Programs & Awards

Ak-Sar-Ben Lamb Challenge

The purpose of The Ak-Sar-Ben Market Lamb Challenge is to provide a one year, educational, interesting and competitive feature for 4-Hers interested in the lamb program at the Ak-Sar-Ben 4-H Livestock Expo. Modeled somewhat after the Catch-a-Calf program, this event will select exhbitors based on an application process which includes agricultural related essay questions. Selected exhibitors will receive an Ak-Sar-Ben purchased lamb to be brought back to the 2009 Expo to exhibit. Exhibitors will be paired with a community leader who will serve as a mentor during the process.

Premier Exhibitor

The purpose of this Award is to provide an opportunity for 4-H exhibitors to demonstrate their project production and management knowledge; strengthen decision making and communication of life skill development; and recognize excellence in the demonstration of project knowledge.

A Premier Exhibitor in the following divisions will be selected: Dairy, Horse, Beef,  Market Lamb and Market Swine.

The following rules will apply for entry.

1. Only 4-H members in good standing who will be a junior in high school or older during the Expo are eligible.
2. Members may only compete in one division and are required to have entries in that division.
3. Candidates will be evaluated on the following basis:
   • 30% Interview - (to be pre-scheduled prior to Expo) Scenario questions will be posed by a panel of judges
   • 35% Skillathon Station - Species specific production and management tasks (i.e., demonstration of actual techniques, feed identification, breed assurance problems, meat cut identification, breed characteristics, reading ear notches, calculating carcass value based on a grid, scoring dairy cows based on the United Score Card, determining frame scores). Study materials for some of the skillathon areas can be found at http://www.ca.uky.edu/agripedia/agmania/
   • 25% Production and Management Quiz - A written exam focusing on practical applications of skills. Click HERE to download the Resource list.
   • 10% Live Placing - Points will be awarded on the highest ribbon received in the showmanship division of competition.

Entry forms will be distributed to the Extension offices in July. They must be completed and returned to the Extension office by August 15th. You will be contacted prior to the 4-H Livestock Expo regarding your scheduled interview time.

Click HERE to download the Premier Exhibitor Entry Form

Winners will be announced during the division shows when possible. Plaques, stipends and ribbons will be awarded.

The OVERALL winner from each division will be eligible during the following year to compete for an $1,000 educational scholarship.

Catch-A-Calf Contest

Approximately 50 Ak-Sar-Ben exhibitors compete to catch 25 calves Sunday morning of the current Ak-Sar-Ben 4-H Livestock Expo. Each exhibitor who catches a calf receives a free calf at a later date. That calf is raised by the exhibitor and is shown at the next year’s Ak-Sar-Ben 4-H Youth Expo.

There are two phases to the educational, two-year Catch-A-Calf program; the catching phase and the production phase.

Catching – The 4-H’er must be at least 13 years old as of January 1 of the current year and must have exhibited at a previous Ak-Sar-Ben 4-H Youth Exposition. He or she must have a beef animal entered at the current Expo and must be eligible for the next year’s Expo.

Production – While raising the animal, each 4-H’er must correspond with his or her sponsor, informing the sponsor of the animal’s progress. Additional interaction between exhibitor and sponsor may take place during the year and at the Expo the following year. Sponsors are business leaders from the Omaha metro area.

Counties are provided a Catch-A-Calf contest application form along with other Expo registration materials.

Click HERE to download the Catch-a-Calf Entry Form

J. L. Thurmond Superior Showmanship Award

The Jess Thurmond Memorial presents $150 to the champion showman, $100 to the reserve champion showman and $50 to the third place showman in each of the following divisions: breeding beef, dairy, lamb, swine, market beef and feeder calf.

4-H Youth Ambassador Contest

Ambassadors’ terms will be for one year. They will assist at the livestock show, help with school tours, appear in the River City roundup Parade and attend the Purple Ribbon Auction. Following the Ak-Sar-Ben 4-H Youth Exposition they will serve as role models and share information about 4-H and Ak-Sar-Ben through speaking engagements and media interviews. Each Ambassador will receive a $1,000 scholarship at the end of their term.

Preliminary evaluations are based on the information contained on the entry form and portfolio material. The completed entry forms are due in County Extension offices by August 15. Seven finalists will be chosen and notified by September 1.

The Ak-Sar-Ben 4-H Youth Ambassador program is sponsored by John and Carmen Gottschalk of Omaha. John Gottschalk is chairman and president of the Omaha World-Herald Co. and publisher of the Omaha World-Herald.

Click HERE to download the Youth Ambassador Entry Form