Post Rock District 4-H Events
For State & District 4-H News and additional information concerning these events, see our 4-H Newsletter. Be sure to engage with Post Rock District 4-H Insider Experience on Facebook for updates and reminder
Below are the scheduled meeting dates for the 4-H Councils in Post Rock District. Dates, times and locations are subject to change and members will be notified in a timely manner.
Meetings are at the Jewell County Courthouse meeting room at 7:00 p.m.
Meetings are at the Lincoln Senior Center at 7:00 p.m. unless otherwise stated.
Osborne County 4-H Council
Meetings are at the Osborne Extension Office at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise stated.
June 3, 2024 at 7:00 p.m.
Smith County 4-H Council
Meetings are at the Smith County Courthouse
June 23 at 2:00 p.m.
Come join the K-State University Animal Science party in June during Kansas 4-H Discovery Days! Several animal science-related sessions will be offered at Discovery Days, from livestock project selection, to reproduction, companion animal nutrition, to meat science and chuck wagon cooking. Check out the course catalog for opportunities related to animal science and beyond!
Applications are now open for the 2024 K-State Animal Science Leadership Academy. The goal of this academy will be to further develop young leaders within the livestock industry and prepare them for a successful future in this field. The four-day experience for selected teens is hosted by the K-State Department of Animal Sciences and Industry. In 2024 the program will be held June 5-8. Applications must be postmarked by April 15. Find all the details at the KASLA event website.
National 4-H has some great learn-at-home activities to explore interesting topics and have fun! Checkout the CLOVER experiences at 4-h.org/clover/.
Post Rock District county fairs will be here soon! Be watching your email for important reminders. We are also using the PRD 4-H Insider Experience Facebook Groupto post reminders. Do not hesitate to reach out to your local Extension Office if you have any questions. If you are new to 4-H or new to a project, navigating the county fair can be confusing. Post Rock District staff, your club leader, and our entire 4-H family are here to help you!
County Fair Websites: www.postrock.k-state.edu/4-h/county-fairs/Visit your fair website to find the online fairbooks, forms, and more... updated as available!
Discovery Days will be June 5-7 at the K-State Campus in
Manhattan. The exciting event is for youth ages 13-18 years old.
Post Rock District will provide a staff chaperone and
transportation to and from Discovery Days. At Discover Days,
youth learn new ideas, techniques, and skills they can use
personally and in their 4-H clubs or groups and communities.
Participants will gain in-depth training through hands-on
educational sessions from content and youth development
experts. Discovery Days will prepare youth to make informed
decisions about their careers and college path, and so much
more! Register by May 5. Sign-up early to have the best choice of
sessions. Find the schedule, sessions, and online registration
link at the Kansas 4-H Discovery Days website. After registering,
you will need to pay your local 4-H Council your registration fee.
Post Rock District’s 4-H Dog Project Leader, Kelli Burrus, will be hosting spring Dog Project meetings on Sundays - May 5, 12, & 26- at 3:00 p.m. at the Osborne County Fairgrounds covered arena. 4-H members can work with their dog on showmanship, obedience and rally obedience, and/or prepare for the 2024 Post Rock District 4-H Dog Show which will be July 22. There will also be a dog project workshop and state fair 4-H qualifying dog show in Phillips County on June 22 (more details to come). Contact Kim Naber with questions at kimn@ksu.edu.
The 2024 Dr. Bob Hines Kansas Swine Classic is scheduled for July 12-13 in Manhattan. This two‐day event includes an educational swine skillathon, photography contest, showmanship, and a prospect and market hog show. The flyer is available at KSUswine.org.
Kansas 4-H is once again providing the equine webinar series. Each month there will be a virtual learning experience for all things equine. You can register to participate in the live Zoom or watch recordings. More details are on the Kansas 4-H project experience’s website.
The Geology Field Trip will be June 14-16 and is open to 4-H Geology project members and their families. All attending youth/adults must register by May 24. The headquarters for this trip are at Trego Community High School, WaKeeney, KS. A variety of workshops and activities are planned for Friday and Saturday evenings. Many stops are planned on the Field Trip Saturday and Sunday. Project members are encouraged to participate in judging and quiz bowl. Details and registration are on the Kansas 4-H event webpage.
