Horticulture Identification Contest | Nebraska 4-H

For questions, contact:

Elizabeth Exstrom, elizabeth.exstrom@unl.edu

The 4-H Horticulture Identification Contest will require 4-H members to use their knowledge about horticulture to identify a variety of specimens and complete a written exam. Scores will be determined by a Hormel calculator. 4-H members will complete the written test portion of the contests online prior to the state fair. Through the identification 4-H members will learn more about horticulture and the skill set it requires to decipher the best samples.

Rules

4-H members may enter as an individual and as members of a team. A team consists of three to four 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.
A team will compete at the level of the oldest team member, e.g., if a member of a team is in the Senior division, the team and its individuals will compete in the Senior division, even if some members of the team are of Intermediate division age.
4-H members compete according to their age, unless they are an Intermediate aged member of a Senior team, see above.
4-H members will not be allowed to touch the samples during the contest.
4-H members must bring their own pencil or pen and clipboard.
All 4-H members participating in the contest participants must wear the official State Fair 4-H T-shirt. T-shirts will be provided at each contest check-in and are to be worn during the contest and awards.
4-H members will be required to participate in all of the following portions:

Identification- 4-H members will identify the plant specimens by accepted common name as defined by the “Identification Answer Sheet.” Participants will be given a plant list to use at the contest.

Two points will be possible for each specimen. The junior division will identify 25 samples from the Vegetable section. Intermediate division will identify 50 samples (25 from each of the following sections: Landscape Ornamentals and Fruits, Nuts & Berries); Senior division will identify 100 samples (25 from each of the four sections: Vegetables, Flowers & Indoor Plants, Fruits, Nuts & Berries; and Landscape Ornamentals).

Specimens may be alive or preserved plant parts such as, but not limited to: stems, twigs, leaves, flowers, seeds, fruits, roots, bulbs, tubers, or plant products.

Judging/Placing- 4-H members will be asked to rank class(es) of items from best to worst based upon a set of criteria. Junior and Intermediate divisions will judge one class, and Senior division will judge two classes, each class is worth 50 points. Classes of four (4) plates each will be judged on the basis of condition, quality, uniformity, true-to-type, and size. Classes can be taken from the list of four groups to be judged (fruits and nuts, vegetables and herbs, flowering and indoor plants, and woody ornamentals). Scores will be determined by a Hormel calculator. Oral reasons are not part of this contest.
Exam- Participants will complete a multiple choice/ true false exam worth two points per question. Junior and Intermediate divisions will receive a test with up to 25 questions; Senior division will receive a test with up to 50 questions. Questions will test the contestant's knowledge of cultural practices for horticultural crops, plant science, pesticides, horticultural careers and other topics related to the production, processing and consumption of horticultural crops.
Contestants will complete the written test portion of the contests online prior to the Nebraska State Fair. 4-H members will take the online test at their local Extension office so Extension staff can proctor the exam. The tests will be available beginning August 13th and will need to be completed by Wednesday, August 20, 2025.
Ties will be broken based upon identification scores.

Advance Entry

Both team members must register on the state fair website by the August 10th deadline.

Entry Fees

Refer to the general rules at 4h.unl.edu/fairbook/general/rules.

Contest Schedule

Time slots will be determined following the advance entry deadline. Specific competition times may be requested, but cannot be guaranteed.

Eligibility

4-H member eligibility:

4-H members must be 8 years old before January 1 of the current year.
4-H members must be enrolled in 4-H by the June 15 enrollment deadline. Past high point individuals (i.e. - Gold Medal Winners) may compete for individual and/or team honors.
4-H members are selected and compete in a national contest based on their individual placing in the state level contest (rather than county team placing). Eligible 4-H members are only able to compete once for the Nebraska 4-H national team and may return to the state contest to judge as an individual or participate on a county team.
Both team members must register on the state fair website by the August 10th deadline.
Participants will be notified of the location of the contest prior to the Nebraska State Fair.
General rules from the 4-H section of the Nebraska State Fair apply.
General rules from State 4-H Fairbook apply find them at https://4h.unl.edu/fairbook/general/rules.

Quota

Not defined in this contest.

Scoresheets, Forms, and Contest Study Materials

Scoresheets, forms, contest study materials, and additional resources can be found at https://go.unl.edu/ne4hhorticultureidcontest.

Special Awards

Individual

Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals will be awarded to the top three individuals in each division of the State 4-H Horticulture Identification contest.
Top four Senior individuals will be eligible to represent Nebraska at the National Junior Horticulture Judging Association Contest at its annual Convention.
The team selected for Nationals in Horticulture Judging will consist of eligible Senior division youth in the top ten placings and receiving a purple ribbon (starting with first place and going down).
Placing ribbons will be awarded to the top 10 individuals in each division of the State 4-H Horticulture Identification contest.

Team

Ribbons will be awarded to each team member of the top three teams.

Horticulture ID Contest

Class

Age divisions will be determined by their 4-H age, the age of the youth before January 1 of the current year.

F500013 Junior: Ages 8-10

F500015 Intermediate: Ages 11-13

F500017 Senior: Ages 14-18

Superintendents

Exstrom, Elizabeth