Contests Date: August 30, 2008
Bob Devaney Sports Center

To register for any of these contests,
you must contact your county Extension Office.

Horticulture Contest | Grass, Forb, Crop and Weed Identification Contest | Tree Identification Contest

Contest Schedule | Results

Horticulture Contest

Registration Deadline: Friday, August 8, 2008
Contest Date: Saturday, August 30, 2008
Contest Start Time: 8:00-9:30 am
Entry Fee: $5 per individual for each entry (i.e., if a 4-H'er participates in all three contests, their fee is $15) payable to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

General Rules: General rules from the 4-H section of the Nebraska State Fair apply.

4 -H'ers must be 12 as of January 1, 2008 to participate.

2008 4-H Plant list (PDF File)

2008 Horticulure Contest Rules

Participants may enter as an individual and as members of a team. A team consists of 3 to 4 individuals with the total scores of the three high individuals making the team score. Membership of the team must be designated if team competition is intended. There are three team/individual divisions – Intermediate (12-14 years old by January 1 of the current year), Senior (15-18 by January 1 of the current year), and Honors (those participants who have participated in the national contest).

Contestants will be required to identify plant specimens from two categories – landscape ornamentals and vegetables, fruits, nuts and herbs. A plant list can be found at: http://www.agronomy.unl.edu/newoutreach/youthprograms/4Hplantlist2008.pdf. Study guides can also be found at this site. Specimens will consist of the most common plant parts typically include leaves and stem, but some may only have flowers, seed, or root structures. Participants will be given a plant list during the contest.

Superintendent: Anne Streich, astrich1@unl.edu

Grass, Forb, Crop and Weed Identification Contest

Registration Deadline: Friday, August 8, 2008
Contest Date: August 30, 2008
Contest Start Time: 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Entry Fee: $5 per individual for each entry (i.e., if a 4-H'er participates in all three contests, their fee is $15) payable to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

General Rules: General rules from the 4-H section of the Nebraska State Fair apply.

4 -H'ers must be 12 as of January 1, 2008 to participate.

Plant material for the contest will be specimens selected from the list below.

4-H Grass, Forb, Crop and Weed ID List (PDF File)

Contest Guidelines:

Participants may enter as an individual and as members of a team. A team consists of 3 to 4 individuals with the total scores of the three high individuals making the team score. Membership of the team must be designated if team competition is intended.

Contestants will be required to identify the plant specimens by accepted common name.  Specimens will consist of a minimum of leaves and stem, but may also include flowers, seed, or roots structures.  Accepted common names are in the Plant List. All grass and weed plants on the list are described in either the Weeds of the Great Plains (published by Nebraska Department of Agriculture, (402) 471-2394, Cost: $25.00) or in Common Grasses of Nebraska, EC170, (published by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu, Cost: $5.00).  There is not currently a crop identification guide available.

Superintendent: Mark Bernards
mbernards2@unl.edu

State 4-H Tree Identification Contest

Registration Deadline: Friday, August 8, 2008
Contest Date: Saturday, August 30, 2008
Contest Start Time: 11:00-12:00 pm
Entry Fee: $5 per individual for each entry (i.e., if a 4-H'er participates in all three contests, their fee is $15) payable to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Superintendent: Dennis Adams

ELIGIBILITY

• Contestants must be 4-H members at the time of the contest.
• Contestants must be at least 12 years of age at the time of the contest. The final year of eligibility is the calendar year in which high school graduation occurs.
• Contestants must be pre-registered and have paid the required entry fee.
• Contestant eligibility will be verified by county extension staff.
• Past high point individuals (i.e., Gold Medal Winners) may compete for individual and/or team honors.

RULES

• Contestants will identify 40 tree samples described in the Tree Identification Manual (4-H 332).
• Contestants will be required to identify samples by common name only, but knowledge of scientific names is encouraged.
• Contestants will be allowed to touch samples during the contest.
• Ties will be broken with supplemental "tie breaker" questions.
• No contestant will be admitted into the contest room after the contest has been in progress for 10 minutes.
• Special arrangements must be made with the superintendent at least one week in advance.
• Individuals and/or teams may enter. A team consists of 3 or 4 individuals. The sum of the 3 high individual scores will be the team score. Team registration must be confirmed prior to the contest.
• Contestants must bring their own pencil or pen.

AWARDS

Individual:

• Participation Ribbons: all contestants according to the number of correctly identified samples: 36-40 (Purple), 26-35 (Blue), 16-25 (red), 0-15 (White)
• Medals: Gold (1st), Silver (2nd), Bronze (3rd)
• Placement Ribbons: 1st through 10th place individual ribbons

Team:

• Placement Ribbons: 1st through 5th place team ribbons (each member)