Rockwall County 4-H Events and Activities

Friday, July 25, 2014


Congratulations Photography Project Members!   
State Photography Contest at Texas 4-H Roundup
Senior 4-H members Olivia Britt and Will Morris qualified for the State Photography Contest.   
Photos are scored in point values by the judges and then awarded a blue, red or white ribbon based on the score. 
Results are as follows:  
Olivia Britt
Animals – Wildlife - Red
Catch-All – Red
Food – Red
William Morris
Animals – Domestic - Blue
Nature & Landscape – Blue

Will scored the highest in the Nature & Landscape category and was awarded Best of Show.
His photo will be displayed in the Texas 4-H Office for the year!
Great shot Will!


All of the Best of Show pictures are posted here:

District 4 TAE4-HA Photography Contest
Also judged this summer was the District 4 4-H Agents contest.  4-H members Mikey & McKenna Mershawn and Ethan & Ellee Spearman entered this contest.  Results are as follows:
McKenna Mershawn                                    Mikey Mershawn
Animals – Domestic – White                         Animals – Wildlife – Blue
Animals – Wildlife – Red                              Catch all – Blue
Catch all – Red                                            Details & Macro – White
Details & Macro – Blue                                Dominant Color – Blue – Class Winner
Dominant Color – Blue – Class Winner         Elements of Design – Red
Elements of Design – Blue                          Nature & Landscape – Blue
Food – Blue                                               Marine Aquatic – Blue – Class Winner
Nature & Landscape – Blue                         Plant Flora – Red
Marine Aquatic – Red                                  Theme – White
Plant Flora – Red                                        People – Blue
Theme – Blue

Ellee Spearman                                         Ethan Spearman
Details & Macro – Blue                               Details & Macro – Blue - Class Winner
Theme – Blue – Class Winner                     Nature & Landscape – Red

Monday, July 21, 2014



July/ August 4-H Newsletter 

Educational programs of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

Todd K. Williams
CEA-Agriculture/Natural Resources
Adult & Youth



Important dates at a glance!

July 20-27     Texas 4-H Horse Show 
August 12     Club Manager Training
August 14     Rockwall County 4-H Awards Event
August 16     Multi County Club Officer Training
August 19     East Texas State Fair & State Fair of Texas
entries due in the Extension Office
Lamb and Goat tag orders for 2013 Winter Major
Stock Shows due in the Extension Office
August 25    Rockwall & Royse City ISD 1st day of School
Sept 1            Heart of Texas entries due in office
Sept 9            County-wide 4-H Kick-off (County Council & PAL immediately following)


Congratulations!
Bobbie Carr - RHHS Class of 2014
We wish you all the best!  Remember character is that attribute or feature that makes up and distinguishes an individual. 
 Integrity is what you do when no one is watching.  Practice good character and keep your integrity


County 4-H Achievement Awards and Recognition Event is Thursday August 14!
This is our opportunity to recognize 4-H’ers and leaders for their participation and accomplishments at District and State activities during the 2013-2014 4-H year. The annual event will be held on August 14, 2014 and will begin at 6:30 p.m. The location will be the Rockwall County Library.
If you completed a record book or participated in a district or state contest, please RSVP by August 8, 2014 to receive a certificate or honor at the ceremony.

4-H Club Manager Training
The annual Club Manager training is scheduled for August 12, 2014 from 6:30-8:00 pm. This will be held at the County Extension Office.
This is mandatory if you plan to have a club for 2014-2015. Each club must have at least 1 manager present and preferably all managers will attend!

We will cover updates on the revised enrollment process, club and project meeting reports.
Youth Protection Standards for Volunteers, club budgets, financial reports & club charters will also be addressed.
This fast paced meeting should last no longer than an hour and a half.
Club Managers please RSVP by calling Shelly @ 972-204-7660.


Multi-County 4-H Club Officer Training
Attention 2014-2015 Club Officers! This year we will once again be holding a multi county training with Rockwall, Kaufman, Dallas, and Cooke counties in Liberty Hall inside the new Rockwall County Courthouse .  If you have been elected an officer in your 4-H club for the upcoming year, you will not want to miss the Club Officer Training on Saturday, August 16!  Registration deadline is 8th
This leadership development opportunity will last all day and include training in the morning and group dynamics activities in the afternoon.
Officers from all clubs are encouraged to attend. This training promises to be educational and fun!

Registration will begin at 8:30 am, program will last until 3:00 p.m. details are attached!


Welcome to 4-H Kick-Off!
Do you love 4-H and know someone you think would love it also??? Then invite them to the annual Kick Off Event will be held on September 9, at the new Extension Office – 915 Whitmore, Rockwall, from 6:00 to 7:00 pm.
NOTE: This is an earlier date than previous years’ as requested by Club Managers to get new families involved sooner.
This activity is aimed at new and potential members.
Each club is to have a promotion table showing what your club offers in regards to projects and activities. Club officers or appointed representatives should be present to help answer questions about your club.


