Chase County 4-H Newsletter
May 2025
HORSE IDs DUE MAY 15
Livestock Affidavit info
All 4-H members planning to exhibit livestock at the Chase County Fair must have Livestock ID Sheets turned in by the deadline in order to be eligible to show. ID Sheets are due on the deadline by 4 PM.
*Horse: May 15
Beef/Sheep/Swine/Goat: June 2
Livestock ID Sheets are available online https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/perkins-chase/4-h/4-h-animal-resources/ or can be picked up at the Extension Office.
Tags are available at the Extension Office.
ID sheets must include photos of tag in animal's ear. Photos may be printed and turned in with the ID sheet or emailed to the office (dstamm3@unl.edu).
*The Chase County Extension Office will be Closed for Programming on May 15! Horse ID sheets can be left in a drop box at the office. Make sure to ask questions before May 15!
** Market Beef who participated in the Beef Weigh in do not need to submit pictures.
YQCA Quality Assurance Trainings
Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA) certification is required yearly for all 4-H youth participating in the 4-H and FFA livestock shows.
Age divisions for YQCA certification are based on 4-H member age as of Jan. 1.
Exhibitors are required to complete training in-person or online. If the class is taken online, exhibitors must provide certificate copies (print or digital) to the Extension Office in their county by July 1.
Those who do not complete the training will not be eligible to exhibit livestock at the Chase County Fair or the Nebraska State Fair.
Upcoming In-Person Trainings:
May 28--Chase County Fairgrounds, 10 a.m.-Noon
May 29--Perkins County Extension Office, 10 a.m.-Noon
June 4--Wauneta, TBD, 10 a.m.-Noon
July 1--ALL YQCA TRAININGS COMPLETED. CERTIFICATES TURNED IN IF CLASS WAS TAKEN ONLINE.
YQCA In-Person Training
Wednesday, May 28, 2025, 10:00 AM
Chase County Fair & Expo, Park St, Imperial, NE, USA
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
Enroll in 4-H!
4-H enrollment for 2025 is open. Visit 4-H Online to complete the enrollment process before June. 15. Youth ages 8-18, as of Jan. 1, may enroll in the 4-H program. Youth ages 5-7 may enroll as Clover Kids.
4-H Members need to be enrolled before they participate in 4-H activities.
Premier Communications Contest held April 27
Members of Perkins and Chase Counties 4-H came together Sunday for this year’s Premier Communication Event.
Entries ranged from public speaking to public service announcements to music.
Chase County featured two presentations. Hayden Fowler won intermediate grand champion for her presentation on People in Agriculture. Josie Sauder was named junior grand champion for her demonstration “How to Make Pig Treats.”
Chase County’s Jackson Sauder won grand champion for his public service announcement, “Blast Off with 4-H.” Clover Kids Lauren Bruns of Perkins County and Cord Kuenning of Chase County each recited poems. Grady Fowler won Chase County novice speech for his poem performance of “My Doggy Ate My Essay.” AJ Korpan of Perkins County, “My 4-Hs,” and Sadie Sauder of Chase County, “How to Train a Tasmanian Devil,” were each named grand champions for their entertainment speeches. Chase County’s Lily Kuenning’s informative speech “Importance of Nutrients for Beef Cattle” earned her grand champion. Of the two senior competitors from Chase County, Sawyer Sauder was named grand champion for his informative speech “Making the Best Better,” while Bennett Kuenning was reserve champion for his impromptu speech on how he would improve his county’s 4-H program if he won the lottery.
Four musical performances were also heard with Perkins County grand champion going to Andrew Bruns for his piano performance of “Rain Dance” and reserve champion to Jonathan Bruns, who performed “Rockets” on piano. Also performing were Bella Thomas of Chase County who sang “Firework” and Meila Korpan from Perkins County with a trumpet solo, “Midnight Madness.”
BB Gun and Air Rifle wrap up season
Chase County BB Gun and Air Rifle participants ended their season Sunday, May 4 with their competition.
