Kingman County Fair 2026 Red, White, and MOO!

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.

Fair Entries can be made at http://kingmancofair.fairentry.com/

Let Melissa know if you have any problems.

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.

The Facilities Fund Raffle will take place before the Purple Ribbon Food Auction this year. Ticket packets will be out at the end of May. Watch for that announcement from the office. Please help sell tickets for that event this year, as those funds help with costs across all of the fair.

The Sheep and Goat Show will be held in the outdoor covered arena this year. Sheep will show first, followed by goats.

2026 is Kingman County's year to test poultry for Pullorum-Typhoid Testing. All birds will be asked to check in on Tuesday, July 21, for the testing. Time of testing will be announced following confirmation with the State Vet. Birds can be left at the Fairgrounds on Tuesday evening. Due to judge availability, the Poultry and Rabbit show will be held on WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, at 1:00.

The public Fashion Revue will be held at the Kingman High School Auditorium on July 12 at 2:00 pm.

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. 

Watch the newsletter for other changes as they 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 Auction Eligibility Forms are due July 1st.

Livestock Care and Housing Form

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

 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 1^st. 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.

4-H Council

4-H Council Meeting

The next 4-H Council Meeting will be on May 20 at 7:00 pm at the Extension Office. 

Watch your email and our Facebook for information about upcoming programs!

A Look Ahead

Here are dates for upcoming Kingman County 4-H events. Go ahead and mark them down on your calendar!

May 8 – Fair Entries Due

July 7 – County Fair Fashion Revue Judging

July 12 – Public Fair Fashion Revue

July 18 – Fair Horse Show

July 19 – Fair Dog Show

July 20 – Fair Set Up

July 22-25 – Kingman County Fair

4-H Camp

One Adventure at A Time! 4-H Day Camp

Kingman, Pratt, and Barber counties will once again hold a fun, interactive day camp experience. This event will be held on Thursday, May 28 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm at the Pratt Area 4-H Center. We will have crafts, foods, educational activities, and more! 4-H members who are 7-12 years old can come to Day Camp and members 13 and older can help by applying to be counselors. The cost is $25 for the day. Registration is due by May 15. You can find the registration form here.

Project Engagement Information

4-H is an organization that lasts all year! It is important to do project work all year. Engage in educational opportunities all year. Find your spark with something new every day. This year, in this section, you will find ideas to engage in your project areas all year long. Take some time each month and learn, grow, and find out something great in your project work. 

Photography Showcase Project

Pick up your camera or phone and take pictures all year long! In each newsletter, I will give members a photo prompt and you can take pictures and send me your best 2 by the 20^th of each month. You can email me the file at mthimesch@ksu.edu or text me the files at 620-243-3766. I will apply a watermark to your image and then post a showcase each month on our Facebook page. I will also showcase photos on our digital frame here in the office. If a member isn’t in photography but would like to give it a try, this would be a great opportunity for that! 

May’s Photo Prompt is “Backyard Exploration.”

Monthly Food Project Challenge

The foods and nutrition project is more than just what you make for the County Fair. This year, I will give you a fun monthly food challenge. If you take part, take photos and email those to me. You might just be featured on our Facebook page! 

May – Garden Fresh: Use at least one fresh fruit or vegetable in your dish.

Club Corner

On April 11, 2026, the Norwich Boosters 4-H Club met at their new 4-H meeting room to check on the progress of the space and see how it is coming along. Members had the chance to look around, talk about future plans, and get excited about having a new place to meet and work on projects together.

After visiting the new meeting room, the club got right to work helping the community by participating in the citywide clean-up. Members worked together to pick up trash around town and help members of the community move larger items to the trash. Norwich Boosters love to show their community pride by helping when possible.

The Norwich Boosters also started collecting cans until the tote is full for the Kansas Honor Flight Program. This program supports veterans, and the money raised helps send veterans to Washington, D.C., for free so they can visit memorials built in their honor. The club had a representative that will take these cans to the proper place to be recycled for the Honor Flight. This project is one way the club shows appreciation for those who have served the country.

The Norwich Boosters also had a tote to collect worn and damaged American flags to make sure they are retired properly and respectfully. The club also had a representative that took the flags to be disposed of properly. Our club has great respect for our service members, putting flags on local cemeteries for Memorial Day, disposing of flags properly and helping send vets to D.C.

Through these activities, the Norwich Boosters 4-H Club show its dedication to community service and honoring those who have served. The meeting concluded after the last trailer load was dropped off.

Madison Francis, Reporter

Hawk 4-H Tidies the Park

On April 6th at 7 pm the Hawk 4-H club met at Livingstons Family Center for their monthly meeting. During the meeting Shirley Boos announced that both Hawk Gavel Games teams and the Hawk play won top blue at regionals. Later Vaishu Kamesh did a demonstration on how to tell the hardness of minerals. Veronica Ziegler then did a demonstration on how to make a macrame lawn chair.

On April 11th the Hawk club gathered at Riverside Park at the band stand to rake cypress needles and trim bushes. Six families showed up to work for an hour and a half.

Their next meeting will be on the 11th of May.

