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Boone & Nance Co Happenings
BOONE & NANCE COUNTY HAPPENINGS
YQCA
Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA) is a training for all livestock exhibitors age 8 to 21 (by the first of the year) that must be completed prior to exhibiting at the County or State Fair. Please call your local Extension Office for a Coupon Code which covers the cost of the instructor-led class or can be applied to the online course. The online class can be found at https://yqcaprogram.org. 4-H members must register or log in, choose the course they want, and take a pre-test. Then complete the course. A post-test will need to be taken before the certification can be accesses. Certificate should be dropped off or emailed to your Extension Office.
State Fair & Aksarben Livestock Deadlines
AUGUST 10, 8:00 PM – STATE FAIR ENTRIES DUE IN SHOWORKS
https://nebr.fairwire.com/ (NOW OPEN!)
THE NEBRASKA STATE FAIR RUNS FROM AUGUST 28 TO SEPTEMBER 7, 2026
AKSARBEN NOMINATIONS
For 4-H/FFA families who are planning on nominating the same animals for the Nebraska State Fair and the Aksarben Stock Show, you must obtain additional DNA envelopes for Aksarben at https://www.aksarbenstockshow.com under Livestock Show.
*Their deadline for ordering DNA envelopes is June 26 at noon.
*Envelopes must be ordered prior to nominating animals.
*Nominations must be done by 11:59 pm on July 1.
*DNA envelopes must be postmarked by July 1. Mail to:
Aksarben Stock Show
PO Box 1387
Grand Island, NE 68802
*Online entry window: August 1 - September 4.
More information about the Aksarben Stock Show nomination process is available at https://www.aksarbenstockshow.com/p/livestock-show/entries Please follow their recommendations.
AKSARBEN STOCK SHOW RUNS SEPTEMBER 24-27, 2026. https://www.aksarbenstockshow.com
Boone County Fair!
Boone County Fair runs from July 11 to July 16.
Monday, July 6, 4:00 pm - Fairgrounds clean-up & set-up.
EVENT CENTER:
Tuesday, July 7, 9:30 pm - Fashion Show Judging. Clothing Interview Judging according to schedule that was sent to families.
Tuesday, July 7, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm - Horticulture Judging Contest, open to all 4-H members - drop in for the fun!
Tuesday July 7, 2:00 pm - Favorite Foods Revue and Culinary Challenge.
NOTE: The Music Contest was cancelled because of too few entries.
Wednesday, July 8, 4:00 to 7:00 pm - Check in all exhibits EXCEPT Foods, Photography, and Plants.
Thursday, July 9 - Exhibits will be judged, EXCEPT Foods, Photography, and Plants.
Friday, July 10, starting at 9:00 am - Interview Judging of Foods, Photography, and Plants, according to schedule that was emailed to families.
NIEWOHNER ARENA:
Saturday, July 11, 8:00 am - Horse Judging Contest, followed by the Boone - Nance Horse Show. (Livestock and tack may arrive following the Horse Show).
Sunday, July 12 - NO LIVESTOCK TRAILERS CAN UNLOAD ON THE FAIRGROUNDS ON SUNDAY!
Monday, July 13 - Livestock may arrive - 6:00 am; Weigh-in for livestock: Swine - 8:30-9:00 am; Market lamb/Market Goat - 10:00-10:30 am; Market Beef - 10:30-11:00 am.
OLD ARENA:
Poultry and Rabbits check in by 9:30 am, Poultry Show at 10:00 am.
Small animals and Cats check in from 1:00-2:00 pm, Small Animal Show at 2:00 pm.
NIEWOHNER ARENA:
Monday, July 13, 4:00 pm - Dog Show
Tuesday, July 14, 7:30 - Feeder Calves & Cow/Calf Pairs Stalled. Goat Show - 9:00 am; Sheep Show - Following Goat Show; Beef Show - 1:00 pm.
NOTE: Working Ranch Horse has been cancelled.
Wednesday, July 15 - Swine Show - 8:30 am; Round Robin Showmanship in conjunction with the Livestock Judging Contest - 1:00 pm
Public Fashion Show - 12:30 at the Casey's Building
3:00 pm - Release of Animals, Release of Static Exhibits.
NIEWOHNER ARENA:
Thursday, July 16 - 4-H Photo Shoot - 8:30 am; Livestock Sale - 9:00 am; 4-H Building clean-up - 10:00 am, followed by meal for all 4-H families at the Niewohner Arena.
Post fair clean-up.
More details at https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/boone-nance/boone-county-premium-list-2026/pre-fair-fair-schedule/
Nance County Fair!
Nance County Fair runs from July 15 - 19.
Saturday, July 11, 8:00 am - Horse Judging Contest, followed by the Boone-Nance Horse Show, Niewohner Arena, Boone County Fairgrounds.
Sunday, July 12, 5:00 pm - Fairgrounds Clean Up & Set Up
Monday, July 13, 9:30 am - Fashion Show & Clothing Construction Interviews - 10:00-1:00 - Horticulture & Family and Consumer Science Judging Contest.
Monday, July 13, 4:00-7:00 pm - ALL Inside Building Exhibits Entered.
Monday, July 13, 4:00 pm - Boone County Dog Show - Niewohner Arena, Boone County Fairgrounds.
Tuesday, July 14, 9:00-11:00 am - Enter Non-Interviewed Horticulture and Food Exhibits. 10:00 - 12:00 - Interview Judging of Horticulture, Home Environment, Photography and Foods Exhibits.
Wednesday, July 15, 3:00 - Small Animal Pet Show. 5:00 pm - Meat Bash. 6:00 pm - Parade of Stars, Quilt of Valor Presentation.
Thursday, July 16, 4:30 - All Animals Stalled; 5:00 - 6:00 pm - Weigh Market Livestock.
Friday, July 17 - Swine Show - 8"00 am; Sheep & Goat Show - 9:00 am; Poultry and Rabbits checked in - 10:00 am; Rabbit and Poultry Show - 1:00 pm; Poultry Roulette - 3:30 pm; Livestock Judging Contest - 5:00 pm,
Saturday, July 18 - Beef Show - 8:00 am; Celebrity Showdown - Following the Beef Show; Livestock Market Premium Sale - 5:00 pm.
Sunday, July 10, 9:00 am - All Static Exhibits Released, Livestock Exhibits Released.
Fairgrounds Clean Up Following Release.
More Information at https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/boone-nance/nance-county-exhibitor-guide/nance-county-fair-schedule/
Cornhusker Economics
Check out the market value of ag land in Nebraska, and the cash rental rates. Download the "Nebraska Farmland Values and Cash Rental Rates in 2026" (updated March 2026).
To view other articles, go to Cornhusker Economics.
2026 Nebraska Agricultural Custom Rates Report
Nebraska Custom Rates Surveys and Reports for farm and ranch operations provide custom operators with average market rate data for dozens of common custom services provided across the state.
Actual rates paid for custom services may vary from those listed in these survey results due to differences in the operators responding and those providing services across the state.
A downloadable report provides an introductory summary along with a Nebraska state summary of the most popular custom rates reported from the 2026 survey.
