Post Rock District 4-H Events
We are excited to provide a listing of many current and upcoming events and activities available for Post Rock District 4-H members. There are so many opportunities in 4-H, and we may have missed some below. If you notice an opportunity missing, contact a Post Rock District Office.
Event Resources
2026 4-H Event Listing
State & District 4-H News and additional information concerning these events, see our Newsletter
April
Osborne County 4-H Council is hosting a Bucket Calf Showmanship Clinic. Post Rock District 4-H members are welcome to attend. The workshop is Sunday, April 26, 4:00 to 5:00 p.m at the Osborne County Fairgrounds Covered Arena in Osborne. Kansas 4-H and K-State Admissions are partnering to help youth and their families confidently navigate the college journey. Through a series of interactive sessions, participants will gain a clear understanding of the college preparation process, explore strategies for financing education - including scholarships, loans, and other resources - and learn how students are supported both academically and personally, from both the student's and parent's perspective. Sessions will also focus on "beginning with the end in mind," equipping youth with tools to prepare for life after college, create personalized plans, and take ownership of their future. In addition, open office hours will provide families with direct access to experts for questions and guidance, ensuring every student feels prepared and empowered for success. These sessions will be targeted at 4-H parents of juniors and seniors in high school; 4-H members are also encouraged to attend. Sessions will not be recorded to maintain the privacy and confidentiality of participants. Registration information will be emailed directly to families via 4-H Online. For questions, please email the State 4-H Office at kansas4h@ksu.edu. Upcoming Sessions (all 6:00-7:00 p.m. via Zoom): Smith County 4-H Council is organizing a goat showmanship clinic on April 26 at 3:30 p.m. The clinic will take place at the Smith County Fairgrounds. This will be a hands-on experience with handling goats, among other skill learning opportunities. There will be a class for beginners, in the middle, and one for more advanced showmen looking to improve their skills and knowledge. They invite youth from across Post Rock District to participate. You can sign up for the clinic at K-State Qualtrics. Direct questions to Emma The Northwest 4-H Advisory is hosting Homeschool STEM Field Days. Each event will take place from 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.. It includes hands-on experiential learning stations including topics related to baking science, animal science - cattle (at the Hays location), 4-wheeler safety, pollinators, natural fabric dyeing, and more! Find more details on the flyer posted on our event webpage. Online registration is due April 6. The Livestock County Fair Management Clinic will be hosted April 13 & 16, 2026, virtually, from 7:00- The K-State Junior Producer Days focus on beef and sheep in even years and swine and meat goat in odd years. These are one-day, educational events for families to learn about the selection and management of youth livestock projects. Both events will be hosted at the new Bilbrey Family Event Center. This is a family event! Registration is now open on the Junior Producer Days page of KSU Youth Livestock Program website, which is under the events tab. Cost information and a schedule are also available online. All attendees must register, which includes both youth and adults. Each county hosts a beef weigh-in and a small animal weigh-in. The dates will be shared on your county’s newsletter page. Attending the weigh-in is required to participate in the rate-of-gain contest at your county fair. It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to bring your animal to the beef and small animal weigh-in events because attending can assure you are understanding of and ready to meet all exhibition requirements (so you won’t be disqualified at fair); you can connect with other adults and youth in the project for support, encouragement, and assistance throughout the year; and you can get many of your questions answered. The 4‑H Youth in Action (YIA) program celebrates young people who are creating real change in their communities. This national program amplifies the stories and leadership of 4-H youth, showcasing how 4-H has shaped their lives and equipped them to impact others. Award Winners will receive a(n): $5,000 scholarship for higher education, paid directly to the institution, including two-year and four-year colleges, trade schools, or other advanced learning opportunities; Year of professional and media development, training, networking, and national opportunities to serve as a spokesperson and thought leader; All expenses paid trips for each award winner and a chaperone to attend national events; Official reference letter from a National 4-H Council leader for educational or career purposes. Applications are due April 13. To learn more about the program and application process, National 4-H Council is hosting a webinar for applicants and their parents on March 4 at 7:00 p.m. ET. To sign up for one of these webinars and review application details visit the program website. Post Rock Extension will be holding a Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Training at Carrico Implement in Beloit on April 26. This training is designed for 14 and 15 year old youth seeking employment in production agriculture. Core content areas included in the one-day training include safety basics, agricultural hazards, tractors, connecting and using implements, materials handling and other related topics. Students will be certified after successfully passing a knowledge test at the training and completing both an operating skills test and a driving test administered by their employer. The Association of Kansas 4-H Volunteers is hosting "Spring Into Volunteering" at the K-State Osborne County 4-H Council is organizing a Visual Arts “Paint the Paver” workshop on May 20. The workshop will be held from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Cost of the workshop is $15.00. Space is limited to the first 25 participants to sign up. The workshop will take place at the 4-H Food Stand at the Osborne County Faigrounds. Jayne from the Sunflower Shed in Stockton will be leading the class. Participants will paint a patriotic paver and have a project completed for county fair. Deadline for registration is April 16, so we can get supplies ordered. You must be an enrolled Post Rock District 4-H member to participate. An adult is encouraged to attend with youth to support their learning. Register by sending an email with names of youth (and any adult helper) attending to postrock4h@ksu.edu. National Volunteer Week is April 20-26. This is an excellent opportunity for your family or club to execute a plan to recognize volunteers in your community and county. 4-H is successful because of contributions from our amazing volunteers! If you would like to give a special shout out to a club leader, project leader, or another important 4-H volunteer please send a testimonial and photo to our team at postrock4h@ksu.edu. We can share it on the Post Rock District Facebook page. Please submit these by April 15 so we can share them during volunteer week!
