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Over 1,700 4-H, FFA exhibits entered in next week's Achievement Show

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A Clayton County 4-H and FFA Achievement Show will take place next week, as an alternative for the county fair. The event will give local youth an opportunity to showcase the hard work they’ve put into their projects. (File photo)

The Clayton County Extension Council, Youth Development Committee and Extension staff have put together a Clayton County 4-H and FFA Achievement Show that will take place next week at the Clayton County Fairgrounds in National. 

The event is an alternative for the Clayton County Fair, which was postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions and safety concerns, and will give local youth an alternative to showcase the hard work they’ve put into their projects.

Spectators for the event will be limited. To protect the health and safety of those in attendance, the Achievement Show will follow Iowa Department of Public Health and CDC recommendations for social distancing, handwashing and sanitization.

According to Clayton County’s 4-H and Youth Program Coordinator, Tammy Muller,  283 Clayton County 4-H and FFA members have entered 1,732 exhibits for the competition. Entries are at 60 percent from the previous years, with horse and poultry entries showing an increase.

The total includes 456 non-livestock exhibits in areas like agriculture and natural resources, expressive arts, family and consumer sciences, personal development and science, mechanics and engineering. There are also 39 Clover Kid exhibits, 27 fashion revue/clothing selections/$15 challenge exhibits and 15 4-H communications projects.

Static exhibits will be contact-free judging this year, so youth will not interact with the judges. Youth will drop off their exhibits and goal sheets on Monday, Aug. 3, and judges will evaluate exhibits and give written comments on Tuesday, Aug. 4. 

All Clover Kid static exhibits and pets will be conference judged on Wednesday, Aug. 5, from 1 to 5 p.m. Clubs will have assigned times. Exhibits will be judged in the Schulte Complex and the pets will be judged in the large arena at the fairgrounds. 

The static exhibits will not be displayed. As a result, the North Iowa Times-Clayton County Register encourages exhibitors to submit photos or videos of themselves with their projects, along with a brief description, to niteditor@mhtc.net or on the newspaper’s Facebook pages (North Iowa Times or Clayton County Register). The photos will be shared on social media and may be featured in the paper’s special Achievement Show section.

Livestock shows will be same day events—the animals will check in, show and leave the same day. A veterinarian will be on the grounds during check in to ensure the health of the animals. Exhibitors will check in and weigh in at scheduled times, prepare their animals, wait for show class programs and then participate in the show. All animals will leave the fairgrounds after their show. No exhibitors or animals will be on the fairgrounds overnight. 

Sheep and meat goats will show first on Tuesday, Aug. 4. This year’s sheep entries include four market pens, 11 market individuals and 23 breeding sheep. Thirty-four breeding meat goats and 27 market meat goats have been entered.

On Wednesday, Aug. 5, the horse show will take place along with the pet show and other animals judging. The horse show will feature 51 halter classes, 69 performance classes and 83 timed events.

The swine and dog shows are scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 6. The swine show will include 22 non-derby pens, 72 non-derby individuals and 17 breeding gilts. At the dog show, there will be 43 agility entries and 31 in obedience.

On Friday, Aug. 7, rabbits, bucket bottle calves, dairy cattle and dairy goats will be judged. Seventy rabbits have been entered in the Achievement Show, and there are five bucket bottle calves, 101 dairy and 11 dairy goats.

On Saturday, Aug. 8, the poultry show will be held, featuring 73 exhibits.

The achievement show will conclude with the beef show on Sunday, Aug. 9. It will include 104 market beeves and 81 breeding beef.

For more information on the 4-H and FFA Achievement Show, visit www.extension.iastate.edu/clayton or call the Extension office at (563) 245-1451. Find photos and results in the Times-Register’s special Achievement Show section, which will be released Aug. 19, and on the newspaper’s social media pages.

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