Wednesday What-Nots 7/22

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

Senior Ranch Pleasure: Blue-Bryn Boitnott Blue-Calla Masters. Junior Ranch Pleasure: Blue-Briar Forke

Intermediate Ranch Pleasure: Purple-Anistyn Cary Purple-Chloe Masters Blue-Josie Hippen

Intermediate Ranch Pleasure Finales: Chloe Master and Anistyn Cary.

Junior Western Horseman: Red-Briar Forke. Intermediate Western Pleasure Finals: Anistyn Cary. Western Pleasure Ponies: Red-Briar Forke. Intermediate Showmanship: Red: Josie Hippen. Intermediate Trail: Blue-Anistyn Cary

Freestyle Junior Division: Blue-Gavin Cumro, Carly Marker. Red-Ender Cumro. Champion-Carly Marker. Reserve Champion-Gavin Cumro

Freestyle Intermediate Division: Purple-Shawnee Ensor, Hubbard Hay, Max Wieneke. Blue- Dexter Patton. Champion-Hubbard Hay. Reserve Champion-Shawnee Ensor.

Freestyle Senior Division: Purple- Marcus Ensor, Liatris Hay, Deitric Pfeiffer. Champion-Liatris Hay. Reserve Champion- Deitric Pfeiffer.

Notables: Overall Top Freestyle Archer: Liatris Hay

Traditional Junior Division: Purple-Cooper McQuillin, Isaac Patton. Blue-Easton Florea, Authur Hennessy, Elsie Wood. Champion- Isaac Patton. Reserve Champion-Cooper McQuillin.

Traditional Intermediate Division: Purple-Laramie Epp, Maverick Epp, Braxtin Goracke, Brandon McCaw, Finnley McQuillin, Liam Shanks. Blue-Hadily Santema, Michael Wood. Champion Braxtin Goracke. Reserce Champion- Liam Shanks.

Traditional Senior Division: Blue-Westleigh Santema. Champion-Westleigh Santema.

Notables: Overall Top Traditional Archer: Braxtin Goracke

Air Rifle Contest Results

Junior Division: Blue-Scarlett Buddenberg, Easton Florea. Red-Rachel Schropfer. Champion Scarlett Buddenberg. Reserve Champion-Easton Florea.

Intermediate Division: Blue-Sabrina Buddenberg, Hubbard Hay, Sarah Schropfer, Liam Shanks. Champion-Sabrina Buddenberg. Reserve Champion-Hubbard Hay.

Senior Division: Purple- Amber Schropfer, Deitric Pfeiffer. Champion- Amber Schropfer. Reserve Champion-Deitric Pfeifer.

Overall Top Shooter: Amber Schropfer.

BB Gun Contest Results

Junior Division: Purple-Nora Beede, Scarlet Buddenber, Easton Florea, Cooper Iske, Miranda McCaw, Lucy Schropfer, Haiden Wellsandt. Blue-Rachel Schropfer. Red-Carly Marker. Champion-Scarlett Buddenberg. Reserve Champion- Cooper Iske.

Intermediate Division: Purple-Sabrina Buddenberg, Hubbard Hay, Brittney Pfeiffer, Liam Shanks, Sarah Schropfer, Trent Stubbendick. Blue- Brandon McCaw. Champion-Sabrina Buddenberg. Reserve Champion- Liam Shanks

Senior Division: Pruple-Deitric Pfeiffer, Westleigh Santema, Amber Schropfer. Champion-Amber Schropfer. Reserve Champion-Westleigh Santema.

Overall Top Shooter: Amber Schropfer.

Thank you for your hard work in painting the show ring panels and bleachers in the Poultry, Rabbit & Companion Animal barn, in preparation for the Otoe County Fair.

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

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 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!

Hey neighbors! The county fair is just around the corner and we are preparing the Exploration Center to be a 4-H Common Room. This year, we are taking inspiration from "Once Upon a Fair" and focusing on 4-H projects with a literary and writing focus. We want to feature the incredible creativity of our community. If you or your kiddos have 4-H projects that fit the theme—or any standout educational exhibits—we would love to showcase them as inspiration. Tell us you can contribute at:

https://forms.gle/qTVGx5jqZGjDJxEY6

To keep it running smoothly, we could also use a little help from our friends. We are looking for volunteers to sign up for short shifts to stop in and help keep things tidy and welcoming. It’s a great way to be the hospitable heart of the fair. If you’d like to do so, sign up at:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E4DAEA82EA5F4C61-64772616-4hexploration

Thanks and see you soon!

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

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.

Orders can be placed online at https://go.unl.edu/2026nsf4htshirts and are due August 10, 2026

4-H static exhibitor families are able to order discount passes directly from the Nebraska State Fair! Orders can be placed now until 11:59pm CT on August 27, 2026, and can be placed using the following link and password:

https://go.unl.edu/2026nsfstaticexhibitorpasses

Password: 20264h

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