Please RSVP to postrock4h@ksu.edu by Friday, April 24, before 1:00 p.m., so that we have an idea of who and how many plan to attend.
Anderson at the Smith Center Extension Office, 785-282-6823.
Meat Goat Showmanship Flyer
Hays Location: Tuesday, April 14 (Online sign-up)
Colby Location: Thursday April 16 (Online sign-up)
9:00 p.m., via Zoom. This clinic has been designed for county fair board members, superintendents,
and volunteers involved in local livestock fair management and leadership. The program consists
primarily of an open forum discussion for individuals working with livestock at their local fairs.
Although some of the topics can be applied generally to the county fair, this program focuses on the
livestock perspective and projects. K-State faculty and staff will facilitate discussion led by fair
board members and extension agents directly related to livestock at local livestock fairs in Kansas.
The clinic has been divided over two evenings, with different topics being covered each night. All
three topics the first night will be general sessions. The second night will be kicked off with a
general session, followed by breakout discussions. It is advantageous to have several
representatives from your county attend. The sessions will be recorded for those who register.
Register online by April 6.
Flyer
Registration for the junior day events has transitioned to a new platform. Families will be prompted to set up a profile under a parent/guardian and then add at least one child. Once the account is created and you login to register for each day, you will have the opportunity to add children and other adults. The platform is not linear, so if you follow the prompts to the end and have multiple kids or adults to register, you will have to click on the “child” or “additional adult” tab on the left to view the options to add those individuals. Once you checkout, you will be able to view the number of kids and adults registered. A photo release and liability waiver will also be requested for each person through the platform. Families will receive a confirmation email to the address used to set up the profile after the registration is submitted. Families who plan to attend both junior days will need to register through each unique link, separately. A confirmation email for each event will be issued once payment is processed.
Post Rock District will not sell Kansas 4-H EID tags over-the-counter at our Extension Offices. The state requires our staff to approve all State Nominations for livestock, and part of that approval process is confirming that we have physically seen each Kansas 4-H EID tag in your livestock animal’s ear at tagging time (photos and over-the-counter sales do not qualify). Plan to attend your county’s tagging and verification event (i.e. weigh-in) for beef, swine, sheep and goats. Call the Extension Office ASAP if you know you’ll have a conflict and need an animal verified with an EID tag for State shows.
Small Animal Weigh-in
Jewell County: April 12, 2:00 p.m. at Jewell County Fairgrounds
Lincoln County: April 25, 10:00 a.m. at Lincoln County Fairgrounds
Mitchell County: April 15, 4:00-6:00 p.m. at Mitchell County Fairgrounds
Osborne County: April 26, 4:00-5:00 p.m. at Osborne County Fairgrounds
Smith County: April 26, 2:00-3:00 p.m. at Smith County Fairgrounds
The cost to participate is $15. Payment is due to your local Extension office. Prior to the course,
each participant must pick up a manual and complete a pre-test before attending the training event.
For questions, contact Blaire Tood at blairet@ksu.edu or 785-738.3597. The event flyer can be
found on the Post Rock Extension website. Register online. Registration deadline is one week
before the date of the event you plan to attend. Additional training dates in this region include: April
18 - Great Bend at KanEquip and May 28 - Solomon at KanEquip, Inc.
