Benefits of County Fair Experience Holt Boyd Extension Podcast

Benefits of County Fair Experience - July 12, 2023 - Debra Walnofer - Extension 4-H Assistant

Note: Click on the button for Full Screen; then click on the en CC button for Closed Captioning; then click on play and so that you are able to read the captioning.

(Plays best in Chrome)

• [0:00] Hello, This is Debra Walnofer, 4-H Assistant for Holt and
• [0:04] Boyd Counties with your Extension 4-H Update.
• [0:07] Fair Season is fast approaching!
• [0:10] We have already had our Boyd County Pre-Fair
• [0:14] Day on Tuesday, July 11th in Spencer.
• [0:17] Holt County Pre-Fair day is coming up this Tuesday,
• [0:21] July 18 starting the day with Sewing Construction,
• [0:24] Beyond the Needle, Modeling, and Table Setting Contest.
• [0:28] Join us for the public Fashion Review and Talent Contest starting at 7pm
• [0:34] July 18th at the Solid Rock Youth Building in O’Neill.
• [0:39] Come see what these talented 4-H’ers have created!
• [0:43] Boyd County Fair is right around the corner,
• [0:46] starting with: Shooting Sports Competition
• [0:49] Saturday, July 22 and Sunday, July 23 through July 29th.
• [0:56] Holt County Fair will start August 5th and 6th with
• [1:00] Shooting Sports Competition through August 12th.
• [1:04] Please see our website for a more detailed schedule for both fairs.
• [1:10] Youth benefits of a county fair extend beyond just having fun.
• [1:16] “Youth who participate in a fair learn independence, receive
• [1:21] feedback, mastery and gain positive relationships with
• [1:26] caring adults,” according to Jeremy Elliot-Engel, 4-H youth
• [1:31] development specialist with University of Missouri Extension.
• [1:35] The county fair experience allows youth to balance their
• [1:39] desire to have fun with the responsibilities of preparing exhibits
• [1:44] and caring for animals and livestock for exhibition, all under a time structure.
• [1:50] “It is an opportunity for youth to learn how
• [1:53] to balance their responsibilities with their desire to have fun.
• [1:57] "They have deadlines, like show times,
• [2:00] when they check out and they need to meet those deadline.
• [2:04] Youth even sometimes learn the world is not
• [2:08] always fair depending on the judge that day.
• [2:12] These experiences all build independence.”
• [2:15] Throughout the year, 4-H youth are working
• [2:18] on projects in all project areas (not just livestock).
• [2:22] According to Elliot-Engel “A county fair provides
• [2:26] an opportunity for each young person to get feedback on their project.
• [2:32] County fair competition is not about who wins
• [2:35] grand champion, or who gets the purple ribbon;
• [2:39] it is about learning how your hard work and effort has paid off.”
• [2:43] The skills you have gained.
• [2:46] The county fair also provides an opportunity to demonstrate mastery.
• [2:50] A youth starting out may not know how to prepare
• [2:53] their animal for the show ring, and will ask another 4-H youth.
• [2:58] This mentoring is innate to 4-H, and each year youth will return,
• [3:05] growing and learning the skills necessary to have a successful project.
• [3:09] Eventually, they will be in the role as a mentor.
• [3:13] Of course, none of this would be possible without the mentoring or feedback
• [3:18] from volunteers and parents helping everyone be successful.
• [3:23] It should be no surprise that it takes caring adults
• [3:26] to volunteer to make a fair happen and help youth gain
• [3:30] important life skills from the fair experience.
• [3:34] If you have any questions or would like to learn more about the 4-H programs
• [3:38] in Holt or Boyd counties reach out to me at 402-336-2760 or
• [3:46] you can email me at holt-county@unl.edu
• [3:52] We hope to see you all at the “Boyd County Fair, OUT TO SEA in 23!”
• [3:58] And at the Holt County Fair “Grab your flip-flops & shades and meet us there!
• [4:03] Let’s Make a Splash at the Holt County Fair!"