Saunders County Fair

If you have any questions, please call the fairgrounds office phone number at 402-443-5822

• DID YOU KNOW that you can find 4-H fair Information at this link: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/saunders/saunders-county-fair/
• Static & Supporting Information
• Schedule
• Fairbook
• Forms
• Animal Stall Assignments
• Horse Show Patterns
• Show Programs
• Other animal Information needed

ALL 4-H superintendents also receive a shirt that can be picked up at the office as well!

Shirts will be available for pick up beginning on Sunday, July 26th at the Saunders County Fairgrounds Office in the Gayle Hattan Pavilion.

This years entry night will look a little different. Entry tags have been pre-printed based off pre-entry's submitted with the exception of Horticulture, Floriculture and Foods & Nutrition which will use the handwritten entry tags used in years past.

PRE-PRINTED ENTRY TAGS:

Pre-printed entry tags are available for pick up at the extension office now through Thursday, July 23rd. Beginning Friday, July 24th at noon tags can picked up at the 4-H Fair office in the Hattan Pavilion. or you can wait to get your entry tags when you come to check in night. NOTE- there are two copies of each entry tag. Both copies need to be attached, one will be used for results, the other will be kept with the project through the duration of the fair.

NEW STAGGERED DROP -OFF:

Please begin the drop off process at the check in tables located on the east side of the 4-H building. Everyone will begin here. There will be one way traffic, enter the east doors, exit the west doors. There will be supplies available to attached entry cards and supporting documentation to your projects.

4:00-5:00 pm- Last names A-E

5:00-6:00 pm- Last Names F-L

6:00-7:00 pm- Last Names M-R

7:00-8:00 pm- Last Names S-Z

If you are participating in contests; ATV, Tractor, BB Gun, Air Rifle and Archery you will received your back tag at check in for your respective contest.

Clover kid animal Show on Saturday, exhibitor numbers will be available at check-in in the open air pavilion.

All clover kid showmanship entries happening during the different animal species shows have a exhibitor packet available for pick up at the 4-H fair office in the Hattan Pavilion.

If you received a medal at the Favorite Foods Contest, remember to bring your display and set it up during static entry night. Refer to your letter you received on contest day. Tables are provided.

The Public Fashion Show is Friday, July 31st at 5:00pm in the Open Air Pavilion.

Participants are encouraged to arrive between 4:30 and 4:45pm. We will have changing tents available.

You will need to remove your items from the static building and do not need to put them back into the building.

Sign up to interview judge here: https://signup.com/go/aMgOpHt

1) Click this link to see our SignUp on SignUp: https://signup.com/go/aMgOpHt

2) Review the options listed and choose the spot(s) you like.

3) Sign up! It's Easy - you will NOT need to register an account or keep a password on SignUp.

Static Interview participants will wait in the Open Class Patio to be called into the 4-H Building - please do not enter the 4-H building unless you have been called. We encourage youth to wear their official 4-H t-shirt for interview judging.

Form can be found here: Best Dressed Critter Narration Form

• Underneath each stall assignment is a list of exhibitors by club. We know the barns are full, work together to ensure there is space for everyone listed.
• Sheep and Goat Exhibitors: Tack pens on the end are to be shared by entire row. Extra tack will need to be placed outside of pens neatly. Due to the large amount of entries space is very limited. Please be understanding. We are happy to work with people but have few options. Malmo, Marietta and part of Touhy are in the pig barn. You are penned with your club, but each pen is labeled with your name. Please abide by the penning chart.
• Swine and Beef stalling will be posted ASAP
• Sheep and Goat Barn Stalling Chart will not be posted until sometime Sunday 7/26/26

REMINDER- ALL ANIMALS MUST BE ON THE GROUNDS BY 8:00 PM TUESDAY NIGHT!

• Swine stall cards must be up by 8 PM

Also, reminder that Herdsmanship will begin for everyone Wednesday morning!

All trailers must be parked on the far south end of the fairgrounds in the grass area south of the rodeo arena.

Livestock exhibitors are encouraged to bring generators for their respective show days to conserve electric strain. Additional Electric was added to the sheep and goat barn, generators are still encouraged.

At the conclusion of the fair cattle exhibitors are required to tear down pens in the tie out area and stack them in an orderly manner to allow for proper clean up and grass management through the year.

Be sure to check the board outside of the fair office for daily results to see if you won an award. Swine, sheep and goat and cattle awards each day will be dispersed by our local FFA advisors. Poultry and rabbit superintendents will disperse those awards.

