2025 Post Rock District County Fair

The deadline to be fully enrolled in a 4-H club and in desired 4-H projects via 4-H Online is May 1 of the current year, if a youth wants to participate as a 4-H member at their respective county fair. A 4-H member can only enter project exhibits in the 4-H division of their respective county fair if they are enrolled in the aligning project by the project drop/add deadline. This deadline must also be met if a youth wishes to be eligible for any end-of-year awards and recognition opportunities including but not limited to member achievement pins, key award, project record recognition, next year event scholarships, etc.

The Post Rock District Board believes that in order for high quality project learning to take place through 4-H, projects (animals and non-animals) should be owned by May 1 of the current year. All exhibits entered in the 4-H division of a county fair must be the handiwork of the exhibitor; the grower, where agricultural exhibits are shown; and the owner and feeder, where livestock is entered. All exhibits entered in the 4-H division of a county fair must be the result of the current program year’s work. Ownership is defined so that the project (animal, garden, crop, exhibit creation, sewing, photo, etc.) is under the daily care and supervision of the member; all project-related practices, expenses, and management are the responsibility of the member; and all county fair exhibits should be a planned part of the project.

The Post Rock District Staff or 4-H Councils do not require verification of project ownership by May 1 for animals or non-animal project exhibits; however, refer to the Project Ownership for County Fair Participation section for emphasis on learning value. Each 4-H Council is to designate a pre-fair entry deadline, and the Post Rock District recommends having one deadline for all project areas in the 4-H division of the county fair. The pre-fair deadline is when all project exhibits must be designated for the class which they will be shown in at the county fair. Entries can be dropped, but not added after the pre-fair deadline. Any project areas not required by 4-H Council to meet the pre-fair deadline will submit entry requirements at the project’s fair check-in time. The 4-H Council will have an exhibit entry card or form designated in the fair book which will be used to meet the entry requirements for each project area. This will be used to describe the exhibit and articulate class of exhibition.

Rate-of-gain contests are managed differently in each county and it is an optional experience. Any livestock not weighed-in and tagged with the county’s official 4-H tag at the designated event are not eligible for the county fair’s 4-H rate-of-gain contest. The determination of what livestock are eligible for rate-of-gain is the decision of the county body which manages the experience in the respective county (4-H Council or Fair board).

The 4-H Council is responsible for obtaining 4-H tags for the respective county fair’s 4-H division. The 4-H Council will determine the official 4-H tag and cost for their county. Generally, the cost of the tag is the responsibility of the member, payable to the local 4-H Council. When a tag is sold from the Post Rock District office, it will be recorded under the immediate family. Do not transfer a 4-H tag to another family. A photo is not required to be turned in once the animal is tagged. Unused tags are to be returned to the Extension Office. If a tag is lost or damaged, work with the local Post Rock District office to replace.

By the pre-fair deadline set by the 4-H Council, the following animals will require the designated 4-H tag: market beef, commercial breeding beef, bucket calf, market sheep, commercial breeding sheep, market swine, commercial breeding swine, market goat, commercial breeding goat, dairy cattle, dairy goat, and other species where tagging is determined safe and appropriate. Either ear can be tagged for county fair.

If an animal is breed registered, a 4-H tag is not required. A copy of the registered animal’s official documentation (i.e. registered heifer) is to be on file at the local Post Rock District office by the pre-fair deadline. Registration papers can be in the member or immediate family name to be accepted.

Any animal exhibit with two or more animals (i.e. cow/calf pair) will require verification by a 4-H tag, local farm tag, or registered documentation for the primary animal (cow) and secondary animals will be allowed to have a local farm tag (calf).

Animals not requiring a 4-H tag will describe the animal exhibit on the fair entry document which is to be submitted by the pre-fair deadline. Descriptions include: breed, sex, name, special markings. For county-level exhibition in Post Rock District, leg bands are not required for poultry; tattoos are not required for rabbits; identification certificates and level testing are not required for horses.

Post Rock District will host an annual district-wide dog show in place of five separate 4-H dog shows at each county fair. The district-wide show will be hosted in collaboration with the Osborne County Fair. Pre-registration, rules, and event details will be shared by email with all enrolled project members. The 4-H Councils will split awards and judging expenses equally among the five organizations.