The Nebraska 4‑H State Rodeo for 4‑H’ers ages 8–18 will be held Friday Oct. 31 and Saturday, Nov. 1, in Lincoln at the Sandhills Global Event Center ‑ LivestockMarket Arena. This year’s event is held in conjunction with the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Rodeo Fall Jackpots and includes a bonus Halloween Costume Triathlon Event on Friday night where contestants will breakaway rope a calf, run the cloverleaf barrel pattern and tie a goat — prizes will be awarded based on time and creativity, including a Top Costume Award.
The 4‑H State Rodeo hosted by the UNL Rodeo Team offers youth an opportunity to showcase their skills in working with their equine partners through speed and agility contests.
To enter the Nebraska 4‑H State Rodeo, all exhibitors must complete the Horsemanship Advancement Level requirements and entry process by Oct. 31. Horse identification forms are due to the Lancaster County Extension office by Oct. 25. Horse IDs previously submitted in 2025 are valid for this event.
Entries will be open in 4‑H Online at https://4honline.com from Oct. 15–27. Youth will need to enroll and be approved in 4‑H Online by their primary county BEFORE they will be able to register for these events in 4‑H Online.
No late entries will be accepted. No refunds will be given. Before entering, please review all the Nebraska State 4‑H Rodeo rules, regulations and procedures and the current Nebraska 4‑H Horse Show and Judging Guide.
For more information and online entry process, go to https://4h.unl.edu/statewide-events-opportunities/horse-program/horse-rodeo. Youth can pay for stalls and wood shavings as part of their entry process.
Camping reservation can be made with the Sandhills Global Event Center at https://sandhillsglobaleventcenter.org/visitors/camping.
If you have questions about the event, contact Wyatt Clark at wclark8@unl.edu or 308‑520‑6750