There are four competition teams for students to participate in at the East Campus.
Any student who attends BHC and is currently enrolled in at least 12 credit hours is eligible to participate on the teams. Designation of a specific major or degree plan is not required.
Crops & Soil Judging Team
The collegiate judging season runs from August to May. Members of the team start judging during the fall semester of their freshman year.
Time away from campus
During the spring semester, students miss three to four days to attend NACTA competition.
Travel expense
Black Hawk College will cover most of the expenses of traveling. Students will be responsible for paying for their meals. An estimated cost per day for spending money and food is about $20.
Contact: Andrew Larson
Professor and Soil Judging Coach
Office: Building B, Room 223
Phone: 309-854-1830
Email: larsonan@bhc.edu
Horse Judging Team
Collegiate judging seasons runs from January to December. Members of the team start judging during the spring semester of their freshman year.
| Fall (as a sophomore) |
Spring (as a freshman) |
| All-American Quarter Horse Congress-Ohio |
MTSU Spring Contest-Tennessee |
| AQHA World Show-Oklahoma |
APHA Spring Sweepstakes-Texas |
Time away from campus
During the spring semester, students miss seven to 10 days of school. In the fall, students miss approximately one week each for the Congress and the World. They will also miss two to three days to attend the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) competition.
Travel expense
Black Hawk College will cover most of the expenses of traveling. Students will be responsible for paying for their meals. An estimated cost per day for spending money and food is about $20.
Scholarships
There are numerous Horse Judging Scholarships available as well as other scholarships that are intended for Horse Judging Team members. The college also accepts any outside scholarships as well.
Contact: Aaron Callahan
Professor and Horse Judging Coach
Office: Building 7, Room 103
Phone: 309-854-1841
Email: callahana@bhc.edu
Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA) Western and Hunt Seat Equestrian Team
Students try out for the team during the fall semester. The team consists of riders of all different skill levels. There are six IHSA Western divisions from Beginner to Advanced and Open. There are eight IHSA Hunt Seat divisions ranging from Beginner Flat to Open Fences.
Contests
Team members participate in eight to 10 meets during the year against colleges competing in Zone 7, Region 5 (central and western Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Kansas). These include: Augustana College, Illinois State University, Iowa State University, Kansas State University, Missouri State University, Northwest Missouri State University, Southern Illinois University and Truman State University. A note of interest – Zone 7 has the largest number of western riders in the nation.
Individuals who qualify as Region Champions and Reserve Champions advance to the Semifinals. Riders who finish in the top four at Semifinals are National Finalists and get to compete among the top 12 riders at Nationals.
Over the course of the year, more than 300 colleges and universities compete in IHSA competitions. At the end of the regular season, the college that has the most points as a team gets to compete at Semifinals in a team competition. Black Hawk College has been the Zone 9, Region 2 Team Champion four times in the seven years of competition in this Zone. At Semifinals, the top three teams qualify to compete at the Nationals. In 2008-09 Black Hawk College finished third place in the nation and was the only two-year college to field a team at Nationals!
Time away from campus
The majority of meets are on Saturdays and Sundays. At most, members might have to leave campus on a Friday afternoon for travel time.
Travel expense
Black Hawk College will cover most of the expenses of traveling. Students will be responsible for paying for their meals, their individual IHSA National membership and horse show entry fees.
Contact:
Rebekah Irish
Instructor and Western Coach
Office: Building 7, Room 104
Phone: 309-854-1838
Email: irishr@bhc.edu
Drew Cotton
Associate Professor and Coach
Office: Building A, Room 122
Phone: 309-854-1842
Email: cottond@bhc.edu
IHSA information
For more information on IHSA, visit www.ihsainc.com.
Livestock Judging Team
The collegiate judging season runs from January to December. Although judging workouts begin in September of their freshmen year, members of the team start judging competitively during the spring semester of their freshmen year.
Time away from campus
During the fall semester, students tend to miss about one week of classes because of National Barrow Show, World Beef Expo, the Stockman, American Royal, National Western Stock Show and NAILE. In the spring semester, students will miss approximately two weeks of classes because of San Antonio, Houston and NACTA.
Travel expense
Black Hawk College will cover most of the expenses of traveling. Students will be responsible for paying for their meals. An estimated cost per day for spending money and food is about $20.
Scholarships
There are numerous Livestock Judging Scholarships available as well as other scholarships that are intended for Livestock Judging Team members. We also accept any outside scholarships as well.
Contact:
Dr. Blake Bloomberg
Associate Professor and Lead Livestock Judging Coach
Office: Building B, Room 224
Phone: 309-854-1835
Email: bloombergb@bhc.edu
Tim Hubbard
Instructor and Livestock Judging Coach
Office: Building A, Room 228
Phone: 309-854-1837
