For current 4-H Members 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!
Learn more about the 4-H Canada Science Fair on the 4-H Canada website.
For current 4-H Members ages 17-21
Do you know good livestock when you see it? Compete as part of a team of 4-H Ontario Members 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.
The team is supported by the Andy Lindsay Memorial Scholarship Fund and the Hay West Fund of the Ontario 4-H Foundation.
Open to 4-H Participants across Ontario
Event date: November, 2021
Application deadline: June 1, 2021
Location: Canadian Western Agribition, Regina, SK
*Note: This event is organized by the Canadian Western Agribition. Changes to information regarding this competition may happen and will be updated here as quickly as possible. This experience may be impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Registration fee: approximately $210 + flights*
To apply for the Agribition Judging Seminar, please complete the 4-H Ontario National Opportunity Registration Form.
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! We want to hear – ahem, read! – what being part of 4-H means to you.
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 topic: What does being a 4-H’er mean to you?
A $100 prize will be awarded to the winner in each of two age groups:
Junior category: 9-14
Senior category: 15-21
The Amber Underwood Memorial News Competition is an annual competition in memory of Mrs. Amber Underwood who passed away in 1989. Amber grew up on a farm in Norfolk County, was a graduate of the University of Guelph with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and an OMAFRA Assistant Ag Rep in Kent County. 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.
How to Enter
- Submission deadline: September 15, 2020
- Write a 500-word news-style report on the following topic: What does being a 4-H’er mean to you?
- Complete the Amber Underwood Memorial News Competition Application Form OR submit your entry online
- Submit your entry to digital@4-hontario.ca
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
2019 Winners
Junior category: Ally Milo
Read her story: How 4-H Benefits the World
Senior category: Sidney Shaw
Read her story: 4-H’s for the World
Read winning entries from previous years
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
- $500 prize
- Senior competition
- Ages 16-24
- $1,000 prize
Learn more on the CYSA website.
For current 4-H Members of all ages
Increase your knowledge of 4-H project materials, agriculture, food, community events and more in a challenging and fun team atmosphere!
Local Association and Regional Competitions
4-H Association-level and Regional-level Go For The Gold (GFTG) competitions are hosted by local 4-H Volunteers every year. This quiz style competition is one of the most popular 4-H events.
4-H Volunteers and Members who want to prepare for, compete in and run a GFTG competition can get more information in the 2021 GFTG Handbook.
Local Competitions for 2021:
With the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic and varying levels of the COVID-19 colour-code system throughout the province, 4-H Ontario has decided to provide a safe, equal and fair opportunity to the 4-H members by offering the 2021 Local Competitions in a virtual experience, similar to 2020.
The 2021 local competitions will be hosted using the Kahoot! platform and will include fifty questions from the projects listed in the 2021 Go For The Gold Handbook.
Local 4-H Associations are asked to complete the online form (link below), requesting two different dates and times that are possible for hosting the local competition. 4-H Ontario staff will then notify the contact within 48 business hours, confirming the schedule availability. Dates are filled on a first come, first serve basis.
4-H Ontario is asking that the local competitions take place between May 1st – August 6th, in order to allow enough planning for the regional competition.
Register your Association for Local GFTG Competition NOW: Local Go For The Gold Virtual Sign Up Form
Regional Competitions:
4-H Ontario continues to monitor the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic for the health and safety of all participants. At the present time, a decision has not been made on the delivery format for the Regional Go For The Gold Competition. 4-H Ontario will make an announcement by mid-July.
Provincial Competition
Following the 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 members and two coaches can participate from each region.
Open to current 4-H Members 9-21 years old
Registration deadline: September 7, 2021
Event date: October/November, 2021
Location: TBD
Entry fee: TBD
4-H Ontario values the relationship and support from the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair (RAWF) as hosts for the Provincial Go For The Gold competition for many years. The 4-H Ontario and RAWF staff teams have determined that for the health and safety of all participants in regard to COVID-19, that the Provincial Competition will not be able to be hosted at the RAWF in 2021. Both 4-H Ontario and the RAWF look forward to hosting the in-person Provincial Go For the Gold again in 2022.
Please read the Camp, Conference, Competition & Exchange Attendance Policies.