Safe Tractor & Machinery Operation Training Flyer
Polytechnic Campus in Salina on Saturday, April 25. Registration will begin at 9:00 a.m., and the day
will conclude at 3:00 p.m. This is for anyone serving as a 4-H Volunteer or considering it! The goal is
for volunteers to go home recharged, excited, and ready to try new things in their volunteer roles.
Let your local Extension Office know if you’d like to attend, and we can share the registration and
schedule as soon as more details are available!
May
In order for high quality project learning to take place through 4-H/FFA, projects (animals and nonanimals) are recommended to be owned during the spring (ideally before May 1). This provides the young person a great opportunity to develop valuable life skills through 4-H/FFA project learning experiences in preparation for the county fair’s showcase events. All exhibits entered in the 4-H/FFA division of a county fair must be the handiwork of the exhibitor; the grower, where agricultural exhibits are shown; and the owner and feeder, where livestock is entered. All exhibits entered in the 4-H/FFA division of a county fair must be the result of the current program year’s work. Ownership is defined so that the project (animal, garden, crop, exhibit creation, sewing, photo, etc.) is under the daily care and supervision of the member; all project-related practices, expenses, and management are the responsibility of the member; and all county fair exhibits should be a planned part of the project.
Discovery Days is a state 4-H opportunity for youth 13-18 years old (before January 1) to develop college and career readiness skills which prepare participants academically and socially for a successful transition to college and life as an adult. Post Rock District will provide a chaperone and transportation. Registration is open and space is limited, so sign up now! Learn more about the class available, schedule, and how to sign up at the Kansas 4-H event website.
Must be Enrolled in Projects to Exhibit at The County Fair!
Log in to 4-H Online or contact your local Extension Office to review and update your projects! 4-H project experiences, opportunities and reminders are communicated to you by local and state 4-H staff based on your project enrollment and contact information in 4-H Online. May 1 is the final project drop/add deadline if you want to exhibit in a respective project area at the county fair.
4-H Family Resources
Shutterbug Photography Workshop, Jewell, May 2
The State Photography Volunteer Team and Jewell County 4-H Council are teaming
up to bring a state-level photography workshop to Jewell, KS on May 2. Save the date
for an interactive day of improving your photography skills. We will have more details
available in the next newsletter!
Shutterbug Flyer
Post Rock District is in need of more certified instructors for our shooting sports program. Kansas 4-H is hosting the required training at Rock Springs Ranch near Junction City on May 2 - 3. There are multiple steps that must be completed before the training in order to attend. There is a cost to become certified, but
many times we can help secure local support for stepping up to serve our youth in these project areas. If you are interested in instructing 4-H Archery, BB gun, Air Pistol, Air Rifle, Small Bore Rifle, Muzzleloader, or Hunting Skills please contact Nora Rhoades at 785-378-3174 or nrhoades@ksu.edu by April 1 so we can help you through the process.
June
Are you (or a student you know) interested in plants, livestock, or wildlife? This hands-on camp is a
great opportunity to learn about range plant identification, plant growth, stocking rates, livestock
nutrition, and rangeland wildlife management — all while enjoying field trips, hiking, fishing,
swimming, and even a steak dinner! Kansas Youth Range Camp has been educating youth for over
50 years! It will take place June 9-12, 2026 in Kingman County. Find all the details and registration
information on the camp’s website.
The K-State Department of Grain and Food Science is excited to offer the Feeding Youth Future
Camp. From hands-on bakery experiments to exploring cutting-edge agronomy and the science
behind the foods we eat, students will dive into exciting, real-world careers in grain and food
sciences and agronomy. Every day is packed with interactive learning, new discoveries and plenty of
fun designed to spark curiosity and inspire future innovators. The camp will take place in Manhattan
June 9-13. Complete details and registration information are available on the camp’s website.
Additional Opportunities
Sign-up for Kansas 4-H 2026 Summer Camp is open! Kansas 4-H camp sessions are posted at https://rockspringsranch.org/summer-camps/sessions-rates. 4-H and non-4-H youth are welcome to register to enjoy 4-H camp! Each family will register directly with Rock Springs Ranch through the website. Before you register, contact your local Extension Office and your club leader. There may be club or county-level event scholarships available.
If you are seeking opportunities related to livestock projects - like spring shows and other contests - the KSU Youth Livestock Program website provides a listing of many opportunities. It certainly doesn’t contain every learning and competition opportunity, yet it is a great reference point as you plan for spring and summer. Visit https://www.asi.k-state.edu/extension/youth-programs/events/. The North Central Kansas Livestock Circuit is not affiliated to K-State Extension or Kansas 4-H, but it provides many showing opportunities in our region. Follow their Facebook page for information: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ncklc.