interested in creating their own obstacles for the community obstacle course for Festival Days.

“We’re excited. Something new. Something different. Something fun,” Carbajal added.

Anyone who wants more information, to join the committee or to give ideas for the future event, Carbajal said, can contact her at the Montana State University’s Hill County Extension office at 265-5481, ext. 2335, or email her at [email protected].