Wednesday What-Nots 7/15

Look for weekly Otoe County Fair reminders, upcoming deadlines, and important 4-H content now through August.

Missed a week? Check out our online newsletter archive at https://secure.smore.com/u/otoe4-h

Reminder: All animal entries must be submitted in Fairwire by TODAY July 15. Please make sure your entries are completed and your carts submitted before the deadline. Thank you!

https://otoe.fairwire.com

• Fashion Show entry deadline is TODAY July 15th, and required paperwork is available here: https://uofnebraska.sharepoint.com/:f:/s/UNL-Otoe/IgANIowYkWsGRJQZvxa9fuS8AZdPSl_9yuCzepE7jWznzNw?e=AggtZe

Contest is Thursday, July 30th at 2 pm at the Fair Center. Register at otoe.fairwire.com to reserve your spot. Limited to 12 registrants.

Is your club doing community service? Send us your photos to be featured in a future WWN.

The Osagers kicked off the painting project and now we need volunteers to finish the barn post painting. If your club or group is interested, reach out to the Extension office to schedule. Ag Society will provide the paint!

Come to the Otoe Co Fair Arena Thursday Evening July 30th to kick off the Otoe County Fair with a 4-H family picnic followed by Water Balloon Warz and the Static Award ceremony (Kimmel). You don't want to miss the fun! Bring your lawn chairs and yard games and see your fair friends (both old and new)!

The 2026 Otoe County Fair Show Shirts are now available for pickup! Thanks to our sponsors, these shirts are free for exhibitors and registered volunteers. These are the required shirts for competing in livestock and contests at this year's fair.

We need volunteers for Fair! Please sign up to help (we especially need volunteers during Static Check-in on Tuesday and Wednesday). Bring your mom, volunteer with your book club, invite your farmer coffee group! There are roles for all ages.

4-H Fun Night Volunteers

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E044AA8A72BA46-64629651-2026#/

Static Check-in & Contests

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E044AA8A72BA46-64605746-2026

Livestock and Animals

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E044AA8A72BA46-64607806-2026

Youth Signup

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E044AA8A72BA46-64608145-2026

• July 22: Static Entries and Outstanding Exhibitor. Enter now!

As a rising senior in the Class of 2027, your youth may be eligible for the Vincent and Marie Kreifels Family Foundation Annual Award administered through the Otoe County Agriculture Society. This is not a scholarship, and there are no grade requirements. This is a $1500 cash award for up to six young people who can use the funds to further their education, or for project additions or improvements. It is entirely up to the student and parents how to use the money; there are no strings attached. You can find the applications here: ​Vincent and Marie Kreifels Family Foundation Scholorship​

Your senior’s completed application must be turned back in to the Extension Office on or before Wednesday, July 15th. If submitting digitally, please email the completed application to otoe-county@unl.edu. Winners will be announced prior to the Livestock Auction at this year’s county fair on Monday, August 3rd. If you have any questions, please let us know.

You can enter your terrarium in the fair. The rock was designed to go in the terrarium but can also be entered separately. Be sure to enter your shirt as well!

Great news! Your Wood Block Turkey and Yarn Tree Take & Make Projects are eligible for 4-H Fair entry!

Check the flyer to find the correct class and division where you'll enter your project in the fairbook. We can't wait to see your creations on display at the fair!

Now available within Showorks! No more paper records at check- in - be sure to sign up for this special award when you enter your fair projects online.

1. Choose Department: Outstanding Exhibitor and Division: Outstanding Exhibitor. Then choose which "Class" you are competing in by selecting the category you'd like to enter.

2. You may enter more than one "Class".

3. Categories for each class will be divided by age into Juniors, Intermediates, and Seniors (no Clover Kids).

4. Scoring is the same as previous years: Purples 5 points and Blues 2 points. No points for reds and whites. 4 Bonus points will be given for interview judging in that category.

5. Entry due date: July 22nd

6. The winners in each age group and category will be posted during the fair and will receive a $20 check from the 4-H Council.

DON'T WAIT! FAIR ENTRIES ARE OPEN NOW!

