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4-H Competitions & Contests

We love healthy competition at 4-H! And we really love recognizing our hard-working Participants for their accomplishments. We have competitions for all ages and interests, so put your game face on.

Become a Member
Youth standing with blue shirt and blue cowboy hat on smiling beside chart paper.
2019 Provincial Go For The Gold Competition

For current 4-H participants in grades 7-12 or CEGEP

Bring your curiosities and passions to life with a 4-H Canada Science Fair project!

Either by yourself or with another 4-H’er, choose a topic to explore and create your very own 4-H Canada Science Fair project. Then you’ll plan, research, build, experiment, test and analyze – just like a real scientist would.

There are great prizes to be won, including trips across Canada!

Registration for the 2023-24 4-H Canada Science Fair opens Sept. 12, 2023, and closes Jan. 8, 2024.

Learn more about the 4-H Canada Science Fair on the 4-H Canada website.

For 4-H participants ages 18–21

Do you know good livestock when you see it? Compete as part of a team of 4-H Ontario participants who get to judge at the Canadian Western Agribition.

Show off your judging skills! The Agribition Judging Seminar combines individual and team competition where you’ll go up against others by judging 10 livestock classes and present your reasoning.

Judging competition experience is an asset but not mandatory. The culmination of scores from the competition determine the Grand Aggregate Award of a scholarship, along with other awards. It’s an amazing opportunity to showcase and improve your judging skills!

A maximum of 8 participants and 2 chaperones will be selected from Ontario.

Event date: Saturday November 18 – return Tuesday November 21, 2023
Location: Canadian Western Agribition, Regina, SK
Registration fee: $200 +  flights
Deadline: October 6

Application Form

To learn more about Agribition, and to register – visit: 2023-Canadian-National-Youth-Judging-Competition.pdf (agribition.com)

If you’d like to volunteer to be a chaperone, please email Coordinator, Events

For more information, please contact:
4-H Ontario’s Coordinator, Events
events@4-hontario.ca
1-877-410-6748

For current 4-H Members ages 9-21

Calling all young writers!

Whether you have a way with words or are just beginning to find your voice, this is a great opportunity to express yourself creatively.

Entrants must write a 500-word news-style report on the following: Pretend that you are a journalist who wants to write about the impacts that 4-H has on youth in Ontario. You decide that you are going to sit down and interview a current 4-H’er (in this case, yourself) and write a new-style report on their experiences in 4-H. Think about the types of questions that would be important to ask during an interview with this person; what types of questions will help uncover the hidden impacts of 4-H on their lives? Once you have some notes and ideas of what is important to discuss, begin writing your 500-word news-style report on the impact of 4-H in your life (writing about yourself in the third person, i.e., Sarah’s life profoundly changed when she joined her first 4-H club in Lanark County. She improved her leadership skills and became a more confident public speaker…). Writers will draw from their own experiences and can discuss the current importance of 4-H in their lives or what they predict its impacts will be in the future. 

A $100 prize will be awarded to the winner in each of two age groups:
Junior category: 9-14
Senior category: 15-21

This annual competition is presented in memory of Amber Underwood who passed away in 1989. Amber grew up on a farm in Norfolk County and was a graduate of the University of Guelph with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture. Writing was Amber’s first love and this annual competition was established to encourage 4-H youth in their writing and journalism efforts. This award is made possible through the Amber Underwood Endowment Fund created in Amber’s honour to remember her strong commitment to 4-H and her love of writing.

Entry Criteria

Entries must be:

  • Based on the current calendar year
  • A maximum of 500 words
  • Type-written and double spaced with 1” margins
  • In 11-point Arial font
  • The original work of the Member
Judging Criteria
  • Content: 30 points
  • Writing style: 25 points
  • Originality: 25 points
  • Spelling/grammar: 15 points
  • Presentation (e.g. spacing, etc.): 5 points

Application Deadline: September 16, 2024

Application Form

Congratulations to the winners of the 2022 Amber Underwood Memorial News Competition

Senior category: Sierra Cochrane-Beder
Read her story: 4-H in the Community: Onwards and Upwards

Junior category: Olivia Hazelwood
Read her story: How 4-H Impacts My Community

This competition is supported by the Amber Underwood Memorial 4-H News Competition Award Fund.

For current Members ages 11-24

It’s time to have your voice heard! The Canadian Young Speakers for Agriculture (CYSA) competition is an opportunity to develop your public speaking skills and express community concerns.

