On Marilyn Austin’s 62-acre farm just west of Atlanta, Boss
is boss. A registered
quarter horse, Boss found his new home through the Georgia 4-
H Horse Benefit Auction.

“He’s become like a family member,” Austin said. “I
bought him because
he looked like an easy horse to ride.”

Boss turned out to be a very talented horse.

“My daughter rode him and qualified for the regional
riding competition in Baton
Rouge, La.,” Austin bragged. “He’s been a wonderful horse. I
now use him with my
horseback-riding students who ride in the Special
Olympics.”

Last year, the Austins went back to the auction and came
home with another horse.

“He’s not the multipurpose horse Boss is. But there’s
nowhere I can imagine
getting that quality horse for that price,” Austin said.

Reasonably Priced
Expertise

“For me, it’s one of the best ways to find a reasonably
priced horse,” she
said. “I trust the specialists at the University of
Georgia, and I know a little about his background.
We’ve been very happy with our
purchases.”

1999 Auction and
Events

This year’s auction is Saturday, Feb. 27, at the Georgia
National Fairgrounds and Agricenter in Perry, Ga. It
will begin at 12:30 p.m. in the
Multipurpose Arena.

The auction is conducted in conjunction with the Georgia Junior National
Livestock Show. The
horses are tax-deductible donations, and all proceeds go
to the Georgia 4-H horse program
and UGA equine research.

GEORGIA 4-H’er Amy Wheatley from Wilkes Couty, on “Cody F Bar” won first place in the 1998 show in the Jr. Hunter Under Saddle category.

“This year we have more than 20 horses to auction,”
said Laura Perry
Johnson, state livestock specialist for
the Georgia 4-H program.

“We have something for every type of horse owner,” she
said. “We have
everything from a three-year-old Appaloosa mare and a
three-year-old Arabian up to a
26-year-old walking horse for those who like trail
riding.”

Buyers’
Information

A complete catalog of the horses to be auctioned will
be available at the sale.

The auction is a great place for bargain hunters and
first-time buyers, Johnson said.
“Horses sell as low as $550,” she said. “Our highest
seller in four years
went for $4,200.”

The auction has a slower pace than most horse auctions,
too. That makes it a good place
for inexperienced horse buyers to learn the ropes.

“Many 4-H’ers buy horses at the auction,” Johnson
said. “We also get
real horse traders who are looking for the bargains.

Proceeds Benefit 4-H Horse
Program

“I’m almost scared to tell too many people about the
auction, because that brings
more bidders,” Austin said. “But it’s a great way to raise
funds for the 4-H
program.”

Austin supports the 4-H horse program because it
teaches more than riding skills.

“The 4-H program is primarily educational,” she
said. “They have the
opportunity to compete. But they have to learn about
horses, too. They have to have more
than money and the ability to ride. It gives kids a good
foundation in horsemanship in
general, and they can go in any direction they want from
there.”