Here are the updated links to the Otoe County Fair Fairbook. Go to https://go.unl.edu/otoecofairbook

You can now submit your fair entries online. Go to https://otoe.fairwire.com. For the full 2026 Fair Schedule go to: https://go.unl.edu/otoecofairschedule

Online Entry deadlines (tell us for sure what you'll bring to the fair):

• July 1: Shooting Sports and Dog entries
• July 15: ALL Animal entries (livestock, horse, small animal, etc.), Fashion Show entries and required paperwork, and Rocket Launch contest
• July 22: Static entries and Outstanding Exhibitor

Be on the lookout for any Fairbook Corrections on this page!

Here is the current list of 2026 Fairbook corrections:

• Archery contest: Sunday, July 12 at 3:00 pm
• Air Rifle Contest: Sunday, July 19 at 2:00 pm
• BB Gun Contest: Sunday, July 19 at 3:30 pm and 4:45 pm
• Dog Contest: Sunday, July 19 at 1:00 pm
• Companion Animal: Rule #5 exhibit 1 animal per class. Rule #6 1 entry per class
• Horse Ranch Riding: Class 002 - 8 to 13 years old
• Horse Costume Contest now in Showorks
• Fashion Show: Rule #2 max of 4 entries
• Fashion Show entry deadline is July 15th, and required paperwork is available here: https://uofnebraska.sharepoint.com/:f:/s/UNL-Otoe/IgANIowYkWsGRJQZvxa9fuS8AZdPSl_9yuCzepE7jWznzNw?e=AggtZe
• Disaster Response, Preparedness, and Safety (p46): Classes 1, 2, 5, and 6 are missing from the fairbook. Please visit:

  https://4h.unl.edu/4-h-fairbook-nebraska-state-fair/static-exhibits/disaster-response-preparedness-and-safety/ for full details on these classes

Once livestock are checked in at the Otoe County fairgrounds, they must stay until the 9:00am Monday release. Any livestock that leave early will forfeit their premium. Please refer to the general 4-H rules and regulations in the fairbook for more details.

All registered BEEF & SWINE animals planning to be entered in PUREBRED BREEDING and MARKET classes must present their registration papers at county fair check-in.

Registered BREEDING SHEEP planning to compete in a PUREBRED BREEDING class must also present their registration papers at county fair check-in.

If registration papers cannot be presented, the animal will still be eligible to show, but only in a crossbred or commercial class.

Entries are open for Nebraska State Fair Livestock and Contest entries. See https://www.statefair.org/livestock-exhibitors/4-h-ffa-exhibitors/ for details and a link to the entry page.

The Otoe County Achievement Application will go digital for Fall 2026!

We will utilize the state's achievement application as our base application. https://4h.unl.edu/statewide-events-opportunities/awards-recognition/achievement-application/ And then we'll use our own digital form to collect the applications for county judging.

In addition, there have been a few changes to our county-level categories and awards. Highlights include:

i. Clover Dollar awards have been discontinued. To attend camps related to their project area of interest, 4-H members are encouraged to utilize the 4-H Foundation's camp scholarship awards program. https://otoe4hfoundation.org/camp-scholarships/

ii. Community Service Awards will now award a first ($75) and second ($50) place entry in each age division.

iii. All other awards will increase their amounts given to winners, for a total of $50 per award, with the exception of Outstanding 4-H Member Awards ($50, $75, and $100).

Check out all changes via the NEW digital Achievement Application submission form: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/UFwFv4NaUS

i. We're still working on a detailed list of the awards and their criteria. We appreciate your patience as we work to get these details out as soon as we can. Please reach out with questions.

Tracy Ensor, 4-H Youth Development Associate Extension Educator, tensor2@unl.edu

Ben Jewell, Rural Prosperity Nebraska Associate Extension Educator, bmcshane-jewell2@unl.edu

Nathan Roth, 4-H Extension Assistant, nroth14@unl.edu

Megan Anderson, Office Manager, manderson230@unl.edu

Emily Van Meter, 4-H Summer Intern

Website: www.otoe.unl.edu

Location: 620 1st Street, Syracuse, NE, USA
Phone: (402) 269-2301
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Nebraska-Extension-in-Otoe-County