April Newsletter

Nebraska Extension in Pierce County

111 West Court Street, Room 13, Pierce, NE 68767

Phone: 402-329-4821 Fax: 402-329-6417

Website: http://pierce.unl.edu

Email: Pierce-County@unl.edu

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNLPierceCounty/

• 4-H Council Meeting April 7th at 7:30 P.M.
• Pierce County 4-H Speech Contest April 13th at 7 P.M.
• Horse ID Sheets, Horsemanship Advancement Level requirements, entry process for State Horse Show Due - 4:30 p.m. on June 1st
• Nebraska State Fair Nomination Due - June 15th
• DNA Envelopes & Livestock (Horse, Beef, Goat, Sheep, Swine, Poultry, & Rabbit) ID Sheets Due at Extension Office before -June 15th
• Clothing Judging day is Friday, July 17th
• Fair Grounds Clean Up day is Monday, July 20th
• Pierce County Fair is July 22nd - July 26th

Go to https//v2.4HONLINE.com

Please do not create a new profile if you have previously enrolled in 4-H, even a different county or state.

ALL Youth and Volunteers/Club leaders must be enrolled by June 15th, 2026.

Please make sure to include youth T-shirts size.

The project selection is now optional with the EXCEPTION of HORSE and SHOOTING SPORTS PROJECTS due to the parental consent required for participation.

Find instructions for returning families can be found at https://4h.unl.edu/enroll/returning-member

For new families, find instructions here: https://4h.unl.edu/enroll/new-member

For volunteers/Club leaders, find instructions here: https://4h.unl.edu/enroll/returning-club-leader

Before your enrollment can be accepted, dues must be paid. You can either pay the Extension Office with cash or check or pay online with credit card.

*Enrollment Fees: 4-Hers and Clover Kids will continue to pay an fee of $5.00 per 4-Her and Clover kid.

Contact Brittany for help enrolling by calling 402-329-4821

The Public Speaking Contest will be held at 7 p.m. on April 13th, 2026 at the Pierce County Extension Meeting Room. Registration for the event is due on April 6th, 2026 by calling (402) 329-4821 or emailing bkolterman2@unl.edu with your name, whether doing a speech or Illustrated Presentation or PSA or both, the title of the speech and age division.

The top five contestants in each of the junior, intermediate and senior divisions of each category (Speech & PSA & Illustrated Presentation) are eligible to represent Pierce County at the state-level communication contests on June 16th and June 17th in Lincoln. Information is included and at https://4h.unl.edu/premier-communication-event

For more information click the button below.

• Now is a good time to complete the written tests for Horse Levels. Written Test horse levels must be done before July 15th for Pierce County 4-Hers. Advancement Level Study Guides and Resources are available at: https://go.unl.edu/horsemanshipadvancement. Please call the office to setup a time, so a test can be ready for you.

• All 4-H/FFA BREEDING livestock, MARKET livestock and FEEDER CALVES are required to submit a DNA sample/envelope to be eligible to exhibit at the Nebraska State Fair. Stop by the office to get your Nebraska State Fair DNA envelopes.
• NEW 2026 - Exhibitors planning to show the same animal at both the Nebraska State Fair and the Aksarben Stock Show (AKSS) must submit two separate DNA envelopes and online nominations. Aksarben Stock Show DNA envelopes can be order on their website at https://www.aksarbenstockshow.com/p/livestock-show/dna-orders.

• Families the planning on taking livestock to Nebraska State Fair need to put their animal information into the Showstock Manager database https://showstockmgr.com and pay the nomination fee by June 15, 2026.

Horse Stampede:

• The Nebraska 4-H Horse Stampede offers a variety of 4-H horse contests that do not require live animals, including public speaking, demonstration, quiz bowl, art, and photography contests. The 4-H Horse Stampede will be held at the UNL Animal Science Complex in Lincoln, Nebraska on Saturday, April 25, and Sunday, April 26, 2026. Entries must be submitted online by Wednesday, April 15, 2026. Entries for 2026 utilize 4‑H Online. Login to your 4‑H Online account and click on the events tab, then select the 2026 Horse Stampede event. Or utilize the following link to register (be sure to utilize the same email account used when enrolling in 4‑H): https://nehorsestampede2026.4honline.com/#/public/ins_11/evt_1d6

4-H Horse Camp:

• The Ft. Robinson 4-H Horse Camp will be held June 11-13, 2026, at the Ft. Robinson State Park in Crawford, NE. Brochure and registration forms will be available March 30th. For more information reach out to Tessa Reece at tessa.reece@unl.edu or 308-432-3373.