BB Gun Junior Grand Champion was Gentry Moe with a score of 286. Preston Weiss and Bella Thomas tied for Reserve Champion with identical scores of 272. Purple ribbon winners were Henry Chrisman, Orrin Ringelman, Asher Weiss, Sadie Sauder, Tate Lucero; blue ribbon winners were Layton Moe, Christopher Varilek, Brooks Stanley; and red ribbons went to Grady Fowler, Kennedy Einspahr, Bentley Lucero, Josie Sauder and Tell Ringelman.
Adam Sparrow was the BB Gun Senior Grand Champion with Kooper Einspahr taking Reserve Champion.
For Air Rifles, Braxton Weiss was Junior Grand Champion and Emerson Beemer was Reserve Champion. Knox Einspahr earned a purple ribbon, Asher Weiss blue, and Collin Varilek took red.
Rounding out competitions was Senior Air Rifle. Violet Sparrow was Grand Champion and Kooper Einspahr was Reserve Champion.
Congrats to our scholarship winners!
Winning the 4-H Senior Scholarship is Westyn Mendenhall and Lilian Sandoval. Applicants must be a senior in high school and enrolled in 4-H in 2025. Recipients must attend college or vocational training school. The winners are determined on the basis of their total 4-H program including leadership and citizenship. Only 4-H members who submitted an Achievement Application (Record Book) in 2024 are eligible.
Silver Spurs 4-H Horse Show
Chase County's Silver Spurs Club has announced its annual 4-H Horse Show for June 28, 2025. Entries will begin at 7:30 a.m. Contact Gene & Tracy Heathers or Susan Spicer for more information.
Perkins County Trail Riders will hold its 4-H Horse Show June 21.
Silver Spurs 4-H Horse Show, June 28, 2025
Perkins County Trail Riders 4-H Horse Show, June 21, 2025
Silver Spurs 4-H Horse Show
Saturday, Jun 28, 2025, 07:30 AM
Chase County Fair & Expo, Park St, Imperial, NE, USA
Special Gardening & Agronomy Projects
Seeds for the 2025 Special Gardening & Agronomy Projects are available to be picked up at the Extension Office. To take part in either project, youth must be enrolled in 4-H and select Special Gardening Project and/or Special Agronomy Project as projects when they enroll. Each project has specific classes to enter for fair.
More information on this year's Special Agronomy Project can be found at Special Agronomy Project | CropWatch | Nebraska
More information on this year's Special Gardening Project can be found at Special Garden Project | Nebraska 4-H | Nebraska
4-H Horse Camp
4-H Horse Camp will be June 12-14 at Ft. Robinson State Park, Crawford, NE. Registration forms and scholarship applications are available online or at the Chase County Extension Office.
Pitzer Horsemanship and Trail Weekend
Enjoy a fun and educational weekend at the Pitzer Horsemanship and Trail Weekend, June 7–8, 2025, at Pitzer Ranch in Ericson, NE!
This exciting event includes:
- 4-H Horsemanship activities
- Trail Challenge Obstacle Course
- Trail Ride across the scenic Pitzer Ranch
- Equine chiropractic demo: “When and Why?”
- Saturday evening meal & Sunday breakfast
- Drawings, prizes, and a silent auction!
Cost: $30 per participant (4-H youth and parents).
Horse pens available for $5 donation. Dry camping and porta pots on-site; motels nearby in Burwell and Ord.
🕗 Check-in: Saturday, 8:30–9:30 AM
🐎 Trail Ride: Sunday morning
📅 Registration Deadline: May 30, 2025
🔗 Register here: https://cvent.me/nxXQA3
Questions? Contact Larry Voecks at 402-649-4474.
Register early – space is limited!
4-H Camp
The 2025 What’s the Buzz? season of the Nebraska State 4-H Camp will share the importance of pollinators in Nebraska- why they’re important, how they impact agriculture, and what youth can do in their own communities to support the various native pollinators we have in Nebraska. From bees and butterflies to hummingbirds and bats- it’s going to be a week full of learning and fun!
