4-H and FFA Contests

Tractor driving, Livestock Judging, Rabbit Judging, Weed Identification, Wool and Fiber Contest, FFA Agricultural Mechanics, Fitting and Showing, Round Robin, Herdsmanship, and Educational Display.

1.   Tractor Driving Contest. Open to any FFA member.

2.  Livestock Judging Contest.  Open to all regularly enrolled 4-H and FFA members. 

       ***Contest will be held at 9:00 am Thursday

        ***Contestants will be able to walk around the stock.

        ***Concurrent contests will be held for 4-H, FFA, and Adults

    4-H Members:

        a.  All regularly enrolled 4-H members will be divided into three divisions:  Juniors,                  Intermediates, and Seniors.                              

        b.  High scoring individuals will receive an award.

   FFA Members:

        a.  Only regularly enrolled members may judge.

        b.  Five members will constitute a team, the top three scores will make up the final                    score.

        c.  banners will be awarded to the three highest teams.

        d.  High individual will receive an award.

3.  Rabbit Judging Contest

        Contest is open to regularly enrolled 4-H and FFA members.  Contest time will be announced.   Members in 4-H will compete according to age.

4.  Weed Identification Contest

            Weed Identification contest will be held on Thursday after the Livestock Judging Contest.   Location will be  announced.   Contest will have separate divisions for 4-H, FFA, and Open adult.  Contest will be conducted on an individual basis, no teams.  4-H will compete according to age.  Contest will consist of 20-25 weeds common to the Yakima Valley, composed of fresh, mature specimens, as well as dried, immature specimens.             

5.  Wool and Fiber Contest. 

        ***Fleece must have been shorn from this year and must not represent more than                      one year's growth, with the exception of yearling fleeces.

        ***Fleece must be tied with paper twine, flesh side out, in a manner to allow their                      being handled.  Place in large, plastic garbage bag.

        ***Only 2 fleeces per lot allowed.

        ***Place wool from non-sheep entries in Zip Lock baggies.

        ***Wool entries due the day of the dog/horse show.  Check program for times.

    Lot #

    1.  Sheep fleece, meat breed

    2.  Sheep fleece, wool breed

    3.  Sheep fleece, natural colored

    4.  Rabbit, Angora

    5.  Goat, Cashmere, and Pygora

    6.  Llama, brushed and picked

    7.  Llama, sheared fleece

    8.  Other

6.  FFA Agricultural Mechanics

        Student shop projects with the listed finished value in FFA will receive awards.

            Class A:  Under $100

            Class B:  $100 to 250

            Class C:  $251 to 500

            Class D:  $501 and over 

The following contests are open to West Valley Fair 4-H and FFA EXHIBITORS ONLY

7.  Fitting and Showing Contest.

       All exhibitors will compete in the Fitting and Showing contest for ALL projects entered!

       Example 1:   If you enter sheep, rabbits, and goats, you will compete in Fitting and                  Showing for all three species.

        Example 2:  If you show breeding beef in FFA and Market beef in 4-H, you will                  compete in BOTH FFA and 4-H beef contests with the animal entered in that                  division.  You must fit both animals.

        Example 3:  If you show both breeding stock and market, in the same youth                  organization, i.e. 4-H or FFA,   you need only show once.

    ***Superintendent for each division will be responsible for Fitting and Showing contest                  in their division.

            a.   Entries are open to any regularly enrolled 4-H or FFA member who is                  exhibiting at this fair.  Entrance in this contest will not bar exhibitor from any                  other contests in which they are eligible.

            b.   Requirements:  each contestant must own the animal they show.  Each                  contestant must fit their own animal and may only be assisted by other                  regularly enrolled 4-H and FFA member, no adults.

             c.  Ratings will be as follows:   50% Fitting and 50% Showing

            d.   There will be five divisions:

                    4-H Novice:  never before shown a large animal from the ground

                    4-H Junior:  completed 3rd thru 5th grade

                    4-H Intermediate:  completed 6th thru 8th grade

                    4-H Senior:  completed 9th grade thru 19 years of age, as of January 1 of                      current year.

               FFA:   Must have completed one year of agriculture and no later than                               the year of high school graduation.

8.  Round Robin Contest

        Contestants are determined by winning their individual Fitting and Showing                  Contest.

            1.   4-H and FFA contest will be held separately

             2.  The Grand Champion Showman in each division will be required to compete in                      the Round Robin contest by each showing their own animal.

             3.  Each contestant will start by showing their own animal, then proceed to show                      every other animal in the contest.

             4.  Scoring will be done on a point system from 1-10.

             5.  There will be three (3) contests:

                    4-H Large Animal (beef, sheep, swine, horse, dairy, llama)

                    4-H Small Animal (cat, dog, poultry, rabbit, cavie, goat)

                    FFA Large Animal (all species shown)

            6.   The winner in each contest will be decided by their total points.  Ties will be                          broken by a quiz session on the person's own project.

9.  Herdsmanship Contest

        The Herdsmanship Contest begins at 8:00 am Thursday and continues until noon on Saturday.  Cats will not compete on Saturday.  A separate contest will be held for 4-H and FFA.  A separate contest will be held for clubs with three (3) animals or less and clubs with four (4) animals or more.

          The contest is held to encourage exhibitors to:

                ---Care for their own projects, equipment, pens, and surrounding area

                ---Display their projects in a showmanship manner.

                ---Keep their animals and stalls clean at all times.

           A total of 80% of the total points possible are needed to qualify for any award.

           A judging committee will inspect pens, surrounding areas, and animals twice daily during the fair. Educational displays are mandatory and will be used to decide a winner if their is a tie.  Scores and comments will be posted after each judging.

    Score Card:

            1.   General appearance-Club or Chapter ID, stall cards, ribbons, aisles clean:                           40 points.

                        15 points: Club/Chapter Identification

                        10 points: Stall Cards fully completed

                        10 points: Ribbons displayed

                        5 points:  Aisles clean and neat 

            2.   Animal appearance:  25 points

                        10 points:  properly fed and watered

                        15 points:  clean and well displayed

            3.   Stalls, bedding, and tack:  30 points

                        15 points:  Bedding clean and neat

                        15 points:  Tack and tools safely stored

            4.   Exhibitor is courteous and cooperative:  5 points

            5.   Educational display (judged Thursday morning only):  50 points.

                        15 points:  Originality

                        15 points:  Content-informative

                        10 points:  Neatness

                        10 points:  Attractiveness

10.  Best Educational Display

            All 4-H Clubs and FFA Chapters must exhibit an educational display.

            The Fair will award one cash prize to the top display in the Cat and each Livestock                      Divisions.

            Educational suggestions:

                1.   Show any topic of an educational nature pertaining to your exhibit.

                2.   Attract the viewer's attention and hold it, teaching the viewer about the                              exhibit.

                3.   Should have a single dominant theme.

                4.   Should educate quickly.

                5.   Should be creative and original.

                6.   Should be clean and neat.

                7.   Information should be specific rather than general, pertinent and of                            interest, clear and concise, and readable from a distance of 10 feet.