For six high school students in Florida, the equine industry is more than a line of work; it's a lifestyle.
The inaugural class of the Florida 4-H Equine Ambassador Program is made up of students 15 to 17 years old from across the state. The new program, created through the University of Florida’s IFAS Department of Animal Sciences, focuses on mentorship, education and outreach, allowing its ambassadors to serve as representatives of Florida 4-H at horse events across the state and the country.
The program was primarily developed by Alyssa Ohmstede, who wanted to create a pathway for students to explore the equine industry beyond traditional youth roles by exposing them to the resources UF offers in the horse industry.
“I think a lot of times you can get pigeonholed with the horse stuff, whether you be a vet or a horse trainer, so we wanted to let them know there’s other things they can do,” Ohmstede said. “We wanted to give them the opportunity to network with people in the industry and build relationships as they go off into their professional careers.”
The program currently has six members from Clay, Duval, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Lake and Indian River counties.
Although they live far from each other, the ambassadors meet monthly via Zoom and stay connected through group chats and FaceTime calls. Mikayla Clement, a senior member who has been involved in 4-H for more than 10 years, said the distance hasn’t been an obstacle.
“It’s hard to get people together, but there’s texting and FaceTime a lot behind the scenes,” she said. “We’re a group of girls that are just really passionate about bringing other people into our industry.”
The program’s long-term vision includes expanding in reach and participation numbers. They’re looking to expand into the western side of the state and grow to 12 members in total, the additional six coming from the Future Farmers of America (FFA).
Ohmstede currently oversees the program largely by herself, but she hopes the ambassadors themselves will also recruit future ambassadors.
“I’ve been encouraging the kids to be good recruiters,” she said. “Peer recruitment is a little bit more accessible and inviting.”
Clement said one of her personal goals is to reach audiences outside of 4-H and FFA who may not realize how accessible the horse industry can be.
“We’re trying to take initiative and bring more people not only into 4-H, but the horse industry,” she said.
Education and mentorship are also big parts of the program. Beatrice Davenport said the ambassadors are planning a series of educational Zoom sessions covering topics such as equine nutrition, veterinary medicine and horse health. The goal is for each ambassador to lead at least one session and for recordings to be made available statewide.
Davenport, who hopes to major in animal sciences and work in equine genetics, said these experiences have helped prepare her for future academic and professional success.
“A lot of the material that is relevant…becomes relevant in their careers and it just sets you up with a really strong foundation,” she said. “When I go on to work on my undergraduate and beyond, I’ll have a much more solid base.”
Addison Cerasale, a sophomore ambassador, has been in 4-H since she was eight and has been competing in horse shows for almost six years. She said she joined the equine ambassador program because of its focus on the youth in the horse industry.
“Even at local [horse] shows, there aren’t a lot of youth. So, it’s hard,” she said. “I just really wanted to do this program to give back to this industry that made me who I am. The horse industry can do a lot for you.”
Clement reiterated a similar sentiment, stating how she originally got involved in the program to help younger 4-H members.
“I had a mentor in 4-H and that helped me guide where I am now for everything I do,” she said. “So, I really love to create opportunities for the other youth.”
Being the first group of ambassadors has given the young riders a unique opportunity to contribute toward building the program.
“I told them at the beginning of the year, you guys are kind of our guinea pigs, so it’s a learning curve,” Ohmstede said. “I want them to tell me what things they liked, what things they wished they would’ve been able to do…their feedback is important.”
Davenport said that being one of the first people in the state to be in her role “means a lot.”
“We’re hopefully going to play an important role in setting up what the program is going to look like in the future.”