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Fair Changes
I wanted to take a minute to highlight some changes in the fair this year. If you have any questions, please let me know.
Open Class entry fees this year will be $1 per class.
The location of Barnyard Olympics will change this year. That event will be held in the grassy patch on the east side of the livestock barns.
The Community Picnic and Purple Ribbon Food Auction will be held in the Indoor Arena again this year.
All events that have been held or displayed in the Armory will be in the Saddle and Ropers Building this year.
The Club Hay Bales will need to be set up along the south side of the drive up by the road.
Camper reservations will be taken on the City of Kingman website this year. Reservations will not be made at White’s. I am waiting for confirmation on a few more camper details.
Watch the newsletter as other changes are announced.
Junior Superintendents
If you would like to help out as a Junior Superintendent at the Fair this year, please let Melissa know. Junior Superintendents help out by displaying exhibits, setting with judges and writing comments, and organizing ribbons. All help is needed during the fair to make everything a success!
Livestock Profit and Loss Challenge
This year, the Norwich 4-H Backers is introducing the Livestock Profit & Loss Challenge to help support the real-world business learning that can come from their projects. Any youth whose animal goes through for the premium sale at the county fair will be eligible to participate, and the Profit and Loss Statement will be completed based on the costs and income associated with that specific animal. Participants will track the real expenses of raising their project—including feed, care, and supplies—and compare those costs to their final sale income to determine whether their project resulted in a profit or a loss. The goal is to help youth better understand the financial side of agriculture while building lifelong skills in budgeting, entrepreneurship, and decision-making. Every youth who submits a completed P&L worksheet will receive $50, and one participant in each age division will be selected to receive the $250 Livestock Business Champion Award.
Members only need to complete one form for their animal that is being sold. Multiple forms will not be accepted. Members will have to research the projected market price of their animal for this form. The form doesn’t include premium money; this is only looking at the cost of raising your animal and the profit based on the actual market conditions of the industry.
Members must turn in all forms by Noon on July 23 to the Fair Office at the Expo Center.
You can find the Livestock Profit and Loss Challenge Form here.
New Auction Eligibility Form
There will be a new Auction Eligibility Form that members must complete for the 2026 Kingman County Fair. To participate in either the Purple Ribbon Food Auction or the Livestock Auction, members must fulfill a few additional requirements. Returning 4-H members will need to attend 50% of the club meetings from July 2025 to June 2026, fair set up and clean up will be required, attending the livestock meeting on the Monday before the fair for Livestock Auction participants, take part in two club activities, and two county, regional or state events will also be required. The new Auction Eligibility Form can be found here. These are not hard requirements to fulfill. Just remember, 4-H is a year-long youth program, as long as you are active all year, you will meet all of these requirements.
The dates have been set for the 2026 Kingman County Fair! Join us for fair fun July 22-25, 2026!
Livestock Tag Information
This year any animals that will only be showing at the Kingman County Fair will use a county-specific ear tag. All tags will be available at weigh-in dates. If an animal will be showing at the Kansas State Fair or Kansas Junior Livestock Show, EID tags will still be required. Members must know at the tagging events which tags they will need. Cost for the County Tags will be $2 for Beef, $1.50 for Swine, Sheep, and Goats. EID tags will cost $3.50 each for each species.
Small Animal weigh-in is April 25, 7:00-9:00 am at the Fair Grounds
Youth Livestock Meeting
Join us on Saturday, April 25 at 9:00 am, following small animal weigh in, for a Youth Livestock Meeting. We will talk about care, nutrition, and handling methods for beef, bucket calves, sheep, goats, and swine. To RSVP for this event, call the office at 532-5131 by Friday, April 17. If you need to attend a YQCA training, let us know as this can count toward that.
Livestock Tagging and Livestock Care and Housing Form
If you are not able to attend the weigh-in event for the species that you will be showing, you need to contact the Extension Office BEFORE the weigh-in date to set up a tagging date with one of the Agents. No pictures of animals with tags in the ears will be accepted this year.
This year every member who is showing livestock will be asked to complete and return a Kingman County Livestock Care and Housing form. This form has the members indicate where their project animals will be housed during the project year and what the care plan is for the animals. One member can complete one form even if they show multiple animals, please just note the animals being shown at the top of the form. This form is due back to the Extension Office by May 1, 2026.
You can find the Kingman County Livestock Care and Housing Form Here.
If you have any questions, please contact Melissa at mthimesch@ksu.edu
If your breeding animal is registered with its breed association and has a tattoo or other approved form of identification, it does not have to receive a tag for the fair; the paperwork and approved alternate form of identification on file with its association will constitute as a tag and proof of ownership. This information needs to be in the Office by May 1.
Dairy Cattle or Leasing Identification forms must be filled out for the identification of all cattle showing at the Kingman County Fair. You can find the 4-H Dairy Cattle Identification Form here.
https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/MG54.pdf
The next Livestock Committee Meeting will be held on April 29 at 6:30 at the Extension Office.
Horse ID Papers
If you are planning on showing at the Kingman County Horse Show at the Fair, your Horse ID Papers are due into the Extension Office by June 1st. You can find the ID Paper here.
https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/p1039.pdf
FOR THE 2026 KINGMAN COUNTY FAIR COGGINS TESTS ARE REQUIRED.
Fashion Revue scripts are due to the Extension Office by June 26.
Fair Pre-Entry Date Set
All Fair Pre-Entries will be due on the Fair Entry system by May 8. We are aware that this is an early deadline, however, the Fair Board needs time to order awards and Fair T-Shirts without as much waste as in the past. Please note, that entries can be made and then scratched when the fair gets closer. So, I recommend making entries on everything that your members might take. Example: five entries for foods, seven entries in visual arts, and that extra educational poster or notebook. If something happens that something doesn’t get made or finished, just toss that card closer to the fair. Watch for more details to come.
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