Dairy Judging Contest

*Special note: This contest is in collaboration with the Nebraska FFA Dairy Cattle Evaluation & Management contest. Youth may  participate in both the 4-H and FFA portions of the contest. For questions regarding the FFA Dairy Cattle Evaluation Contest, please see the FFA Dairy Cattle Evaluation & Management website. 

Contest Schedule and Rules

Schedule/Components: 

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon (1 hour) – Lunch on your own 
12:00 – 12:15 p.m. (15 minutes) – Contest Registration 
12:15 – 12:30 p.m. (15 minutes) – Contest Orientation 
12:30 – 2:00 p.m. (1 hour 30 minutes) – Judging Contest (Contestants compete as individuals) 

  • Senior Contestants: Six classes of dairy cattle (300 points – 50 points per class) 
  • Intermediate Contestants: Six classes of dairy cattle (300 points – 50 points per class) 
  • Junior Contestants: Six classes of dairy cattle (300 points – 50 points per class) 

Note: Judging classes may include any of the following breeds: Ayrshire, Brown Swiss, Guernsey, Holstein, Jersey, and/or Milking Shorthorn, and may consist of heifers or cows. 

2:00 – 2:15 p.m. (15 minutes) – Break 
2:15 – 4:00 p.m. (1 hour 45 minutes) – Oral Reasons (Intermediate and Senior Only) 

  • Senior Contestants: Three sets of oral reasons (150 points – 50 points per set) 
  • Intermediate Contestants: One set of oral reasons (50 points) 

Contest results will be announced following the conclusion of oral reasons and completion of tabulation. Time and location will be announced during the contest. 

General Contest Rules: 

  1. Contestants are required to furnish their own note pads and pencils. 
  2. Prepared judging aids are NOT allowed. 
  3. During oral reasons, contestants are strongly discouraged to hold any card or paper that will assist in presenting to the officials; doing so may result in a score deduction. 
  4. Contestants may not communicate with others while the contest is in progress, except as directed by contest officials.
  5. A brief orientation will be held 15 minutes prior to the start of the contest (12:15 p.m.) to review rules and procedures.

Dress Code: 

  1. Contestants are required to wear long jeans/pants and closed toed shoes with non-slip soles. 
  2. Contestants shall not display local, county, commercial or other identification. 
  3. Contestants are required to wear the official Nebraska State Fair 4-H or FFA T-shirt. 
  4. No hats, caps or other types of headgear are to be worn during any portion of the contest. 

State Fair Eligibility

Eligibility: 

  1. The contest will be divided into the following age divisions: 

       Junior: 8–10 years old as of January 1 of the current year 

       Intermediate: 11–13 years old as of January 1 of the current year 

       Senior: 14–18 years old as of January 1 of the current year 

  1. 4-H members may participate in the 4-H Dairy Judging Contest regardless of project enrollment. 
  2. The final year of eligibility is the final year of 4-H membership regardless of year in school. 
  3. 4-H members who have competed with a collegiate judging team or those who have completed college-level courses specific to the contest subject matter are ineligible to compete in 4-H contests. (Examples include completion of a college-level dairy judging class or participation with a community college dairy judging team would eliminate eligibility for the contest.) Individuals who have represented Nebraska at a national dairy judging contest (World Dairy Expo or NAILE) may return to judge at the state level as individuals or on a team. 
  4. Individuals who have competed and represented Nebraska at a national contest (National 4-H Dairy Judging Contest held during the World Dairy Exposition (EXPO) in Madison, Wisconsin or Dairy Judging at the North American International Livestock Exposition (NAILE) in Louisville, Kentucky) are eligible to return to the state contest and judge as an individual and on a team. 

