2026 State Fair
Date: Wednesday, September 2 – Monday, September 7, 2026
Location: South Dakota State Fairgrounds, Huron
Registration Deadline: August 1, 2026
SDSU Extension’s 4-H Youth Development Program helps young people to reach their full potential as competent, confident leaders of character who contribute and are connected to their communities.
In 4-H, youth design and participate in their own projects and related activities. This unique learn-by-doing model teaches essential skills that youth will use throughout their lives. Whether a young person builds a rocket, raises a companion pet, or plants vegetables, 4-H gives youth the skills they need to thrive and succeed.
Featured Resources
State Fair Book
4HOnline & FairEntry
South Dakota State Fair Website
Books, Forms and Scoresheets
Items are scoresheets unless otherwise labeled. Forms and worksheets are marked with a *.
4-H Ribbons Explained
4-H encourages all members to "make the best better." An essential role of volunteer judges is to provide feedback to exhibitors on how projects could or should be improved, allowing members to expand their knowledge in a project area.
Use this video as a resource to better understand the Danish system of judging, which compares an exhibit to the ideal standards.
Visit 4-H Judging Resources to review the hot sheets on judging basics, judging 4-H exhibits and providing feedback.
policies and forms
- 4-H Youth Experience in Animal Projects – Purposes
- South Dakota 4-H Animal Lease Form and Requirements*
- Animal Ownership and Identification Guide
- Premier Livestock Exhibitor Award
- 4-H Livestock Project Feed, Worming and Weight Logs*
LIVESTOCK SKILL-A-THON
Scoresheets and Resources
- Display Exhibits Entry Form*
- Educational Displays and Posters
- Child Development and Family Life
- Clothing and Textiles
- Companion Animal - Display Exhibit
- Computers and Technology
- Electricity
- First Aid
- Food Preservation
- Foods and Nutrition
- General 4-H Projects
- Geology & Minerals Guide
- Hobbies and Collections
- Home Environment
- Horticulture, Gardening and Landscaping
- Music and Dance
- Photography
- Plant Science: Crops and Weeds
- Poultry and Eggs
- New Ranger Guide to South Dakota Rangeland
- Sheep and Wool
- Visual Arts
- Welding Science
- Wood Science
Past Results
Results, recognition and photos from past State Fair 4-H competitions can be viewed below.
Livestock
Beef
Dairy Cattle
Goats
- Dairy Goat
- Dairy Goat Showmanship
- Commercial Breeding Meat Goat
- Registered Breeding Meat Goat
- Registered & Commercial Breeding Meat Goat Showmanship
- Market Meat Goat
- Wether Dam Breeding Meat Goat
- Wether Dam & Market Meat Goat Showmanship
Small Animal
Sheep
Swine
View photos in the 2024 State Fair album.
Livestock
Beef
Dairy Cattle
Goats
- Dairy Goat
- Dairy Goat Showmanship
- Commercial Breeding Meat Goat
- Registered Breeding Meat Goats
- Registered and Commercial Breeding Meat Goat Showmanship
- Market Meat Goat
- Wether Dam & Market Meat Goat Showmanship
- Wether Dam Breeding Meat Goat
Small Animal
Sheep
Swine
Display Exhibits
Youth in Action
- Dairy Skill-A-Thon
- Family and Consumer Sciences (Consumer Decision Making) Skill-A-Thon
- Fashion Revue
- Horticulture Skill-A-Thon
- Poultry Skill-A-Thon
- Public Presentations
- Special Foods
- Rabbit Skill-A-Thon
- Robotics Showcase
- STEM Challenge
- Youth in Action Mastery Showcase
Premier Exhibitor
View photos in the 2023 State Fair album.
Livestock
Beef
Dairy Cattle
Goats
Small Animal
Sheep
Swine
Premier Exhibitor
View photos in the 2022 State Fair album.
Livestock
Beef
Dairy Cattle
Goats
Small Animals
Sheep
Swine
View photos in the 2021 State Fair album.
Livestock
Beef
Dairy Cattle
Goats
Small Animal
Sheep
Swine
View photos in the 2020 4-H State Fair album.
Livestock
Beef
Dairy Cattle
Goats
Small Animal
Sheep
Swine
Display Exhibits
- Participation (sorted by county)
- Judged (final-year members)
View photos in the 2019 4-H State Fair album.
Livestock
Beef
- Breeding Beef
- Market Beef
- Market Beef Ultrasound
- Beef Showmanship
- Herdsmanship: 1) McPherson, 2) Brule, 3) Hamlin
Dairy Cattle
Goats
- Dairy Goat Showmanship
- Dairy Goat
- Breeding Meat Goat
- Market Meat Goat
- Meat Goat Showmanship
- Herdsmanship: 1) Kingsbury, 2) Brule, 3) Potter
Small Animal
Sheep
- Breeding Sheep
- Sheep Showmanship
- Market Sheep
- Herdsmanship: 1) Sanborn, 2) Aurora, 3) Brookings
Swine
- Market Swine Showmanship
- Market Swine
- Herdsmanship: 1) Potter, 2) Clark, 3) Hutchinson
View photos in the 2018 4-H State Fair album.
Livestock
Beef
- Breeding Beef Show
- Market Beef Show
- Market Beef Ultrasound
- Beef Showmanship
- Herdsmanship: 1) Clay, 2) Davison, 3) Miner
Dairy Cattle
Goats
- Dairy Goat Show
- Dairy Goat Showmanship
- Breeding Meat Goat Show
- Market Meat Goat Show
- Meat Goat Showmanship
- Herdsmanship: 1) Kingsbury, 2) Brule, 3) Turner
Small Animals
Sheep
- Breeding Sheep
- Market Sheep
- Sheep Showmanship
- Herdsmanship: 1) Codington, 2) Clay, 3) Hutchinson
Swine
- Market Swine
- Market Swine Showmanship
- Herdsmanship: 1) Potter, 2) Bon Homme, 3) Miner
Static Exhibits
- All Results (sorted by county)
