Decoding colored ribbons at the fair

Have you ever wondered what the different colored ribbons attached to exhibits mean? Well, I would like to tell you how 4-H exhibits are evaluated at the local county fair.

It’s county fair time and this means that 4-H’ers have the opportunity to showcase all of their hard work learned on projects throughout the 4-H year. For many, this time of year is a highlight of the 4-H program.

Have you ever wondered what the different colored ribbons attached to exhibits mean? Well, I would like to tell you how 4-H exhibits are evaluated at the local county fair.

At the local county fair, most exhibits are judged on a conference or interview basis. This is where the judge interviews the participant as he or she evaluates the product against a set of standards rather than against other exhibits. The purpose of this judging is to determine what the 4-H’er learned while completing the project. Judges may consider skill level based on age and circumstance, and expect a higher performance from older 4-H’ers, so there is some variance within the standard. Comments are generally provided verbally and sometimes written. After the exhibit is evaluated, the judge then awards a ribbon placing to the exhibit. 

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