The Kansas 4-H Horse Safety Webinar and Quiz is available for member review and preparation. Youth must be enrolled in the horse project via 4-H Online before completing. All youth planning to compete in the 2024 State Fair 4-H Horse Show must watch the video and receive a passing score on the quiz before submitting a horse entry. This is a great state-level learning opportunity for all youth in the 4-H horse project! Find more details on the Kansas 4-H Horse Project’s website.
The Kansas 4-H Insect Spectacular, a two-day state-wide entomology workshop, will be held June 21-22 in Hays. The event is open to all youth and adult volunteers interested in 4-H entomology! Classes will include basic pinning, basic and advanced identification, insect photography, and much more. A parent or legal guardian must register and attend with their 4-H'er. For more information and to register, go to the Insect Spectacular website. Registration deadline is May 30.
The Kansas 4-H Livestock Sweepstakes is in Manhattan on August 17-18. It includes the state 4-H livestock judging contest, meat judging contest, livestock skillathon, and livestock quiz bowl in one action-packed weekend. 4-H'ers can test their knowledge and display their expertise in a variety of livestock-related events. This is also the qualifying event to select youth who will represent Kansas at each of the national 4-H contests. All entries must be submitted through local extension units by August 1.
Contact your local Extension Office if you want to participate. We register you from the extension office as Post Rock District, and these are due by August 1. We can combine youth from across Jewell, Lincoln, Mitchell, Osborne and Smith counties into Post Rock District teams. Adult volunteers are needed to serve as coaches if any teams sign-up. If there is enough interest we can assist coaches with coordinating district-wide educational practices. Post Rock District does not provide transportation to Sweepstakes and all costs are at the expense of the participants. Additionally, we do not provide transportation or organize teams for any competitions leading up to the Sweepstakes (outside of your county fair offerings), yet we are happy to help connect you with other youth/families exploring these opportunities.
KSU Horse Judging Team’s One Day Advanced Camp is June 13 at the Stanley Stout Center. This is for 4-H and FFA youth with experience in giving reasons or participating in horse judging competitions who are looking to seriously enhance their knowledge. Registration closes May 24. For more information visit the judging camp website.
The K-State Livestock Judging Team camp sessions will be June 3-5 and June 10-12. In addition to evaluating livestock, this camp focuses on reason development and presentation, as well as incorporating performance data into the decision-making process. It is open to youth 14-18 years old. Prior livestock judging experience is necessary for this camp. Additional details and registration forms are on the Champions Livestock Judging Camp website. Registration is open.
Every summer, K-State hosts summer programs designed to educate and inspire youth in a variety of academic, athletic and extracurricular endeavors. Participants have the opportunity to further their education and skills while experiencing life at K-State. Check out the amazing opportunities at www.k-state.edu/summer/camps/... a few are listed below!
Experience the power of K-State Salina when you attend any of our hands-on, interactive summer camps! With topics ranging from unmanned aircraft systems to robotics to aviation, there's something for everyone! Kansas State Aerospace and Technology Campus summer programs are learning based programs for K-12 students. Explore the variety of offerings at www.salina.k-state.edu/academics/youth-programs/summer/.
Post Rock District Showmanship Clinic is on Wednesday, May 22 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Osborne County Fairgrounds. Check-in is at 4:45 p.m. Register online at https://kstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bDtNfILSWpjiL6S.
Come to learn the proper techniques for showing cattle, pigs, sheep, and goats! Presenters will discuss:
- Showmanship
- Feeding & Nutrition
- Clipping & Shearing
No animals are required! Livestock will be present to provide a showmanship demonstration. This is also a great opportunity to broaden your knowledge of showmanship techniques for different species! If you have questions, call Blaire Todd, Livestock Production Agent, at 785-738-3597 or email blairet@ksu.edu.
