4-Hers may now submit videotapes to audition for the 2008 Illinois 4-H Performance Showcase at the state fair this August. The dates are Saturday, August 9^th for rehearsal and Sunday, August 10^th for the actual performance at State Fair. Videotapes must be in the Ogle County Extension office by May 1^st for consideration. Entries will be forwarded for state consideration.

Acts may be performed by any individual or group as long as all participants are 4-H members. (Accompanists for acts need not be 4-Hers.) Individuals must be 10 years old, but younger members may participate in club entries where there are 5 or more people in an act. Acts can be, but are not limited to: dance, theatrical performance, vocal performance, or instrumental performance. Examples of entries are: jazz dance, ballet, creative dance, clogging, baton, acrobatics, gymnastics, monologues, skits, one-act plays, puppetry, magic, or musical revues.

4-H Clubs are invited to submit applications to conduct action presentations in the Exposition Building of the Illinois State Fair between August 8 and August 17.

Action presentations should represent a specific 4-H project area and include hands-on activities that will involve the general fair audience.

Clubs must apply for the minimum of a one-day, 5-hour time slot. A minimum number of club representatives will be required to be at the group's booth during the assigned time slot. Groups may apply for multiple days. Clubs will be awarded $100 per day. An application form is available from the Extension office. Application deadline is April 18.

The 2008 Illinois State Fair is set for August 8-17. State Fair Junior Department Exhibition is open to "...any boy or girl who is enrolled as a 4-H member and is at least 10 years old as of September 1, 2007."

The State 4-H Office has incorporated conference judging back into the State Fair. A copy of the book will be soon posted on the Illinois State Fair Website at http://www.illinoisstatefair.info/

So, below are some items to keep in mind.

• Poultry has been added to the required species for the Quality Assurance & Ethics Certification. If a poultry exhibitor has not been certified on the website for another species, they must be certified before the July 1 deadline for poultry entries. The site is http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/gaec/
• Sheep wethers will have statewide required weigh-in and electronic tagging dates and locations. Electronic tagging of beef steers will also be required, which was done at Ogle County beef weigh-in.
• All animal species will be charged an entry fee for the 2008 Illinois State Fair. The fee is established on a per animal basis and payment will be required before entries will be accepted this summer. Deadlines for entries will be June 9 for Horses; July 1 for Beef, Sheep, Dairy, Goats, Rabbits, Swine, and Poultry; August 1 for Dogs.
• Beef, Dairy, Horses - - $10.00 per animal
• Sheep, Swine, Goats - - $2.50 per animal
• Dogs - - $2.00 per dog
• Poultry, Rabbits - - $1.00 per animal
• The Jr. Market Lamb show is being moved to Friday, August 8.
• The Jr. Breeding Sheep show is scheduled for Sunday, August 10.
• The State 4-H Dog Show is scheduled for Sunday, August 24.
• Premises ID numbers will be required for all animal entries to the Illinois State Fair. In the Junior Department, this includes the following species: Beef, Sheep, Swine, Rabbits, Poultry, Dairy, Goats, and Horses.
• Competitive events will include: Public Presentations, Food Demonstrations, Bicycle Rodeo, and Fashion Revue. These will be held during the first 3 days of the Illinois State Fair. The following is an overview of the schedule:
• August 8 - - Formal, Extempore and Demonstration speeches
• August 9 - - Illustrated and Original Works speeches
• August 10 - - Oral Interpretations, Food Demonstrations and Performance Showcase.
• Ogle County's Exhibit Day for Competitive events (Fashion Revue and Club/Group exhibits) will be Saturday, August 9.
• Ogle County's Conference Judging Day will be Wednesday, August 13.

4-Hers who plan to exhibit animals in the 2008 Illinois State Fair Junior Department Competition will be expected to show evidence of having completed the Quality Assurance and Ethics Clinic Training required by state ruling. The rule states: "Any Illinois 4-H/FFA member needs to attend the QA & E Clinic ONLY ONCE in a lifetime. Once a member's name appears on the statewide listing, they have completed the requirement for their 4-H/FFA career." Training pertains to exhibitors in all of the following areas: beef, swine, sheep, dairy and horse. Ethics training may be taken on-line at <http://qaec.outreach.uiuc.edu>.

The certification deadline for horses is June 9 for horse exhibitors and July 1 for exhibitors of other species.

The Illinois State Fair has issued the following birth, ownership, and tattoo dates for Junior Fair Show participation of swine and sheep:

Barrows: Regular Barrows – farrowed on or after Jan. 15, 2008 and must be the property of the exhibitor by June 1, 2008. No weighing or tattooing required, but must submit ear notches when making entry for State Fair.

Premiere Barrows – farrowed on or after February 10, 2008 and must have been the property of the exhibitor by June 1, 2008. Weighed and tattooed between Feb. 10 and April 15, 2008. Tattooed within 35 days of birth and not weigh more than 1.0 lb/day. Junior exhibitors can purchase barrows.

Wethers: Both Premiere and Live Show Wethers must have been lambed on or after January 1, 2008 and be owned by May 15, 2008. Weighed and tattooed between March 15 and May 15, 2008.

Weigh/tattoo procedures for Open and Jr. Premiere & Live Show Wethers have changed this year. All lambs to be exhibited at the State Fair MUST be taken to one of the designated locations and dates. The two closest locations to Ogle County are on May 10 at the Grundy County Fairgrounds or in Lanark at the Terry Bocker Farm on April 19. Individuals wishing to have their animals tattooed should contact the Extension office for more details on this new procedure.