Self-Study for Exhibit Judges Training or Refresher
To judge 4-H exhibits you must watch the State Fair Update Webinar and access the training items in the list below pertaining to the areas in which you with to judge. Your county Extension office or the county you are judging in should also provide project and judges tips sheets to you on request.
- State Fair Update Webinar (4/11)
- Letter/Information about the webinar
- Informational Letter for ALL Exhibit Judges
- Informational Letter for Food & Nutrition Judges
- Informational Letter for Home Improvement, Clothing, Sewing Exhibit Judges
- Informational Letter for Visual Arts Judges
County Judges Resources
- Suggested County Judges Orientation
- 4-H Exhibit Judge Preferences Form (MSWord) (PDF) for collecting information to be entered into the 4HOnline Judge Module
Judge Information
- Judges Tip Sheet
- 4-H Projects --Exhibit Tip Sheets & Hot Sheets
- The Evaluating 4-H Exhibits Handbook will give you insight to the 4-H judging philosophy and other judging resource materials.
- Iowa State Fair 4-H Handbook -- All the state Rules and Information for Exhibits, Communication Event, and 4-H Special Events
Keep Your Judge Record Current
All confirmed 4-H Judges from the old FileMaker Database are now in a Judge Module in 4HOnline. Here is how you access your record: Judge’s Introductory E-mail = instructions to update judging information. Only Staff can create a Judge Record. Staff Help Sheet HERE.
It is expected counties will use the 4hOnline Judge module for all fairs. Counties are able to create new Judge records, update current records, and add staff only notes. Those judges without an email address may still have an entry; it will be up to the county to enter ALL the information and complete the record. Staff Help Sheet HERE.
4-H Livestock Judges Information
For information about livestock judging, contact Mike Anderson, 515-294-8617.
4-H Livestock Judge Preferences Form (MSWord) (PDF)
Horticulture Judges
2007-2008 Horticulture Judging Outline
2007-2008 Horticulture Judging Criteria Worksheet
Most counties received a 2008 Iowa 4-H Horticulture: Vegetable Judging DVD that accompanies the above Outline and Criteria Worksheet.
4-H Clothing Event Judges
Clothing Event Judge's Tips webpage explains the different areas of and rules for the 4-H Clothing Event at the Iowa State Fair--Clothing Selection, The $15 Challenge, and Fashion Revue. This page also has many links to webpages and information participants will be using. All Clothing Event forms will be found in the Iowa State Fair 4-H Handbook.
4-H Food & Nutrition Judges Information
Answer Line, 800-262-3804, is the final word for food safety and preparation along with the Ball canning and processing information.
4-H Food & Nutrition Judges Training Webinars
- June 8, 2016 a special live-online Food & Nutrition judges training was broadcasted. Recordings of the three sections covered along with a resource handout are posted on Judges Training webpage.
- April 27, 2015 a special live-online Food & Nutrition judges training was broadcasted. The session was a 4-H Food & Nutrition Judges Training Webinar on “Gluten-Free Myths, Truths, & Baked Goods” and how to evaluate products and informational posters as fair exhibits. Go to the Judges Training webpage for this timely information.
On the Food & Nutrition Project webpage are the following helps.
- Food & Nutrition Hot Sheet (color pdf)
- Food & Nutrition Tip Sheet (color pdf)
- Poster Exhibits Tip Sheet (color pdf)
- Exhibitor Fair Information Form (Word or editable PDF)
- Exhibit Evaluation Form (pdf)
- Foods for Iowa 4-H Fairs