Pitzer 4-H Horse Judging Clinic & Contest

To register for the Pitzer 4-H Horse Judging Clinic & Contest held at Pitzer Ranch outside of Ericson, Nebraska. The clinic and contest will focus on riding classes in 2026.

Event Details

• Wednesday, June 3, 2026

• 8:30AM Check-In & Team Registration

• 9:00AM Welcome & Orientation

• 9:15AM Clinic - Riding Classes

• Lunch - Available for Purchase on Grounds

• Following Lunch - Contest - Riding Classes

Divisions

• Juniors - Ages 8-11 by January 1

• Seniors - Ages 12-18 by January 1

• Adults - 19+ by January 1

Register individuals at https://go.unl.edu/pitzer. You will also have the option to enter the team contest at event check-in. Registration is $10 per person. If you have questions please contact Jennifer Epp, 4-H Educator, at Nebraska Extension in Garfield, Loup & Wheeler Counties at jepp@unl.edu or 308-346-4200.

• July 11-15, 2026 at Fonner Park in Grand Island, NE
• Online entry deadline June 1, 2026
  • Horses ID forms and Advancement level deadlines to hand into county offices also due June 1, 2026. https://4h.unl.edu/horse-expo

All youth planning to show beef, bucket calf, dairy, goats, poultry, rabbit, sheep, and swine at the Pierce County Fair, Nebraska State Fair, or Ak-Sar-Ben must complete YQCA training. This can be completed at a Face-to-Face training or online.

Face-to-Face Training

Face-to-Face trainings are scheduled for May 27th (1 p.m. and 6 p.m.) at the Wayne County Fairgrounds and June 1st (1:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.) at the Pierce County Fairgrounds. To register for this Face to Face training you will need go to the YQCA website is yqcaprogram.org. Log on and select "Pierce County YQCA" and the time that you want (either 1 pm or 6 pm) . After you have selected your time will have to pay a $3 fee per youth and take the pre-test. This fee has to be paid online and not in the office.

Web-based Training

If you are interested in completing the online YQCA course, now is a good time. The YQCA website is yqcaprogram.org. The online YQCA course costs $12 per individual regardless of age. Each session purchased includes three modules - a knowledge builder, a skills lab, and a quiz. The knowledge builder is where content is delivered. The skills lab provides an opportunity to apply the content. The quiz test knowledge. To receive certification, 80% must be achieved on the 10-question quiz. These modules, completed in their entirety, will provide 2-3 hours of experience.

Testing Out

Test-out options are only available to youth in the first year of Intermediate (age 12) and Senior (age 15) age levels. There is no test-out option for Juniors. If passed, youth will not be required to complete the annual training requirements for the remainder of their current age level (Intermediates: 12-14; Seniors: 15-18). Each test consists of 50 randomly selected questions and has a pass rate of 80% or better for certification.

Participants will have only one chance to take the test-out option. If youth fail, they will not be provided another opportunity to test out of that age level. Participants who do not pass will be prompted to take the instructor-led training or web-based training annually.

If the youth passes, payment for the completed test-out course will be required after the completion of the test. No payment is required to attempt the test.

Test-out costs are:

• Intermediate: $36 ($12 x 3 years of certification)

• Senior: $48 ($12 x 4 years of certification).

If passed, youth will receive access to online modules that correspond with the age levels, found on the user's "My Library" page.

Broken Bow

• There will be a Nebraska 4-H Shooting Sports Instructor Certification and Instructor Update trainings April 11-12 in Broken Bow at the Custer County Fairgrounds. All disciplines are offered. Early bird registration closes April 1.
• For more information on the initial Instructor Certification, visit https://events.unl.edu/NE4H-Shooting-Sports/2026/04/11/195625/
• For more information on the Instructor Update, visit https://events.unl.edu/NE4H-Shooting-Sports/2026/04/11/195642/

Volunteers are an essential part of our 4-H program. They don’t expect to be rewarded for their efforts, so it is especially gratifying when we are able to reward them with recognition. National Volunteer Week, April 19-25, is an excellent time to recognize our 4-H volunteers! It is also a chance for the community to become aware of the value and dedication of 4-H volunteers to our program.

