Fifty-six 4-H Members Win Premier Exhibitor Awards for 2022

BROOKINGS, S.D. – Fifty-six South Dakota 4-H members won Premier Exhibitor Awards this year in their respective animal projects.  

Competitors in all three 4-H age divisions received awards in four categories: Large Animal (beef, sheep, swine, meat goat); Dairy and Small Animal (dairy goat, dairy cattle, rabbit, poultry); Horse; and Dog. The top five in the Large Animal and Small Animal divisions received a cash award.

The Premier Exhibitor Awards celebrate and recognize well-rounded youth accomplishment in 4-H animal projects. In each category, participants must compete in state-level showmanship, a class (performance or market/breeding), and skill-a-thon knowledge contest. 

Scores from each competition contribute to the overall premier exhibitor score. Each event is worth 100 points, with a maximum of 300 points available for the division award. The winner in each age division receives 100 points; second place receives 97 points, with third through fifth places receiving similarly graded scores. After that, all purple ribbon winners receive 85 points, blue ribbon winners receive 80 points, red ribbons receive 75 points, and white ribbons receive 70 points. If the 4-H member competes in more than one performance or market/breeding class, the participant’s top ribbon placing is used to determine their points for that event. In the skill-a-thon, the adjusted score uses each contestant’s five best stations.

Kasee Hieb, SDSU Extension 4-H Agri-Workforce Coordinator, said this rewards youth who demonstrate a balance of knowledge, ability, and work ethic.

Nearly 150 youth participated in the competition this year, and Hieb hopes to see that number grow even more next year. 

“These youth did a wonderful job this year,” said Hieb. “They are pushing themselves to be the best of the best, and it is so much fun to see learning happen across the full spectrum of 4-H events.”