Project Judging
All Belmont County 4-H members must complete at least one project per year to remain a member in good standing. There are several ways to complete a project:
1. Attend Still Project Judging for all Non-Livestock Projects, or Livestock Skill-A-Thon Judging for all livestock and horse projects (except Horseless Horse).
2. Attend Make-Up Judging
3. Have an advisor review project and sign off on completion.
CLICK HERE FOR LIVESTOCK JUDGING INFORMATION
STILL PROJECT JUDGING
Members who enroll in a non-livestock project (including Pet Rabbit and Horseless Horse) attend what we call Still Project Judging. In 2025, this event will be held on Saturday, July 12th beginning at 9am at the Belmont County Fairgrounds.
- Members should arrive at time listed in schedule below, HOWEVER, if a conflict arises they may come earlier or later. We ask that all members arrive to the fairgrounds for check in no later than 12pm. Members will be judged by project category on a first-come, first-served basis. Please register in the WISE BUILDING. Woodworking projects will be able to unload closer to the judging area - please check in with the parking attendant.
- Information regarding project requirements and appropriate display options can be found in the member handbook, which all members should have received from their club earlier this year. If you need a new copy, there is a digital version available at https://belmont.osu.edu/program-areas/4-h-youth-development-1/resources-new/member-resources (scroll to "Member Handbook" and click link for a PDF version)
- If your member is not taking their still projects this year, please call our office to let Juanita know so we do not hold a judge for your child if they won't be attending.
What to expect: upon arrival, members will sign in, and be seated in the auditorium. Members and guests will wait for the member's name to be called, where a volunteer "runner" will escort the member with their project to wait outside the judging room. When ready, the judge will call members in to complete a face-to-face interview based on project contents.
After Judging: Members will be scored by the judges. The members who take the same project are placed based on score, and delegates to the Ohio State Fair are selected based on ranking. Judges will also select a top scorer in each "category" to receive the overall category trophy. Score sheets will be given to club advisors to be dispersed at their discretion following judging.
LIVESTOCK SKILL-A-THON JUDGING
Members enrolled in a livestock project or a live horse project attend what we call Livestock Skill-A-Thon Judging, sometimes referred to as just Skill-A-Thon. In 2025, this event will be held on Saturday, August 9th, following Rabbit Round-Up and Pullorum Testing at 12pm on the Belmont County Fairgrounds. A schedule by club will be released in July, and members should follow that schedule as closely as possible.
What to expect: There are three portions of Livestock Skill-A-Thon Judging that members complete: Skill Stations, Book Review, and Judge Interviews. A study guide for the skill stations was sent with livestock letters, and can also be found below. Members should check in at the sale barn and get further instructions from volunteers. It is the responsibility of the member to ensure they complete judging for all projects they are enrolled in.
Study Guides:
Please click on each specie to download the study guide. Please reference the pages listed for each skill station. If the skill station does not match the resource handbook, an extra handout with a key has been provided - please click on each corresponding handout for reference.
Horse
Poultry