El Paso County Fair 4-H Project Information

The 4-H dog project is a fun and exciting way for youth to spend time with their 4-legged best friend!

Having fun is the primary goal!

Teaching dogs and their handlers better training techniques through fun is a great way to get youth working harder to achieve the training results they crave!

Any breed or variety of dog is welcomed to participate in all the events!

Here are the areas we focus on as a program. Which one would you like to do?

Showmanship: Learn basic handling skills and present their dog to a judge. It is the quality of the youth’s presentation and knowledge of their dog that is evaluated.

Obedience: Participants patiently train their 4-legged friend to walk on and off a leash while staying with them, retrieve objects, along with many other impressive good behaviors.

Rally: A team sport that you and your dog navigate together through a course of signs. Obedience skills and a bond with your dog are built to be successful.

Agility: Dog agility combines the elements of a dog’s agility, briskness, confidence, and a handler’s control over an obstacle course designed for dogs. It is a fun sport with great spectator appeal.

Trick Dog: A fun way to engage both human and dogs to exercise their muscles and minds. A fun way to help teach obedience and earn titles.

Canine Good Citizen: Dog and handlers learn 10 basic skills that instill good manners and confidence in and outside of the home. It creates a long-lasting trust and partnership with each other, neighbors and general public.

Drill team: The El- Paso County 4-H dog drill team works on routines to participate in parades throughout the year. Entertaining tricks and uniforms, the kids and dogs have a great time.

What animals do you have at home?

Did you know that 4-H has a place for you and your pet?

Pocket Pet Project Areas:

• Amphibian
• Aquatics
• Avian
• Reptile
• Small Mammals
• Invertebrates

We have monthly meeting for the youth to learn and participate in activities!

Which activities would you want to do?

• Project Requirements – You will learn what is required to complete the project.
• Introduce Your Pet – You will educate other 4-H members about your pet.
• Husbandry – We discuss what best practices would when caring for your pet
• Habitats – What is the good or bad for your pet’s habitat?
• Bio-Active – Learn how to set up a bio tank and the benefit from it.
• Reptile Expos – We attend local Expo and see and learn from local breeders and experts.
• Zookeeper’s Meeting – We meet with a Zookeeper to learn about Tegu and Chinchilla.
• Money Management – We meet at PetSmart to figure out how much is spent on your pet.
• Turtle Race – Our youth with turtles have a race to see who can move the fastest!
• Showmanship – A contest focused on presentation of knowledge of your animal where the youth gain interview, demonstration, and public speaking skills.

The 4-H Miniature Horse Project is a fun exciting way for the youth to spend time with a smaller equine partner! The miniature horse project does not require breed registration of the animals and includes:

• Miniature Horses
• Miniature Donkeys
• Miniature Mules

These cute partners in crime help the youth build solid connections and provide a great deal of friendship and support!

What Do you Need for a Miniature Horse?

In general, you’ll need at least an acre of land for your miniature horse to have adequate space to play, exercise, and forage in. This should be fenced-in that keeps them safe from predators, with plenty of grazing and forage.

Did you know miniature horses make excellent service animals?

There is a proportion of service animals that can now be miniature horses. The Americans with Disability Act (2010) revised regulations and allows miniature horses to be individually trained to work and perform tasks for a person with disabilities.

For youth interested in learning about horses we offer a Horseless Horse Program

The Horseless Horse project affords those an opportunity to learn more about horses using Colorado State University curriculum geared toward secondary education. Members learn all about anatomy, common diseases, housing, general health, breeds, colors and markings, and basic care. This project comes with workbooks that will cover 4 years and will gradually increase your knowledge in everything Horse.

Horse Judging Team, Hippology Team, and Horse Quizbowl Team

Join one of our many equine teams lead by seasoned coaches who create a fun environment for learning, teamwork, public speaking, demonstrations, and academic based knowledge on everything equine! You do not need a horse to join these teams!

Why do the youth use a long stick to touch their cattle in the show ring?

The show stick is a necessity both during training and in the ring. Below are the common uses for show sticks:

• Calming the Calf: With slow and deliberate light strokes on the belly or brisket, the show stick can help keep a calf calm during training, in the chute during clipping and fitting, and in the show ring.
• Setting the Feet: Use in training and in the ring as a means of applying pressure to move the feet forward or backward.

• Loining The Calf: “Loining” means correcting the top line of your calf. If your calf has a high loin or a steep rump, it can look hunched over in the lineup. To bring your calf’s loin down, use gentle pressure on the loin with your show stick until the calf responds. Controlling the Calf: Some calves like to move out too fast in the walk, so use the shaft of the show stick between your hand and the tip to lightly bump your calf on the nose to keep it in check. Other calves are stubborn and like to balk when walking, so use the show stick to tap the calf on its side or rump to get it to move forward.

Weaver Products

Why do the youth use a long stick to tap their hogs in the show ring?

The ‘sticks’ are used as a driving tool to guide or drive their hog. They are not allowed to overuse the driving tool. Allow the hog to walk naturally. They transition the driving tool between both hands as needed and use the tool on the pig’s side or jowl when the pig stops or should turn directions. Some swine showmen use their dominant hand to hold the driving tool regardless of which side of the pig they are on, while others switch hands as they switch sides. Both methods are acceptable as long as switching hands is done smoothly.