2026 Livestock Exhibitors

ALL animals & their stall cards in place 8:00 p.m., Tuesday, July 28th. Herdsmanship starts now!

Pen / Stall assignments are posted in each livestock barn and outside the Fair Office. Stalls/pens are assigned by club. Also check your e-mail for stalling information.

Exhibitor packets and t-shirts are picked up at the fair office.

You must clean stalls prior to departure Sunday.

Check-In Schedule:

Tuesday, July 28:

Rabbits: 4:30-6:30 p.m.

Dairy Goat: 5:00-6:00 p.m.

Poultry: 6:00-7:00 p.m.

Broilers and Eggs: 6:00-7:00 p.m.

Dairy Cattle: 8:00 p.m.

Wednesday, July 29:

Sheep and Meat Goat: 8:00-9:00 a.m.

Thursday, July 30th:

Beef: 8:00-9:30 a.m.

Friday, July 31st:

Junior Bulls, Feeder and Bucket Calves: 7:30-8:30 a.m.

Swine: 8:00-9:00 a.m.

Please have the following items COMPLETED before you check-in:

1) 2 preprinted cards for each entry will be in your Ziploc bag. If a mistake is printed on the card or you are substituting an animal, please cross out false information and write the correct information on the card. Turn in the corrected card with declared weights at respected check in. keep one card for your records.

If you did not pre-enter showmanship you may add at check in. Youth can scratch at check-in.

Have registration papers for registered breeding heifers, breeding sheep, breeding meat goats & purebred pigs available; papers will be checked.

2) Drug/Ethics Affidavit: Parent & Exhibitor signatures are REQUIRED.

3) Auction: Limit of one (1) animal per exhibitor to sell. Catch-an-Animal exhibitors can sell two (2) animals. Auction animals must be declared within 1 hour of the end of respective show. Any changes for the auction must be done by 12 noon on Saturday August 2nd. Please fill out “SAUNDERS

COUNTY FAIR 4-H LIVESTOCK SHOW AUCTION FORM MARKET ANIMALS” form.

Fees:

a. Auction - Market Beef = $2 / head

b. Auction - Meat Goats = $1 / head

c. Auction - Market Lambs = $1 / head

d. Auction – Broiler Pens = $.50 / pen

e. Auction – Market Swine = $1 / head

Animal Check-In Process:

Market animals will follow the weigh card/weigh back system as outlined below.

Families will be responsible for accurately recording exhibitor information, animal identification and weights before turning in cards. Each family will receive two copies of their entry cards in their exhibitor packet for each animal. Families will review that information and make changes if necessary. They will also need to declare weights. You will then bring this card to the check-in table. One card is for your records, the other is turned in at check in. Once cards are turned in, no changes will be allowed. Scales will be available to use.

Animals will not need to be brought to the check-in table. Ear tags will be verified during check-in for your class to verify the correct animal is brought to the correct class. Ear tattoos on breeding beef will be verified during check-in. Ear notches on swine will also be verified. Registered breeding animals will have registration papers verified.

Commercial breeding ewes, gilts and meat goat does will self-declare weights. Classes will be divided by weight.

· Weigh Cards - Exhibitors will declare weights of all market animals (an official weigh-in will not be conducted by show officials). Weigh cards must be completed and turned in during the designated check-in time and location. Animals DO NOT need to be present at the time of turning in their weigh cards. The weight listed on the weigh card will become that animal’s official declared weight to be used for assignment to a class and for weigh-back purposes.

• Weigh Backs - A weigh back will be incorporated for all 1st and 2nd place purples in each market class. A 5% variance from the weight declared at check-in will be allowed. Animals not meeting the 5% variance from the declared weight at check-in will be lowered one ribbon group and will not be eligible for any champion awards.

Open Class information found here: https://www.saunderscountyfair.com/p/getconnected

https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/saunders/saunders-county-fair/

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  The 2026 Nebraska State Fair 4-H and FFA entry system is open at https://www.statefair.org/ag-competitions/4-h-ffa-exhibitors/

  
  

  All 4-H livestock, dog, and contest entries must be submitted by Wednesday, August 10 at 8:00 p.m. CST. No late entries will be accepted!

  
  

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.

University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension educational programs abide with the nondiscrimination policies of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the United States Department of Agriculture.

Email: Saunders-county@unl.edu
Website: http://extension.unl.edu/statewide/saunders/4h/
Location: 1071 County Road G, Ithaca, NE, United States
Phone: (402) 624-8030
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/272483941458/