4-H Project Information

Ohio State Fair Dog Show and Agility Trial – Entries are Open

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The 2024 Ohio State Fair Dog Show JUNE 17-19 is open for entries.

Entries close May 21 at 1:00 pm. There are no late entries.

Please go to the Ohio State Fair website for detailed information at:

https://www.ohiostatefair.com/p/get-involved/livestock/livestock-competitions

Scroll down to DOG SHOW. Read Competition Information and Information for entering dogs online.

Then click on the red – ENTER THE 2024 DOG SHOW (ENTRY LINK)

 

The 2024 Ohio State Fair Agility Trial July 24 is open for entries.

Entries close June 21 at 1:00 pm. There are no late entries.

Please go to this link to enter; https://go.osu.edu/osfagilityentries

 

The OSF Agility Trial is the first day of the fair. It has a different entry process and deadlines.

 

All the information is available on the Ohio State – 4-H Dog Program Facebook page. Information is also available on the Ohio 4-H Youth Development Dog page at:  https://ohio4h.org/animalsciences/dog/dog-ohio-state-fair

NOW AVAILABLE – Purchase your 4-H Books from the Extension Office!

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As a reminder, 4-H Project Books are available at the Fairfield County Extension Office. This is the best way to make sure you get the correct book for your project and save a little money.

Members, check with your advisors if they are doing a club order for books. If so, make sure they have the books you want on their list. If your club is NOT doing a big order, you can email Stacy (hicks.686@osu.edu) your book order. You will receive a confirmation email when your order is ready for pick up.

Advisors, please fill out the 2024 Ohio 4-H Project Books and Resources Volunteer Order Form. Please make sure to download this PDF before filling it out. Book order forms can be emailed to Stacy as well. You will receive a confirmation email when your order is ready to pick up. The Extension Office is open Monday – Friday from 7:30 a.m – 4:00 p.m.

Here are some way to find the right project book for you:

  • Find the perfect book. Refer to your Family Guide in print or online to learn about the projects available this year. You can also preview books on Project Central and learn more about each project.
  • Make your own. If you would rather not purchase a book in this way, self-determined projects are an excellent choice for self-motivated members eager to get started by creating their own projects. Although self-determined projects may be better suited for older 4-H members, they are available for any member and are often based on idea starters already available online. Many of the idea starters are great stay-at-home projects too, for example, Music, Bats, String Art, Climate Change, American Sign Language, etc. (For project judging, self-determined projects are judged in self-determined categories.)

If you have any questions, you may reach out to Leslie Cooksey (cooksey.25@osu.edu) or Aubry Fowler (fowler.443@osu.edu) – Fairfield County 4-H Educators.

You’re all Making the Best Better in 4-H!

Attention 4-H/FFA Horse Exhibitors: Items due by June 1st

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Reminder, the following forms are due for Primary AND Back-up horses on June 1st to the Extension Office.

  • Horse ID Form with 1 Photo
    • Photo Requirement: It should be a side photo of the horse that must show youth, horse’s face and any leg markings
  • Negative Coggins Test from your Veterinarian
  • Horse Housing Form ( if not housed at your address)
  • Horse Lease (if applicable)
  • Pony Form (if applicable)

The following items are also due per exhibitor by June 1st:

If you have questions, please visit: https://fairfield.osu.edu/program-areas/4-h-youth-development/pas-horse-show-information or contact Aubry Fowler at email: fowler.443@osu.edu or phone: 740-653-5419.

Attention Livestock Exhibitors: Quality Assurance Requirements

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Quality Assurance is an annual requirement of the Ohio Department of Agriculture for youth taking livestock projects to county and state fair. In Fairfield County, Quality Assurance Training is required for all members who will be exhibiting a livestock project at the Fairfield County Fair or Junior Exhibitor at the Ohio State Fair. Beef (Breeding & Market); Dairy Breeding, Dairy Steers, & Dairy Feeders; Goats (Dairy, Meat, Market & Pygmy); Poultry (Breeding & Market); Sheep (Breeding & Market); Swine; Rabbits (Breeding & Market), and Alpacas/Llamas.

Deadlines for 2024:

  • Youth planning to exhibit at the Ohio State Fair must have their Quality Assurance completed by June 1st, 2024.
  • Youth planning to exhibit at the Fairfield County Fair must have their Quality Assurance completed by June 30, 2024.

At this time, Quality Assurance CANNOT be taught by club/chapter advisors to Fairfield County 4-H/FFA youth virtually (i.e. Zoom, Google Hangouts, Google Classrooms, Facebook Live, etc.).