I am excited to share the flyer for the NW Kansas 4-H Dog Conference & Show, which our Phillips-Rooks District will be hosting at the Phillips County Fairgrounds on June 22nd. It will offer a rotation of three workshops in the morning: Adventures in Agility, Ready for Rally Obedience and Paws Together for Service (a service project for area animal shelters). In the afternoon, we will have a State Fair qualifying dog show for Agility and Rally Obedience ONLY. The workshops will be designed with the beginner in mind, but will be appropriate for all experience levels. We will be offering the on-leash levels of Pre-Agility and Rally Obedience I that are not State Fair eligible for true beginners who would like to give it a try. Attending workshops (with or without a dog) only or show only will also be an option.
Lunch is not included, but concessions will be available and exhibitors may also choose to bring in food. We do ask that every youth bringing a dog be accompanied by an adult chaperone (can be responsible for a group) who they will need to specify during the registration process. Adults do not need to register to attend the conference and there will be no charge for them to do so. You will find additional details on the flyer. Further information and rules can be found in the Qualtrics during the registration process. Please share this with youth enrolled in the Dog Project. Questions to Cindy Walker, 785--543-6845
Shutterbug workshops are for photography members to learn and practice skills. The workshops are put on by the Kansas State 4-H Photography Committee. There is a Shutterbug workshop at the Zoo in Garden City on May 4. Check-in begins at 8:30 a.m. See the flyer and at the Photography Shutterbugs website. The website has information about other learning opportunities, too.
The Kansas Range Youth Camp will be June 11-14 at Camp Mennoscah in Murdock, KS. Upcoming
sophomore, junior and senior high school students are eligible to attend and learn range plant identification, plant growth, stocking rate determinations, livestock nutrition, rangeland wildlife management, and much more! Registration is due May 12. Space is limited. Learn more at the camp's website.
Wild West Day Camp is at the Mankato City Park, May 22 from 8:00 a.m. to Noon. All youth entering Preschool - 3rd Grade in the fall are welcome! Come explore interests and practice team work; be inspired to think critically and creatively; and have fun! Register and pay the $5.00 fee (due to Post Rock District) to secure your spot by May 14 at https://bit.ly/WildWestDayCamp. Space is limited. This camp is sponsored by Jewell County 4-H Council.
Outdoor Adventure Day Camp is May 28 in Osborne at the Scout Cabin from 8:00 a.m. to Noon. All youth entering 1st - 4th Grade in the fall are welcome! Campers will participate in fun games, get creative with nature crafts, practice team work, and learn outdoor skills. Register and pay the $5.00 fee (due to Post Rock District) to secure your spot by May17 at https://bit.ly/OutdoorAdventureDayCamp. Space is limited. This camp is sponsored by Osborne County 4-H Council.
Garden To Table Day Camp is June 4 in Beloit at the fairground’s 4-H Building from 8:00 a.m. to Noon. All youth entering Preschool - 3rd Grade in the fall are welcome! Explore growing plants, healthy eating, creativity and having fun! Register and pay the $5.00 fee (due to PostRock District) to secure your spot by May 16 at https://bit.ly/GardenToTableDayCamp. Space is limited. This camp is hosted by Mitchell County 4-H Council.
Post Rock District will host an annual district-wide dog show in place of five separate 4-H dog shows at each county fair. To help avoid other fair events, it has been changed to Monday, July 8, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. Pre-registration is due by end of day Monday, June 24th. This is a state qualifying show. Follow PostRock District 4-H events webpage for updates.
Each 4-H Council in the Post Rock District will designate a pre-fair entry deadline. The pre-fair deadline is when all project exhibits must be designated for the class which will be shown at the county fair. Entries can be dropped, but not added after the pre-fair deadline. Any project areas not required by 4-H Council to meet the pre-fair entry deadline will submit entry requirements at the project’s fair check-in time. The 4-H Council will have an exhibit entry card or form designated in the fair book which will be used to meet the entry requirements for each project area. This will be used to describe the exhibit and articulate class of exhibition.
- Jewell County: June 20th.
- Lincoln County: July 1st.
- Mitchell County: July 8th.
- Osborne County: July 8th.
- Smith County: July 1st.
Log into 4-H Online or contact your local Extension Office to review and update your projects! The
earlier you update your projects in 4-H Online the better! 4-H project experiences, opportunities and
reminders are communicated to you by local and state 4-H staff based on your project enrollment
and contact information in 4-H Online.
