The Nemaha County Extension Office and the Nemaha County 4-H Council reserve the final and absolute right to interpret these rules and regulations and arbitrarily settle and determine any and all matters, questions, and differences in regard thereto, or the following rules apply to all departments of the 4-H Section of the Nemaha County Fair. Rules that apply specifically to a particular department will be listed under the rules for that department. In case the general rules conflict with the department rules.
- There are no 4-H entry fees for the Nemaha County Fair.
- The Judge's decision is final.
- Nemaha County Fair is committed to making its services, activities, and programs accessible to all participants. If you have special requirements due to a physical, vision, or hearing disability, or a dietary restriction, please contact the Nemaha County Extension Office at 402-274-4755.
- All contestants and family members (guardians) are expected to always display proper conduct and politeness. Unsportsmanlike conduct by the 4-H’er and/or family member (guardian) will not be tolerated at any time and will result in forfeiture of all placings and qualifications earned by the 4-H’er.
- If a 4-H'er has a conflict with a contest time due to another 4-H sponsored activity, efforts will be made to accommodate the 4-H'er as much as possible. If a conflict arises with a non-4-H activity, no accommodation will be made unless prior approval was given by the Division Superintendent, Overall Superintendent, and Extension Educator &/or Extension Assistant.
IMMEDIATE FAMILY - Defined as members of a household, including parents, brothers and sisters, and youth in care of the head of the household.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR EXHIBITORS
- An exhibitor must be a bona fide 4-H member. Youth must be enrolled in Nemaha County 4-H by June 15th of the current year to be eligible to participate in that year's fair. There will be no discrimination because of race, color, sex, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, handicap, marital status, or sexual orientation.
- A 4-H member must be 8 to 18 years of age as of December 31st of the previous year. The last year of eligibility is the calendar year that follows when the 4-H'er is 18 on December 31st.
PROJECT ENTRIES & NUMBER OF ENTRIES
Entries are allowed in only one unit/level of competition. Those entering exhibits in a middle or advanced unit may not exhibit in a less advanced unit. Only 1 entry per class per exhibitor may be made except in livestock, poultry, rabbit, dog, cat, and small animal classes or as indicated.
PROCEDURE FOR MAKING ENTRIES
- All 4-H entries, pre-entries, and identification affidavits must be made on appropriate forms provided by the Extension Office by specific deadlines.
- All static exhibits will be judged by consultation (interview) judging. The 4-H'er will meet with the judge and have the opportunity to speak with and get immediate feedback from the judge. (One adult may accompany the 4-Her for support only; let the 4-Her do the talking).
- To reduce wait time, interview judging will be scheduled through the Extension Office. Watch the 4-H Newsletter for details.
- If you are absolutely unable to attend the designated day for consultation judging, you may have your exhibit dropped off that day and judged, but the exhibit will not be eligible for the Top Award.
INELIGIBLE ENTRIES
- Items entered for competition in previous years are not eligible for competition again. Exceptions would be exhibits that require the addition of items in subsequent years. (e.g., Entomology exhibits, 4-H member scrapbooks).
- No firearms, items with a blade (broad heads, knives, saws, etc.), or related items of any other kind may be exhibited. This applies to actual items, replicated items, and item parts. Shooting sports accessories are permissible as described in the Conservation, Wildlife, and Shooting Sports portion of this Fair book.
FORFEIT OF PREMIUM
Exhibitors will forfeit their premium money under the following situations if not previously approved by the 4-H Council:
- Late animal ID affidavit
- Late Green Animal Fair Entry Sheet
- Late Yellow Contest Entry Sheet
- Late completion of YQCA
- Early removal of exhibits without being excused
- Animal excused due to neglect
- Failure to clean up after fair (stall, exhibit area, grounds, etc.)
EXHIBITS RELEASED
The release time for Nemaha County Fair exhibits will be staggered on the last evening of the County Fair as listed on the County Fair Schedule. No exhibitor is allowed to remove any exhibit or animal until the scheduled time without the permission of the area superintendent and Extension personnel. All exhibits and animals must remain in the assigned location or area during the fair. Early removal or not stalling can result in loss of premiums for that animal or exhibit.
Animals not being cared for by the exhibitor and/or exhibitor family may be sent home at the discretion of the Overall Livestock Superintendent, Area Superintendent, & Extension Office Professional Staff. Exhibitors will be given a warning, and if the lack of care is not corrected immediately, then the animal may be sent home, the exhibitor will lose any ribbon premium earned with that animal, and the animal will not be eligible for Premium Sale if a market animal.