The Nebraska 4‑H Premier Animal Science Event (PASE) features a variety of state-level animal science contests May 27-29. The three-day event is held annually at the Nebraska Animal Science Complex in Lincoln. Youth explore issues related to the animal industry, discover college and career opportunities, and work with other youth from across the state. Youth have the opportunity to participate in livestock contests that do not require owning or exhibiting a live animal, including livestock, meat, poultry, companion animal, and animal welfare judging, as well as livestock skill-a-thon and livestock quiz bowl. Youth can participate in more than one contest or event as their schedule allows. In addition, youth will have chances to explore the University of Nebraska–Lincoln East Campus, meet with faculty members and current college students, and have fun with friends! For more information, visit https://4h.unl.edu/statewide-events-opportunities/livestock-program/pase/

Pre-Registration is required for all participants. Pre-registration is completed by county Extension offices. Registration will open on April 13 - May 7. For more information, please contact your local Extension office.

We are in the process of planning summer workshops!

• Poultry Showmanship Clinic
• Quick Bread
• Let’s Paint Runaways
• Fabric Dyeing and Sewing a Pillow
• Quilt
• Rockets (Wayne County)
• Disaster Kits (Wayne County)
• Clover Buds

Be watching for a flyer coming soon!

Each year, the Foundation for the Preservation of Honey Bees challenges 4-H members from all over the country to submit an essay on a topic related to honey bees. Each state chooses its finalist and submits his or her essay to the Foundation for judging. Three cash prizes will be awarded in the 2026 National 4-H Beekeeping Essay Competition. This year's topic is "The Power of Pollen." Reach out to Nebraska Extension in

Pierce County for essay rules and requirements. Essay is due April 15.

Interested in Agriculture? Consider attending NAYI. NAYI 2026 will be held in Lincoln. The Nebraska Agriculture Youth Institute is a week long experience for current high school juniors and seniors from across Nebraska to learn more about career opportunities within agriculture. This conference features speakers, workshops, agricultural education, networking with peers and industry leaders, professional development, leadership experience, fun and new friends! The NAYI event will be held at the University of Nebraska Lincoln's East Campus July 6-10, 2026. This years theme is “Passion Meets Purpose.” Applications are due by April 15! More information and the 2026 NAYI Application can be found at: https://nda.nebraska.gov/nayi

Attention seniors and parents of seniors! Check out our newsletter about scholarships and other college information. Juniors, feel free to take a peak to plan ahead for next year!

Nebraska 4-H will be hosting one overnight summer camp and two summer day camps in 2026. For more information, visit https://4h.unl.edu/statewide-events-opportunities/nebraska-4-h-summer-camp/camp-schedule/

• Exploring the Sandhills 4-H Camp at Chadron, NE on June 15 - June 19. Ages 8-14. $550 for registration fee
• Exploring Ecosystems 4-H Day Camp at Grand Island on June 30. Ages 8-12. $50 for registration fee
• Exploring Ecosystems 4-H Day Camp at Lincoln on July 22. Ages 8-12. $50 for registration fee

Innovate: The Raikes School Way is designed to provide students with a foundation in core programming concepts, and is ideal for students with little to no computing experience. Additionally, there is separate curriculum and instruction for students with moderate or advanced experience as they aim to expand their computing skills. Students who expect to enter college in the fall of 2027 will be given priority based on total applications. Students who expect to enter college in the fall of 2028 will also be considered if they have completed pre-calculus prior to the start of camp. Camp is July 19 through August 1, 2026. Applications are due May 1. For more information, visit https://raikes.unl.edu/summer-camp/

• 1: UNL Red Letter Day

• 25: Memorial Day Extension Observance - Office Closed
• 27: Wayne County YQCA at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. at Wayne Fairgrounds
• 27-29: Nebraska 4‑H Premier Animal Science Event (PASE) (Reg. May 7)

• 1: 4-H State Horse entry deadline (Horse ID Sheets & advancement levels due at office)
• 1: Pierce County YQCA Class at 1 P.M. and 6 P.M. at Pierce Fairgrounds.
• 11-13: Fort Robinson 4-H Horse Camp
• 15: DNA SAMPLES DUE at Extension Office
• 15: All ID's DUE at Extension Office
• 15: Livestock Quality Assurance DUE at Extension Office
• 15: Last Day to Enroll on 4-H Online
• 16 - 17: State-level Communication Contest - Illustrated Presentation
• 19: Juneteenth Extension Observance - Office Closed

Nebraska Extension is a Division of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln cooperating with the Counties and the United States Department of Agriculture. The 4-H Youth Development program abides with the nondiscrimination policies of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the United States Department of Agriculture. ©2026