Thanks to our sponsor, Ontario Mutuals
For more information, please contact:
4-H Ontario’s Coordinator, Programming & Resources
resources@4-hontario.ca
1-877-410-6748 x 482
Past Winning Teams
2014 – Kawartha Lakes-Haliburton
Diane Armstrong – Coach
Craig Kennedy – Coach
Cassandra Gorrill
Maggie-Jo Hickson
Sadie-Jane Hickson
Trevor Kennedy
2013 – Huron
Mary Ellen Foran – Coach
Marita Oudshoorn – Asst. Coach
Jeanette Schramm
Melissa Higgins
Jolande Oudshoorn (Alternate)
Reba Jefferson
Kate Higgins
2012 – Durham East
Brad Found – Coach
Andrew Louws
Kate Louws
Katie McRae
Carol Morton
Doug Skinner
2011 – Halton
Marie Martin – Coach
Deanna Glasgow
Scott Gooding
Rebecca Murray
Christine Wilkinson
2010 – Lanark
Leanna Lowry – Coach
Michelle Guerard
Ashley Knapton
James Knapton
Alan Nanne
2009 – Huron
Heather Stark – Coach
Maggie Aislie
Katie Brady
Ursina Studhalter
Raina Venerhoeds
2008 – Wellington
Marg Aitken – Coach
Heather Aitken
Joel Aitken
James Bailey
Miriam Bailey
Virginia Pantling
2007 – Kawartha Lakes Haliburton
Leona Clarke – Coach
Michael Bruce
Matt English
Allan Francis
Greg Snodden
Amanda Staples
2006 – Durham East
Brad Found – Coach
David Found
Steven Larmer
Meagan McRae
Reuben McRae
David Morton
2005 – Grenville
Maria Ferguson – Coach
Thomas Ferguson
Michael Maitland
Ronnie Maitland
Crystal Throop
Asif Van Dyke
2004 – Leeds
Murray Hagget – Coach
Kent Fraser
Melanie MacMillan
Cole Verburg
Ian Verburg
2003 – Halton
Eleanor Lutes – Coach
Adam Dolson
Jessica Lutes
Naomi Lutes
Scott Martin
Cristy Nurse
2002 – Durham East
Mike Metcalf – Coach
Katharine Found
Stephen Found
Robert Larmer
Emily Metcalf
2001 – South Simcoe
Jean Keffer – Coach
Philip Keffer
Mark McKnight
Carolyn West
Stephen West
2000 – Peterborough
Steve Andrews – Coach
Chris McGriskin
Ed McGriskin
Ellen Nelson
Dana Oliver
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. Critical thinking is a foundational skill that allows people to succeed in all aspects of their lives within and outside of the 4-H Ontario program. In 2020, 4-H Ontario local and regional volunteers rallied together to create wonderful learning opportunities around critical thinking for 4-H’ers. These judging competitions were well received by participants and 4-H Ontario staff received requests for a provincial competition option. Learning from our volunteers across the province, 4-H Ontario is excited to be hosting a virtual Provincial 4-H Judging Competition open to all 4-H Ontario participants in 2021.
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. There will be a total of 8 classes for participants to judge, along with a general knowledge quiz.
The class listing includes:
- Dairy Cows
- Breeding Heifers
- Swine
- Breeding Ewes
- Kubota Lawn movers
- Healthy Lunches
- Digital Photography
- Flower Arrangements
- General Knowledge quiz (20 questions)
Please note that due to COVID-19 restrictions 4-H Ontario was not able to video livestock from Ontario for the purposes of this competition. Therefore, videos have been sourced from our competition host, which is based in the U.S., where animal husbandry practices and showmanship attire may have different standards than that in Ontario/Canada. Plans for 2022 are in progress to address these differences.
A virtual award presentation will take place on August 18th to recognize competitors, sponsors and volunteers involved in the competition. This event, as well as the judge’s official placings, will be recorded and posted the week following the awards event.
Information Overview:
Event date: Opens July 15, Closes August 15th, 2021
Registration closes: August 10, 2021
Registration fee: FREE
Age Breakdown (4-H participants, age as of December 31, 2020):
- 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
To Register: click here.
For further details and information to help you prepare for the competition click here.
The Provincial 4-H Judging Competition is sponsored by:
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