4-H and FFA Entry Information: 

  1. Enrolled 4-H members will register for the 4-H portion of the Dairy Judging Contest using the same Google Form as FFA participants. Please note: 4-H participants will not use ShoWorks for this contest.  
  2. Youth may participate in both the 4-H and FFA portions of the contest. Youth must meet both 4-H and FFA eligibility requirements. If a youth is participating as both a 4-H and FFA member, they must register separately for each contest (once for FFA and once for 4-H), and a $5 entry fee will apply for each.  
  3. Contestants must be pre-registered by August 10. A pre-registration is required for all contests. For more information on participating in the 4-H Dairy Judging Contest, please contact your local Extension Office.  

2026 Link to Register: Nebraska State FFA & 4-H Dairy Evaluation Entry Form

4-H Team Entries: 

  1. Teams will be divided into the following divisions: 

       Junior Teams: 8–10 years old 

       Intermediate Teams: 11–13 years old 

       Senior Teams: 14–18 years old 

  1. Teams consist of three or four 4-H members. 
  2. Team composition must be designated before the contest. Contestants may also compete as individuals. 
  3. The three highest individual scores will determine the team score. 
  4. Youth may only compete on a team in their primary county or in combination with an adjacent county. 
  5. Counties entering teams must coordinate with Extension staff when recruiting members from other counties. 
  6. There is no limit to the number of teams or individual participants a county may enter. 

State Fair Quota

  • 4-H QUOTA: No limit of teams a county may enter or number of individual judges.

State Fair Special Award/Honor

Awards:  

Individuals 

  • Banners will be awarded to the top 3 individuals in the Senior, Intermediate, and Junior Divisions. 
  • Placing Ribbons: 1st through 5th in each age division. 
  • The highest-scoring Senior Division individual will be eligible for a $500 University of Nebraska–Lincoln CASNR Scholarship. 
  • Monetary awards will be given based on annual sponsorships. 

Teams 

  • Ribbons will be awarded to each team member of the Champion and Reserve highest point teams in the Senior, Intermediate, and Junior Divisions. 

Note: 4-H junior, intermediate, and senior teams, FFA teams, 4-H junior, intermediate, and senior individuals, and FFA individuals will be scored separately. Awards will be distributed separately for each division. 

National Representation: 

The team determination is yet to be finalized for 2026 and will be announced at a later date.  

The eligible team will be selected to represent Nebraska at the following contests, alternating by year: 

  • Even Years: National 4-H Dairy Cattle Judging Contest, World Dairy Expo (Madison, WI) 
  • Odd Years: North American International Livestock Exposition (Louisville, KY) 
  • This statement is under review as it will depend on the team determination for 2026. In the event that a county or youth declines a trip, the next highest ranking eligible team or youth will be offered the trip. A team must rank no lower than 5th overall in the State contest to be offered a national trip. A youth must rank no lower than the top 50% of participants. 
  • To represent Nebraska at a regional or national 4-H contest, all members of the team entered in the qualifying state contest (including the alternate on a four-member team) must have reached their 14th birthday and not passed their 19th birthday by January 1 of the current year and all (including the alternate) must meet the requirements of the regional or national contest in which they participate.  
  • Once a youth has competed at NAILE, they are ineligible to compete at NAILE again but are still eligible to earn an opportunity to compete at EXPO should they qualify at a future state contest. 
  • Once a youth has competed at EXPO, they are ineligible to compete at both the North American International Livestock Exposition (NAILE) and the National 4-H Dairy Cattle Judging Contest (EXPO). 
  • Final decisions regarding team invitations will be at the discretion of the Nebraska State 4-H Office and Contest Superintendents. 

Scoresheets, Forms, and Contest Study Materials

Scoresheets, forms, contest study materials, and additional resources can be found at https://go.unl.edu/ne4hdairyjudgingcontest. 

Superintendents

4-H Dairy Judging Contest Superintendent: Brandy Schulze, State 4-H Office 

FFA Dairy Cattle Evaluation Contest Superintendent: Mike Roeber, Northeast Community College

For questions regarding the FFA Dairy Cattle Evaluation Contest, please contact Mike Roeber, 402-844-7183, mikesr@northeast.edu 

For 4-H questions, contact: 

4-H Fairbook | Nebraska State Fair