Important 4-H Deadlines that fall on Tuesday, July 1:
• Horse Advancement Levels due to Extension office or lancaster4h@unl.edu or kpulec3@unl.edu.
• 4‑H and FFA entries for animal classes at the Lancaster County Super Fair are due July 1 at 11:59 p.m.
• Those showing your own animal for Clover Kids Animal Showmanship at the Lancaster County Super Fair must reserve a stall/pen online for said animal by July 1 at 11:59 p.m.
HORSEMANSHIP ADVANCEMENT LEVEL TESTING:
To participate in Horse classes at the Lancaster County Super Fair, youth must complete "horsemanship advancement level tests," which comprise of a written and riding examination. There are four levels of advancement tests, each requiring its own exam. Different classes require different levels of advancement; consult the fair book for specific requirements.
Horsemanship advancement level group testings are offered, free of charge, on Tuesdays June 17 and June 24 at the Sandhills Global Event Center. Preregistration is required; sign up by emailing Kate Pulec at kpulec3@unl.edu at least one week prior to the event. These group testings are held in the evening; time slots are emailed in advance. All other horsemanship level requirements and paperwork must be completed and handed in to Kate at the Extension office before the riding portion can be done.
If youth are unable to attend the group testings, they may fulfill their level requirements with a 4-H certified instructor. Contact Kate at kpulec3@unl.edu for more information. Lists of certified instructors by level are available at https://4h.unl.edu/statewide-events-opportunities/horse-program/horsemanship-advancement/, (see the right-side column titled "Resources").
Regardless, all level requirements are due to the Extension office or kpulec3@unl.edu no later than Tuesday, July 1, no exceptions.
2025 LANCASTER COUNTY 4‑H & FFA ANIMAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SUPER AND STATE FAIRS:
All 4‑H & FFA animal entries for the Lancaster County Super Fair must be entered online through ShoWorks at https://go.unl.edu/lcsf-animalentries. The link activates and animal entries may be submitted online starting on Wednesday, June 18. Deadline is Tuesday, July 1, 11:59 p.m. This includes stall/pen requests and livestock/poultry exhibitor T‑shirt sizes. Registration website, details and step‑by‑step instruction guide are at https://lancaster.unl.edu/4h/fair/animals/#entries. No late entries will be accepted! Only parents/guardians and 4‑H members may submit animal entries. Youth must be/have been enrolled at https://4honline.com by Sunday, June 15.
Note: Do not use feedback through ShoWorks for comments or questions about entries. If you have questions about the process, call 402‑441‑7180 or email lancaster4h@unl.edu. (See handout, which has all deadlines, events and identification requirements for showing animals at the Lancaster County Super Fair and State Fair online at https://go.unl.edu/lan4h-animal-req.)
Stall/Pen Reservations:
For beef, bucket calves, dairy cattle, swine, sheep, meat goats, dairy & pygmy goats and horse entries, you must submit stall/pen requests during the online entry process or you will be assigned stalls/pens (requests are subject to space and availability). During online entry, look for ‘_Stalls and Pens_’ as the first option under division (species). Please submit 1 ‘_Stalls and Pens_’ item per animal species. Rabbits, poultry and cats are assigned cages based on entry numbers.
Livestock/Poultry Exhibitor T‑Shirt Sizes:
Livestock and poultry exhibitors will each receive a free T‑shirt at the Super Fair courtesy of sponsors. During animal entry online, T‑shirt sizes will be required for livestock and poultry exhibitors prior to check out. T‑shirts will be available for pickup during the Lancaster County Super Fair at the livestock office.
Tips:
• For rabbits, notice there are 4 rabbit divisions. If you can’t find the class you are looking for, try the other rabbit divisions. If you plan to enter 15 rabbits, you will need to submit 15 entries.
• For horses, if you plan to enter 12 horse classes, you will need to submit 12 entries plus 1 for stalls and pens.
CLOVER KIDS ANIMAL SHOWMANSHIP STALL/PEN RESERVATIONS
New this year! Clover Kids ages 5–7 (by Jan. 1 of the current year) may bring their own livestock (weighing less than 350 pounds), poultry and rabbit(s) to exhibit in a 4‑H Clover Kids Showmanship class at the Lancaster County Super Fair. Learn more on page 15 of the 2025 Lancaster County Super Fair Book at https://lancaster.unl.edu/4h/fair/.
To participate, an animal ID must be submitted by June 15 (poultry do not require an ID). Unlike livestock exhibitors ages 8–18, Clover Kids do not need to complete the Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA) requirements. Clover Kid Animal Showmanship exhibitors may chose to bring their animal(s) to fair in one of two ways:
1) By following animal 4‑H & FFA exhibitor load-in and load-out guidelines, found on page 54 of the Fair Book.
2) Arriving with their animals day‑of the species show. Animals arriving day‑of‑show must be in stalls by 8 a.m. and may be released at completion of the show.
For either method, please request a stall/pen by emailing lancaster4h@unl.edu by July 1. Contact Madelaine Polk at mpolk2@unl.edu or 402‑441‑7180 with questions about Livestock and Poultry and Kate Pulec at kpulec3@unl.edu or 402‑441‑7180 with questions about Rabbits.
Note: If the animal in question will be shown in an official class by a 4-H'er ages 8–18, you do not need to submit an additional animal ID or pen/stall request to show it in a Clover Kids Animals Showmanship class. You will need to follow the official livestock load-in and load-out procedures, found on pages 54–55 of the fair book.