We want to hear what’s on your mind. Enter the CYSA competition for a chance at great cash prizes. Contestants must prepare a 5 to 7 minute speech on one of the annual themes and present it in person for the judges.

Categories and Prizes

  • Junior competition
    • Ages 11-15
    • Cash prize
  • Senior competition
    • Ages 16-24
    • Cash prize

When: November 2023
Registration deadline: September 30, 2023

Learn more on the CYSA website.

Local Competitions for 2024:

The 2024 local competitions will be hosted in person, within the local association, using the questions that will be provided from 4-H Ontario by March 31st and referencing to the instructions and guidelines outlined in the 2024 Go For The Gold Handbook.

4-H Ontario is asking that the local competitions take place between May 1 – August 7, in order to allow enough planning for the regional competition.

Book your game buzzers online, as soon as possible, as the buzzers are reserved on a first come, first serve basis.

Regional Competitions for 2024:

The regional competition is hosted by one association within the region and will be inviting all other associations within the region, once details are confirmed.  Regional competitions  must take place before the end of August.

Provincial Competition for 2024:

Following the Local association and Regional-level competitions, the fun continues as the six Regional Champs compete head-to-head for the title of Provincial Go For The Gold Champions!

One team of up to five 4-H participants and two coaches can participate from each region.

Open to current 4-H Members 9-21 years old

Registration deadline: TBD
Event date: TBD – Royal Agricultural Winter Fair
Time:
Location:
Entry fee:

Provincial GFTG Registration –

4-H Ontario is excited to be hosting a virtual Provincial 4-H Judging Competition open to all 4-H Ontario participants in 2023.

One of 4-H Ontario’s core competencies is critical thinking. This skill is developed throughout all aspects of the 4-H Ontario program from the local club to provincial events and national events.

The Provincial 4-H Judging Competition will include classes representing the 4-H Learning and Development Pillars: Sustainable Agriculture and Food, Community Engagement and Communications, Environment and Health Living, and Science and Technology. Competition classes will include four livestock classes and four non-livestock classes and a general knowledge quiz.

The class listing includes:

  1. Beef
  2. Goats
  3. Swine
  4. Carrots
  5. Cookies
  6. Horse
  7. Wheat Sheaves
  8.  Lawn Mowers
  9. General Knowledge Quiz (25 questions)

Information Overview

Judging will be open from July 15 to August 15.Results will be shared approximately one week following the completion of the competition. A virtual award presentation will released to recognize competitors, sponsors and volunteers involved in the competition. We will not be collecting reasons. Please only submit your placings for each class.

Results will be shared approximately one week following the completion of the competition.

 

To access the Provincial Judging Competition platform. Click HERE 

For further information to help you prepare and HOW TO register for the competition click here.

*Please check your JUNK/SPAM inbox once you have registered or have changed your password!

Registration fee: FREE

Competitors must be 6 to 21 years of age (4-H participants, as of December 31, 2021):
Categories:

  • Cloverbud: 6 to 8 years of age
  • Junior: 9 to 12 years of age
  • Intermediate: 13 to 15 years of age
  • Senior: 16 to 21 years of age

 

For any questions or concerns, please reach out to Autumn Unwin at digitalprogram@4-hontario.ca or Kathryn Lambert at events@4-hontario.ca

The Provincial 4-H Judging Competition is sponsored by Kubota Canada Ltd.

Roll up your sleeves and join our 2023 Virtual Art Show! Choose from a variety of a category options to learn from, create and show off your amazing skills.

The Virtual Art show provides fun, experiential ideas/activities for you to explore and apply new art techniques to your future pieces.

Open to all youth in the province in the following groups:

  • 6-8 years old
  • 9-12 years old
  • 13-15 years old
  • 16 -21 years old

Categories:

  • Painting/Drawing
  • Photography
  • Food Art
  • Craft/Sculpture

Click HERE to check out the Virtual Gallery and for more information.

Calling all artists! In partnership with AgScape,   4H-Ontario is running a Virtual Art Show. Choose to submit an art piece that connects with the theme of Our Food Our Story from these categories: Painting & Drawing,  Photography, or Crafts/Sculpture.

Winners will receive a specialty 4-H Ontario and AgScape discovery box containing fun activities and much more!

There will be a winner for each category per division:

  • Grade: K-3
  • Grade: 4-6
  • Grade: 7-9
  • Grade: 10-12
  • Adult: Ontario Certified Teachers and 4H Ontario Leaders only

* Please note this contest is open to Ontario residents only.

 

Visit the gallery on AgScape’s Website here: CALM GALLERY