Texas 4-H Roundup
 Congratulations Senior Consumer Decision Making Team! 4-H members Naomi Romero, Trevor Rowe & Bradley Simpson represented Rockwall County at Texas 4-H Roundup on the campus of Texas A&M University on June 11. The team placed 8th and Bradley was 10th High Individual. Margaret Romero and Dee Dee Simpson were team coaches.

Texas 4-H Roundup began in 1946.  It includes 40 different contests that members can exhibit the lifeskills they have learned through
4-H, such as, decision making, public speaking, public performing, organization and working with others. Most of these contests are senior only contests for which youth must qualify at District Roundup to advance to State. However, some contests such as Quilt Challenge have emerged in the last few years to increase our youth’s opportunities to participate in State Roundup. For more information visit: http://texas4-h.tamu.edu/roundup

East Region 4-H Horse Show
Congratulations Rockin Riders members Grace & Katie Marcantel, Layne Miller, Courtney Murphey and Shelby & Trevor Rowe on their success at the East Region 4H Horse Show!!

Highlights include: Grace competed in Halter Mares (11th place) and Halter Showmanship (16th place).
Katie competed in Poles, Halter Geldings (11th place) and Halter Showmanship (15th place).
Layne competed in Barrels, Poles, Team Sorting and Halter Mares. Placed 10th in Halter Mares
Courtney competed in Barrels, Halter Showmanship and Team Sorting 
Trevor competed with a mixed county team that won 2nd place in the Ranch Sorting and placed 13th in barrels.   Trevor and Shelby's team penning team finished 4th. Shelby placed 11th in poles, 2nd in barrels and 1st in the stakes race and won a belt buckle for being Senior High Point Timed Event Champion!

Congratulations and Good Luck Shelby & Trevor at State Horse Show!!


Texas 4-H Dog Show
Congratulations to Rockwall County 4-H member Sarah Stinson!
She competed this past weekend at the Texas 4-H Dog Show in Belton
and brought home 1st lace in the Dog Obedience category. 



Shooting Sports Project News

Good Luck to Brock Green at The State Shooting Sports Games later this month!


Record Book Info.
Cade, Kami, and Kylee Adams, Hannah, Jordan and Megan Huff, Sam Kazlow, Dalene Mautner, Cade, Cody & Kirsten Miller, Will Morris, Chase Peters, Naomi Romero, Cat Sabella, Anna and Cole Schieberle, and Ethan and Ellee Spearman completed 4-H records for the 2013-2014 4-H year. Extensive work was put into these books and it really showed!

The following books advanced to District 4 Recordbook judging which was held July10:


Kamryn Adams – Jr Swine – 3rd
Kylee Adams – Sr Swine – 2nd
Dalene Mautner – Jr Rabbits – 3rd
Cody Miller – Int Beef – 5th
Kirsten Miller – Sr Beef – 5th
Will Morris – Sr Photography – 4th
Naomi Romero  - Sr Consumer -  2nd
Cat Sabella – Sr Swine - 2nd
Anna Schieberle – Int Goats – 5th
Cole Schieberle – Jr Goats – 3rd
Ellee Spearman – Jr Photography -  2nd
Ethan Spearman – Jr Beef - 1st


 
 
     





2014-2015 Re-enrollment Time!
We hope everyone is having a wonderful summer! It is hard to believe that the new 4-H year is right around the corner.
When your 4-H clubs resume meeting in September, everyone must re-enroll on 4-H Connect for the new 4-H year.
If you have any problems with registering a new member, re-registering for the new year or passwords, please contact Shelly at the Extension Office.

As you register, be sure to fill out the vital information such as your address, phone number, age, grade, signature, project interest(s) and the date.
Cost is $20 per member. After October 31, the cost will increase from $20 to $25/ per child and all non-renewals will be dropped from our mailing list.

You must attend a 4-H meeting for your online registration to be certified by this office. Clubs attendance policies will still be in effect. It is important for you to attend every meeting if possible so you do not miss out on important information or club activities! It is also important for at least one parent to attend the meetings too.
  

STATE FAIR OF TEXAS
The 2014 State Fair of Texas is September 24 – October 19. The State Fair of Texas has many opportunities for young people as well as adults. For a complete listing of the things you can enter or see, visit: www.bigtex.com

Creative Arts Department
Information is available online at http://www.bigtex.com/sft/CreativeArts/CompetitionHandbook.asp. There are hundreds of opportunities for 4-H members and adults including: Art, Canning, Photography, and Needlework & Sewing, Be sure and see the contest displays while you are visiting the fair. Entry forms and fees must be sent by mail and received by the State Fair on or before July 27.

Junior Livestock Show
There are many livestock and horse events to enter or see at the State Fair. Many horse events take place before the fair officially opens, as do some of the junior livestock activities, so plan in advance before you go! .