The Nebraska State 4-H Camp is returning to Chadron and Burwell for summer camp 2025! Youth new to camping can attend a shorter camp session designed to let them experience all the best parts of summer camp in a 3 day/2 night session. Choose from one of two 5 day/4 night sessions for youth 10-14 years old and returning this year is the Leaders in Training camp for high school youth 15-17 years old! Campers will focus on developing leadership skills with an opportunity to put those skills into practice by volunteering at one of our other camp sessions!
Registration is now OPEN! More information on sessions, dates, and the link to register can be found at 4h.unl.edu/camp
2025 State 4-H Online Horticulture Judging Contest
Do you know what it takes to pick the best fruit and vegetables out at the grocery store? Or do you know what judges are looking for when they judge your plants at the county fair? Have you ever wondered, what plant is that!?! We are excited to offer the opportunity to learn these and other important horticulture skills through the Online Horticulture Contest. The contest will be available June 10-24, 2025 at: http://go.unl.edu/online4hhortcontest
Registration Open for Young Nebraska Scientists Camps
Young Nebraska Scientists, conducted by Nebraska EPSCoR with funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation, offers camps for middle and high school students throughout the state. The program focuses on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math topics and is a great way for teens to sample a career or campus, meet friends and mentors, and find their future.
The camp for middle school students (grades 6-8), the Secret Life of Metals, will July 21-23 at Creighton University in Omaha.
For high school students (grades 9-11) camps include the STEM in Your Apple, which takes place July 4-6; Explorations in Biology at Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln from June 16-19; Biodiversity at UNL Cedar Point Biological Station in Ogallala July 6-12; and Quantum Camp, a new, online camp for high school students, takes place July 29-31.
The program also offers one-day food science camps at Nebraska Innovation Campus in Lincoln. Registration closes two weeks before each camp starts. Dairy Camp – Ice Cream will by May 29, Pizza: Rise of the Dough will by June 19 and The Science of Chocolate will be July 22.
Learn more and apply now online. Email yns@nebraska.edu with any questions.
More details at: https://yns.nebraska.edu/camps
Avian Influenza Resources
The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has expanded its Defend the Flock program to educate all poultry growers about best practices in biosecurity. This comprehensive public education program provides new resources to ensure that all growers have the information they need to keep flocks safe from infectious diseases.
APHIS is introducing the expanded program to combat the increasing risk of serious disease outbreaks. Biosecurity, which encompasses structural and operating practices to block diseases and the pathogens that carry them, has proven to be the most effective way to protect the nation’s poultry, property, and people.
The Defend the Flock program includes checklists, videos, and other resources that reflect the knowledge, insights, and experience of USDA, veterinarians, poultry owners, growers, scientists, and other experts. All Defend the Flock materials are available at no charge 24/7 at the Defend the Flock Resource Center. For more information on the program, visit usda.aphis.gov/animalhealth/defendtheflock.
Follow Defend the Flock on Facebook and Twitter for practical tips about keeping poultry healthy and new additions to the Resource Center.
Chase County Extension Google Calendar
Link to the Chase County Extension Office's Google calendar to stay up to date with events.
Upcoming:
- May 15--Environmental Ed Day, Enders
- May 15--Horse IDs due
- May 26--Extension Office Closed
- May 28--YQCA training, Chase County Fairgrounds, 10 a.m. - noon
- May 29--YQCA training, Perkins County Extension Office, 10 a.m.-noon
- June 2--Market animal ID forms due by 4 p.m.
- June 15--4-H enrollment deadline
Contact Us
Debbie Kuenning, Extension Educator, debbie.kuenning@unl.edu
Diane Stamm, Office Manager, dstamm3@unl.edu
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/perkins-chase/
Location: 490 East 5th Street, Imperial, NE, USA
Phone: 308-882-4731
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chasecounty4H