May 1 is the final project drop/add deadline if you want to exhibit in a respective project area at the county fair.
Kansas 4-H Camp registration is open for the summer 2024 season! 4-H camp sessions are posted at www.rockspringsranch4hcamp.org. There are over night camps for rising 3rd through 12th graders that include three-night or five-night sessions. There is a new two-night option for rising 1st through 3rd graders. Rock Springs Ranch even has Family Camp session opportunities! Another new opportunity this year is week-long specialty camps - a Ranch Camp and Shooting Sports Camp -where the camps are designed to further develop skills in campers’ desired areas of growth. Interested participants will register directly with Rock Springs Ranch through the website. Before you register, contact your local Extension Office and your club leader. There may be club or county-level event scholarships available.
4-H Camp Counselor in Training (CIT) participants can receive a full-ride scholarship in 2024! This is the final year for the full-ride scholarship provided by a donor through Rock Springs Ranch/Kansas 4-H Foundation. Teens age 16 to 17- years, especially rising 12th graders, may participate. Participants will receive camper care training and counselor experience, in addition to "camp" time with peers.
The National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Program (NSTMOP) is designed for 14- and 15-year-olds seeking employment in production agriculture. Core content areas focused on during the one-day training include: safety basics, agricultural hazards, tractors, connecting and using implements, materials handling, and more! Students are certified after successfully passing a knowledge test at the training and doing both an operating skills test and a driving test administered by the employer.
The cost to participate is $15 due to your local Extension Office. Prior to the course, each participant needs to pick up a manual from the Extension Office. You will also need to complete a pre-test before attending the training event. Direct questions to Blaire Todd at blairet@ksu.edu or 785-738-3597. The flyer is on the Post Rock District website. Register online at https://bit.ly/2024-tractor-safety or follow the QR code. The registration deadline is one week before the date you plan to attend. Training dates in the region include:
- May 4 - Great Bend at KanEquip
- May 23 - Salina at Great Plains Manufacturing
The K-State Youth Livestock Program has a website dedicated to sharing youth livestock events: www.asi.k-state.edu/extension/youth-programs/events/. It is for informational purposes only. No endorsement or support by Kansas State University or the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry is implied in the events listed. Any county that has a youth livestock educational opportunity open to kids outside of the county is invited to share that information with Lexie Hayes (adhayes@ksu.edu). This includes spring shows, showmanship clinics, skillathons, field days, other related events, etc.
You can also find spring show information that has been shared with our local unit on the Post Rock
District 4-H events webpage. The shows are not sponsored, planned, or facilitated by Post Rock
District, yet they are available to 4-H members to participate. It is always important to contact the
listed event contact with your questions.
May 4: Russell Kick Off
May 5: Ellis County Spring Livestock Show
May 18: CCC Classic Spring Livestock Show (Colby Community College)
May 18: Rooks County Spring Show
May 19: Get Your Shine On Spring
May 25: Smith County Spring Show
May 27: Osborne County Memorial Day Spectacular Swine Show flyer and show rules
There are a variety of 4-H shooting sports activities going on by our Post Rock District certified instructors. Youth are required to participate in practices and learning experiences with a certified instructor in order to be eligible to compete. Contact Tonia at tiunderw@ksu.edu if you have questions. Post Rock District is organizing an Archery Qualifier to take place at Waconda Lake the morning of Sunday, July 21. Youth must qualify in shooting sports disciplines in order to attend a state match. Qualifiers scheduled around the state are posted at the Kansas 4-H Shooting Sports website as information becomes available.
Post Rock District is in need of more certified instructors for our shooting sports program. Kansas4-H is hosting the required training at Rock Springs Ranch near Junction City on May 3 - 5. If you are interested in instructing 4-H Archery, BB gun, Air Pistol, Air Rifle, Small Bore Rifle, Muzzleloader, or Hunting Skills please contact Tonia Underwood, our certified shooting sports coordinator, at tiunderw@ksu.edu no later than Noon on April 1, so we can help you through the process.
Smith County 4-H Council has chosen to meet with the residents of Sun Porch regularly. This is a great intergenerational experience with time to spend in fellowship and completing fun activities. All Smith County 4-H members and families are welcome to come with the activities to come when the Council is scheduled to meet at Sun Porch. Watch the Smith County page of the monthly 4-H newsletter for upcoming dates.