Christina A. Ziegler

Hawk 4-H

Club Reporter

Whispering Willow 4-H Club Holds Fun Meeting at Skating Rink

The Club Activity Committee planned a fun time at the Pretty Prairie Skating Rink for our April meeting. Members held our meeting first, then enjoyed a lot of laughs while skating. At our meeting, Club Leaders reminded us of enrollment deadlines and fair entry deadlines. Our Club 4-H Council representative told us about upcoming fair changes and upcoming Ambassador events. 

Sam Thimesch

Whispering Willow Club Reporter

This year, I would like to share club highlights each month in the 4-H newsletter. If club reporters would like to email me a short paragraph about what your club is doing each month, I will include that here! Please email that to me at mthimesch@ksu.edu by the 20^th of each month. 

State Events

Discovery Days

Discovery Days registration is now open! This is a mini-college experience designed for youth aged 13 to 18 as of January 1. Youth will have the opportunity to select classes and attend social functions.

The primary purpose of 4-H Discovery Days is to gain new ideas and expand your 4-H experience. You experience this through action-oriented learning activities, fun tours, and great evening social events. You will meet new people, build leadership skills, and grow as a person! Our session catalog, tentative agenda, and registration link for this year's event are posted on our

Discovery Days webpage

·       New this year! The start time on the first day has been moved up to include many more fun activities.

·       Foods and Consumer Science Contest (FCS) will be held in conjunction with Discovery Days.

·       Back by popular demand! We will be hosting a Talent Show on Thursday evening.

·       Some classes have class size limitations, so check out the catalog and get on and register soon

We look forward to making this a fantastic event. Hope to see you there!

2026 Insect Spectacular

Beetles, bugs, dragonflies, and more! It’s time to get registered for the 34th Insect Spectacular. The State Entomology Workshop will be held on Friday and Saturday, June 19th and 20th. Activities will be based at the North Community building at 505 N. Buckeye Street in Iola, Kansas.

Registration for the workshop will open April 24th and run through May 25th. Once registration closes, it will not be reopened. There will be no cancellations or refunds of money after Registration closes. Cancellations before Registration closes are eligible for a 50% refund.

 A parent from each family must pay full registration and attend the workshop. A parent is to stay with your child or children at the workshop.

Participants need to wear comfortable clothes and shoes – no sandals or flip-flops please. If you wear shorts, please bring long pants for the collection and photo trips. You will be going into pastures and in natural areas. You will need to bring insect/tick repellent, sunscreen, collection net, kill jar and lots of specimen containers. You will need your own camera for taking pictures of insects.

There will be some insect equipment available for purchase at the workshop. We should have a few insect display boxes available for purchase for $65 each, payable at the time of purchase. All boxes will be sold on a first come-first serve basis at the workshop.

Each 4-Her will be allowed to pick up to 3 insects from the collection trips to use in the Saturday pinning class.

Each family is asked to bring one perennial plant from the list below to plant in the Pollinator Garden.  Plant list: Aster, Milkweed, Butterfly Weed, Swamp Milkweed, Salvia, Tall Sedum, Catmint, Rattlesnake Master, Blazing Star, Coneflower, Bergamot (Bee Balm), Tall Phlox or Amaranth.

Full registration fee of $85.00 includes supper Friday, lunch Saturday, bottled water, class materials, T-Shirt, and handouts. 4-Hers enrolled in Entomology should pay for full registration. 

Younger siblings under 4-H age, spouses, etc. that may be coming along, but not participating in the classes will need to pay a fee of $65.00. This will pay for the meals, bottled water, etc. but will not include a T-shirt or class supplies. Please bring your own sack lunch for Friday noon meal. 

If anyone has dietary restrictions, please let us know when you register.

To Register Additional Family Members, at the end of each registration, there will be a bottom marked  "Add Group Member".  When you have finished with the last additional registration, please choose "Next" and you can confirm payment.

For more information contact:          

Vicky Wallace at (620) 804-9170   Email -  vicky.wallace55@gmail.com

2026 4-H Geology State Field Trip

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If you would like to stay up to date with what is happening at K-State Research and Extension – Kingman County and the Kingman County 4-H Program, follow us on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/kingmancountyextension You have all helped us reach our goal of over 1000 followers! Thank you!

Dates to remember

May 1 Reenrollment Deadline, Camp Registration Due

May 8 Fair Entries Due

May 13 Wheat Plot Tour Bock Seeds

May 15 Day Camp Registration Due

May 20 4-H Council Meeting 7:00 Extension Office

May 25 Office Closed for Memorial Day

May 28 Day Camp at Pratt

If you have questions regarding the information in this newsletter, please contact me at:

Kingman County K-State Extension Office

Melissa Thimesch

125 N Spruce

Kingman, KS 67068

620-532-5131

mthimesch@ksu.edu

K-State Research and Extension is committed to providing equal opportunity for participation in all programs, services, and activities. Program information may be available in languages other than English. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities, including alternative means for communication (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, and American Sign Language) may be requested by contacting the event contact Melissa Thimesch two weeks prior to the start of the event at 620-532-5131 or mthimesch@ksu.edu. Requests received after this date will be honored when it is feasible to do so. Language access services, such as interpretation or translation of vital information will be provided free of charge to limited English-proficient individuals upon request.

Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service

K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.