ENTRY DEADLINES FOR THE COUNTY FAIR
- All entries are due in the Extension Office on official entry forms OR online at: https://nemaha.fairwire.com. Entry documents may be attached to an email to the office staff.
- LIVESTOCK – Large and Small Animals - The following items are due June 15th (or the next business day if the 15th falls on the weekend)
- Identification/Ownership Affidavit
- Animal entry form (green) or online at: https://nemaha.fairwire.com.
- If participating in Horse, enrollment in the Horse Project on 4-H online is required. (This is June 15th, even if it falls on the weekend.)
- Copy of registration papers - Purebred animals only.
- YQCA Certification for youth enrolled in Beef, Dairy, Goats, Poultry, Rabbit, Sheep, & Swine.
- Livestock exhibitors are required to participate in Showmanship. Be sure to list Showmanship on the green animal entry form or online.
- CONTESTS
- See specific contest requirements for registration forms.
- 4-H Contest entry form (yellow) is due June 15th (or the next business day if the 15th falls on the weekend).
- STATIC - Home Economics & General Areas
- Static Exhibits Entry Form (pink) is due no later than the last Friday in July. 4-Her is asked to turn in a list of static exhibit entries so the office can provide printed entry tags. (Blank entry tags will be available at the 4-H building at Pre-Fair Judging for those entries that didn't get listed.) Items not entered will be eligible to show, but no premium will be awarded.
- 4-Her will need to contact the office to schedule appointments for interview judging at Pre-Fair Judging.
- CLOVER KIDS
- Clover Kid Pet Show Entry is June June 15th (or the next business day if the 15th falls on a weekend).
- Clover Kid Static Entry Sheet (gold) is due the last Friday in July. Clover Kid is asked to turn in a list of static exhibit entries so the office can provide printed entry tags. Blank tags will be available at the 4-H Building at Pre-Fair Entry/Judging for those entries that didn't get listed. Items not entered will be eligible to show, but no premium will be awarded.
PROTEST COMMITTEE
The respective County Fair superintendent, 4-H staff, and the 4-H Council President have the authority to make appropriate decisions based on the 4-H Fair Book. When needed, a committee consisting of the area superintendents, one Ag Society member, one 4-H Council member, and an Extension Educator &/or Extension Assistant, and an FAA advisor if it pertains to an FFA member, shall be appointed to serve as a protest review group. All parties selected will not be directly involved with the protest. They will meet, daily if needed, to act upon concerns.
- All protests must be submitted in writing and signed.
- The written protest must be submitted to the County Extension Office staff, and the staff person will convene the committee for their deliberation.
- Written protests must include:
- Names of persons involved
- Nature of concerns
- Situation and documentation
- Recommendations for correction
- Specific action, rule, etc., in question
- Additional persons committee may contact for further clarification
- Procedures and/or steps carried out by the person(s) involved prior to submission of the protest to the Extension staff person.
- The committee will review the written protest. If appropriate, prior to making the final decision, they may discuss the situation with affected persons and show officials. Recommendations will be developed, followed, and communicated both verbally and in writing to the group or individual affected. The committee will recommend appropriate action to the Extension Staff in writing prior to communicating with the affected group or individual.
- In cases of protest, the exhibitor may be allowed to show, but the results of showing will be subject to change based on the outcome of the protest process. This allows for the smooth operation of the show and facilitates appropriate processing.
- The show management reserves the right to withhold the premium and/or award. The exhibitor may be excluded from the show if action warrants.
- Protests will not be accepted after the exhibit is released from the County Fair.
- Protests related to judges' integrity, decisions, placings and/or other evaluations will not be accepted.
- No appeals will be allowed after the decision is made.
GLOSSARY
IDENTIFICATION/OWNERSHIP AFFIDAVITS
Every animal that is to be exhibited at the County Fair has to be identified by an ear tag number, tattoo number, photo, or descriptive drawing on an Identification/Ownership Affidavit due at the Extension Office by June 15. For some species, the name of the owner of the animal if other than the 4-H member has to be identified, hence the name Identification/Ownership Affidavit.
- SF - Stands for "State Fair" and signifies this class is available at State Fair.
- C- Stands for "County Only" and signifies this class is available only at the County Level.
- (SF###) (CF###) (NEM###) - Reference scoresheet that will be used to judge exhibit.