OSU Extension- Swine Showmanship

What is a showmanship?

A good showman is a person who has a sense or talent for an effective presentation of an animal. Showmanship is the one area of livestock showing which the exhibitor has the most control. In showmanship, you are judged on your abilities to control and present your animal to bring out its best characteristics. Advanced planning, practice and hard work are keys to becoming a good showman. Showmanship teaches many valuable lessons that can be used in day to day life. These lessons include responsibility, developing work ethic, determination to reach a goal, winning graciously and accepting setbacks with dignity. Winning takes practice at home and can become a reality by working with the animal on a daily basis.

OSU Extension

DID YOU KNOW …….

Colorado 4-H has seven different projects for exploration of our natural resources, conservation efforts, and activities for enjoying and protecting these great state resources. The seven project areas include:

• Outdoor Adventures
  • Youth learn how to plan & train for healthy and safe hiking, camping, or backpacking expeditions
• Sportfishing
  • Youth learn about different species of local fish, fishing equipment, tools, and their environment. They can also learn practical skills with practice tying knots, casting, and even modifying or making their own equipment
• Wildlife
  • Youth learn about habitats, ecosystems, conservation efforts, factors effecting populations, values of managing wildlife or encouraging growth in endangered populations
• Gardening
  • Youth learn about when and what to plant, soil preparation, tools, harvesting, seed varieties, greenhouses, cropping, biotechnology and more
• Entomology
  • Youth learn how to study environments and use their own surroundings to identify and classify insects, learn about different types of insects, create a collection of classified insects, rear insects from egg stage, and insect control
• Beekeeping
  • Youth learn about the history of bees and how they contribute to our lives, along with the technical skills needed to raise and care for honeybees
• Shooting Sports
  • Youth learn safety, care of equipment, practice and demonstrate safety and shooting skills in Archery (traditional & compound), .22 Rifle/Pistol, Air Rifle/Pistol, Muzzleload, & Shotgun

Resource: https://co4h.colostate.edu/program-areas/natural-resource/

DID YOU KNOW …….

Colorado 4-H has seven different projects for exploration of technology and building. These seven STEM projects help the most curious youth build interest and skills in the following seven project areas:

• Computers
  • Youth learn concepts of computer programming, and develop their own game or storybook using knowledge gained in areas of loops, inputs, lists, and much more
• Electricity
  • Youth learn about basic electric concepts such as Ohms law, series and circuits, flow, LEDs, and more
• Small Engines
  • Youth learn the parts of engines, basic maintenance and care, and have the opportunity to practice diagnostics, rebuilding engines, and even entrepreneurial skills
• Metalworking (Welding)
  • Youth learn safety, care of equipment, identify types of metals that can be welded, joints and types of welds to use for different projects
• Model Rocketry
  • Youth learn rocketry concepts through this project. By learning about and building their own rockets, and then progressing to multi staged launches and engine boost gliders, youth can gain knowledge to further advance skills
• Robotics & Engineering
  • Youth learn about engineering concepts such as mechatronics and robotic movement, along with other concepts intertwined with robotics, such as programming and coding
• Woodworking
  • Youth learn how to use select tools, measure, cut, & construct different items, plan for projects, select appropriate wood based on grain or material, finish using stains or seals, and much more

Resource: https://co4h.colostate.edu/program-areas/stem/

DID YOU KNOW …….

Colorado 4-H has many different projects for exploration of fabrics, textiles, cooking, foods, and decorated treats. These projects help the most curious youth build interest and skills in these areas:

• Foods Projects – Youth learn basic cooking, measuring, and kitchen skills in addition to preserving, use of special ingredients, and much more in these different project areas
  • General Foods (kitchen skills and breads)
  • Outdoor Cooking
  • Cultural & Ethnic Foods & Passport to Foreign Cooking
  • Drying Foods
  • Freezing Foods
  • Boiling Water Canning
  • Pressure Canning
• Cake Decorating
  • Youth learn basic to advanced decorating skills using a variety of tools, techniques, and sources, such as tiered cakes, cookies, and cupcakes
• Textiles & Fabrics
  • Clothing Construction
  • Artistic Clothing – use current clothing to remake and embellish with style
  • Heritage Arts – weaving, knitting, spinning, crochet, fiber & non-fiber arts
  • Leather Craft – stamping, sewing, dying, carving and more

Resource: https://co4h.colostate.edu/program-areas/fcs/

DID YOU KNOW…….

4-H members learn life skills in every 4-H activity from club meetings, to projects, leadership conferences, and much more! A multi-year study found that 4-H members were:

• nearly 4x more likely to make
  contributions to their communities

• about 2x more likely to be civically
  active

• nearly 2x more likely to
  participate in science programs
  during out-of-school time\

• 2x more likely (Grade 10)
  and nearly 3x more likely (Grade
  12) to take part in science programs
  compared to girls in other out-of-
  school time activities

• nearly 2x more likely to make
  healthier choices

Resource: https://4-h.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/4-H-Study-of-Positive-Youth-Development-Fact-Sheet.pdf