Here are the acceptable options to complete Quality Assurance in 2024:

  • In-Person 4-H Club/FFA Chapter Clinic taught by a 4-H/FFA Advisor who has completed the Quality Assurance Assistant Instructor Training this year. Advisors who attended this training will notify their members of their club/chapter QA Clinic date and will be responsible for getting all QA paperwork submitted to the Extension Office by the appropriate deadlines.
  • In-Person Countywide Make-Up Clinics: To be held on Thursday, May 2nd from 6:30-8:30 p.m. or Saturday, May 18th from 9:00-11:00 a.m. at the Fairfield County Ag Center/Extension Office (831 College Ave. Lancaster). An RSVP is required. Please click here to register for a countywide QA makeup clinic.
  • In-Person Beef Quality Assurance: Members who complete an in-person BQA taught by a certified BQA instructor must submit documentation to Leslie Cooksey at cooksey.25@osu.edu.
  • In-Person Pork Quality Assurance: Members who complete an in-person PQA taught by a certified PQA advisor must submit documentation to Leslie Cooksey at cooksey.25@osu.edu. Youth MUST be age 14 or older (current age) to complete in-person PQA. Youth will receive a PQA certification number from the National Pork Board upon completion.
  • Online: Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA). This is the ONLY approved ONLINE Quality Assurance Program for youth in Ohio. For 2024, this web-based course has been approved by ODA for 8-18 year olds.
    • Go to  https://yqcaprogram.org/ for the training and quiz.
    • Instructions for using the new website can be found at: 2022 YQCA Website Instructions
    • Exhibitors must complete by June 30, 2024 or they will not be able to show at the Fairfield County Fair.
    • You will need to select the web-based training ($12.00 per member, annually). The age of the course should be age as of January 1st of the current year.
    • When you are finished, please send a pdf/picture of your certificate which includes exhibitor name(s) and certificate number(s) to Leslie Cooksey at cooksey.25@osu.edu.

Youth Opportunity: 4-H Demonstration Contest – Signup by July 1st

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Sign-up NOW through Monday, July 1st to participate in the Fairfield County 4-H Demonstration Contest by calling the Extension Office at 740-653-5419.

When: Wednesday, July 17th, 2024

Time: 10:00 a.m.

Who: Any 4-H member (project age)

What: A contest designed to demonstrate your ability to teach how to do something. There are Junior and Senior Divisions! For more information contact the Extension Office

Where: Ag Center, 831 College Avenue, Lancaster Why: To share your talents or skills with others and improve your teaching abilities.

Need tips on how to plan for a great demonstration? Click here!

Participants in the county demonstration contest have the opportunity to advance to the Ohio State Fair! For more information on guidelines and rules, review the Ohio State Fair Guidebook for Communication Days.

State Horse Bowl & Hippology Contest Results

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Congratulations to the Fairfield County Junior & Senior Teams on placing in the State Horse Bowl & Hippology Contests held on April 6, 2024!

Senior Hippology Team

10th Place

Members: Alayna Byrd, Beau Cutright, Riley Cain and Brianna Downey

Junior Horse Bowl Team

9th Place

Members: Brenna Neff, Baylin Alt, Bella Champlin and Hallie Nicodemus

  • Hallie Nicodemus individually placed 9th (out of 91 kids competing in the state)
  • Brenna Neff individually placed 7th (out of 91 kids competing in the state)

Lamb MQP (carcass) Contest: NEW DEADLINE is April 15th

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Entries for the 2024 Fairfield County Jr. Fair Lamb MQP programs are now being accepted. All MQP entries will be accepted on-line and are due on or before April 15.

Please note that some of the important MQP dates have changed as follows:

  • Lambs for the MQP contest must be owned by June 29, 2024 and will be weighed at the Fairgrounds on that date. After 64 days on feed the MQP lambs will be brought back to the Fairgrounds for the conclusion of the contest on September 1, 2024.
  • Members must be enrolled in the Market Lamb Project in 4-HONline by April 15th to be eligible for the Lamb MQP Program.

Applications for any of these contests must be received on-line by April 15, 2024. Find more details about MQP and links to each of the application portals here: https://go.osu.edu/mqp

4-H Enrollment is Now Open!

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We look forward to receiving your enrollments for the 2024 4-H year. All enrollments are due through 4-H Online by April 15, 2024.

To enroll, please visit https://oh.4honline.com.

Previous families and advisors, please use the email and password from last year to enroll.  Not sure what email you used?  Please contact Haley Black at black.768@osu.edu or 740-277-4622.

New families, please visit https://fairfield.osu.edu/program-areas/4-h-youth-development/4-h-online-information for instructions and a video to help you enroll.  Your club advisors can also help you enroll. PLEASE DO NOT ENROLL IN 4-HONLINE UNTIL YOU HAVE TALKED/MET YOUR 4-H CLUB ADVISORS.

As a reminder, Cloverbud members (age 5-8 and currently in Kindergarten through 2nd grade as of Jan 1, 2024) will enroll in 710GPM. Horse Cloverbud Members should enroll in 710GPM AND COP-710HC.  Cloverbuds do not enroll in traditional project numbers, as they are a non-competitive, activity based program. Cloverbud members do have the option of purchasing the 715 My Cloverbud Year book to keep track of what they do during the club year.

State Horse Communications Contest Results

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Congratulations to the Fairfield County Team on placing in the State Horse Communications Contest held on March 2, 2024!

Senior Individual Presentation

3rd place- Beau Cutright

4th place- Brianna Downey

5th place- Alayna Byrd

7th place- Riley Cain

Junior Individual Presentation

3rd place- Brenna Neff

Junior Team Presentation

6th place- Bella Champlin and Hallie Nicodemus

4-H Publications – Print or digital, the State 4-H Office wants to know!

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Attention 4-H members and volunteers! We want to hear from you! Please take our survey before April 7 and tell us which format you prefer for 4-H project books—print or digital. It’s easy—just a few short questions and you’re finished. Take the survey today at go.osu.edu/4hprojectbooksurvey Thanks for helping us to make the best better!