The State 4-H Horticulture Judging Contest will be held on Saturday, August 10 in Manhattan (tentative date). The contest is hosted for the day by the Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources. The objective of 4-H Horticulture Judging is for members to grow in their ability to think, to reason, and to make logical and scientific judgments, through plant identification, knowledge testing and judging classes. Interested youth should notify their extension office so we can form district teams. Adult volunteer coaches are also needed. If you want to participate, we can connect you with study resources.
Kansas 4-H is planning a lot of exciting activities across the state to help you dive into project learning. State 4-H events each have a dedicated webpage where the latest information is posted as it becomes available: www.kansas4-h.org/events-activities/. It’s also recommended to watch the Kansas 4-H Facebook page for important announcements about state events!
- Geology Field Trip is June 14-16 in Northwest Kansas
- Insect Spectacular is June 21-22 in Hays
- State Horticulture Judging Contest is August 10 in Manhattan
- Wheat Expo is August 12 in Manhattan
- Livestock Sweepstakes are August 17-18 in Manhattan
All market animals and commercial females youth would like to be eligible for the Kansas State Fair Grand Drive and/or Kansas Junior Livestock Show (KJLS) must be nominated. The Kansas Youth Livestock Program website outlines the State Livestock Nomination Process under the "Nomination Information" tab. Families are highly encouraged to use the resources available, especially the Rookie Guide.
The nomination process transitioned to an online system in 2022, so there are no longer physical forms for families to complete and mail. Families will purchase DNA envelopes in advance, submit their animal and exhibitor information online, then mail their completed and signed DNA samples by the deadline. Extension Agents and FFA Advisors will approve nominations online. Exhibitors who nominated animals in past years (2022 or 2023) need to use their existing ShoWorks account. Those who need help accessing their account may request a password reset through ShoWorks or contact the Kansas Youth Livestock Program for assistance. Returning exhibitors should not create a new account. The ShoWorks website is https:/kansasnom.fairwire.com/.
Grand Drive and KJLS Important Dates:
- May 1:Market Beef Nominations Due & DNA Postmarked
- June 5:Last Day to Order Small Livestock DNA Envelopes
- June 15:Small Livestock Nominations Due & DNA Postmarked
- Market Swine, Commercial Gilt
- Market Lamb, Commercial Ewe
- ALL Meat Goat (Market & Breeding)
- June 15:Commercial Heifer Nominations Due
- June 15:Registered Breeding Heifer Papers in Exhibitor’s Name
- June 15:Registered Breeding Gilt Papers in Exhibitor’s Name
- July 1:Registered Breeding Ewe Papers in Exhibitor’s Name
- July 15:Kansas State Fair Grand Drive Entry Deadline
- July 25:Kansas State Fair Grand Drive Late Entry Deadline
- August 15:KJLS Entry Deadline
- August 25:KJLS Late Entry Deadline
- September 6 - 8: Kansas State Fair Grand Drive
- September 27-29:Kansas Junior Livestock Show
The 2024 Kansas 4-H Wheat Expo will be held Monday, August 12th at Pottorf Hall in Manhattan, KS. The day includes contests and exhibit opportunities for Crops ID, Photography, Foods, Wheat, Project Displays, and Cloverbuds. Participants will also have the opportunity learn more about Kansas wheat through tours of industry partners. For additional information and to register go the Kansas 4-H event webpage.
Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA) is a national, multi-species youth livestock quality assurance program that covers food safety, animal well-being, and character development. All 4-H and FFA members involved in livestock projects are encouraged to complete YQCA training. All ages are invited!
RSVP: Register in advance of your class at the national YQCA website. Before selecting a class online, you will need to log into a family account. Register at https://yqcaprogram.org/
Cost: $3 per child paid online through the national YQCA website
Pre-Test: Participants need to complete the pre-test online BEFORE attending class in order to earn a YQCA certificate.
How-to Tips: Find a helpful ‘how-to-register’ guide on our Post Rock District 4-H YQCA page: www.postrock.k-state.edu/4-h/yqca/