Livestock Contests
There are several Agriculture based contests that will be held during the Fair in addition to the livestock exhibition contests. These include Livestock Judging, Public Speaking, Quality Counts Photography and more! Visit http://www.bigtex.com/sft/LiveStock/Contests.asp for more info.

Junior Livestock Show and most Contest entries must be received in our County Extension Office by August 19th so they can be processed and sent to the fair by their due date. All of the rules and entry forms for these contests are available at: http://www.bigtex.com.

Ranch Sorting & Team Penning
The Youth Ranch Sorting & Team Penning contests will be held Sept 24-26. All of the rules and entry forms for these contests are available at: http://www.bigtex.com


Other Fair Deadlines: You must have a Quality Counts # prior to entering State Fair and Heart O Texas Fair. See below.    
East Texas State Fair entries are also due on August 19.  Visit etstatefair.com for more information on this show.
Heart O’ Texas entries are due September 1.  Visit hotfair.com for more information on this show.     
  


Quality Counts verification is required for all youth exhibiting livestock (market and/or breeding) at major livestock shows in Texas (including the Ft. Worth Livestock Show, San Antonio Stock Show, Houston Livestock Show, Star of Texas Fair, San Angelo Livestock Show, State Fair of Texas, and Heart O’ Texas Fair).   This is also required for Rockwall Youth Fair. 
     The verification process will require junior exhibitors to pass an online test that measures their knowledge on quality assurance and character education content items. Youth are able to go online to take the test and become verified. A verification number will need to be provided at the time of making an official entry into a Texas major livestock show. Thus, youth will need to have completed and passed the test before the major livestock show’s entry deadline. A passing score has been determined to be 80%.
     Youth educators and the major livestock shows in Texas believe strongly in Quality Counts. For more information, please contact your County Extension Agent or Agriculture Science Teacher. To learn more about Quality Counts including the verification process, please visit: http://qualitycounts.tamu.edu/.
 If you turned 14 this year, your number is no longer valid and you must take the Senior test. 


Winter Major Stock Show Tag Orders
Anyone wishing to exhibit lambs, goats or hogs at 2013 Winter Major Stock Shows must order tags by the date below.
Cost for the major stock show validation tags will be $12. Tags will only be ordered for those that have paid by the deadline. Any orders after that date will be subject to late fees set by the state office. If you have any questions call the office.
FYI - Steers for majors have already been validated.
Steers for Rockwall Youth Fair will be validated in September.

Lamb or goat— August 19.
Hog — September 15.


Calf Scramble Updates
Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, San Antonio Livestock Show and the Fort Worth Stock Show offer opportunities for youth to receive animal purchase certificates for catching calves in their calf scrambles. San Antonio participants need to be at least 12 years old by January 1, 2014, but not yet 18 nor enrolled beyond the junior year of high school. Fort Worth & Houston participants must be at least 14 years of age. Certificates from Fort Worth can be used for a breeding beef or dairy heifer. A certificate from San Antonio can be used for breeding sheep, goats, beef, swine or dairy. Houston certificates can includes beef heifers or steers. Contact the office by August 31 if you are interested in any of these.



 Rockwall County 4-H Clubs & Information
Note: Most clubs take the summer off!
Please watch for info. from your Club Manager of when and where your 1st meeting of the new year will be.

Rockwall County Beef Club – NEW!
1st meeting will be August 3rd at the Miller Residence
(Same location as Jones Park) – 3pm
All beef project members current and new are invited to attend. 


Busy Bee’s 4-H Club
Junior
Ages:
8 and in the 3rd grade, 9 & 10
Birth dates between:
Sept 1, 2003 – Aug 31, 2006

Intermediate
Ages:
11 to 13
Birth dates between:
Sept 1, 2000 – Aug 31, 2003

Senior
Ages:
14 to 18
Birth dates between:
Sept 1, 1995 – Aug 31, 2000

EFFECTIVE FOR THE 2015-2016 TEXAS 4-H YEAR  4-H PARTICIPATION WILL BE BASED ON GRADE LEVEL. A YOUTH CAN BE A 4-H MEMBER STARTING IN 3RD GRADE AND ENDING IN 12TH GRADE

 
3rd Monday of every month
6:30 p.m. Toyota of Rockwall
   
Rockin’ Riders
Horse Club
1st Monday of every month
Time & location TBA

Rockwall Clovers 4-H Club
Time & location TBA

Texas Tumbleweeds 4-H Club
2nd Friday of every month
Bevans Arabians


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Rockwall County 4-H Gazette
With the advancement of technology, budget crunches, and information on demand concerns, the "Gazette" has moved to a computer based e-letter format. We will still send it out at the beginning of odd months. It will be posted on the County 4-H News Blog and club managers will still have some hard copies available at the club meetings if needed. This will allow more time for you as a family to have discussions on needed items, and make informed decisions with more lead time. We are excited about this format and trust you will be as well. We will try to be sensitive to those families who still may have dial up. So the pictures may be minimal.