Open Class Events
Open Class Exhibits
Open class is an opportunity for anyone with a special talent to showcase their abilities. Classes include baking, gardening, photography, art, quilting, and much more.
Most Open Class exhibits, including Open Class JUNIOR are entered on the Wednesday of the fair between 9 AM and 4 PM. Exhibits are released on Saturday.
Open Dog Show, and Pee Wee Beef Shows are on separate dates and times. Please check the schedule for correct date and time.
Contact the Holt County Fair Board
holtcountyfair@gmail.com
2023 Open Class Events
Junior Division will be judged Wednesday in the Blue Open Class Building.
All other open class exhibits must be entered and in place by 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday in the open class building. Exhibits will be judged Wednesday evening and ready for public viewing Thursday morning.
There will be 4 Divisions: Youth division 9-18, Adult division 19-74., Senior 75 and over; and Professional (Age as of Jan 1st of current year). The guidelines for the Professional Division are: If you made more than $300 in the last year doing a craft or one of the classes, then you will be considered a professional. Please inform the Superintendents at entry time whether you are in the Professional or Senior Citizen Division.
All exhibits will remain until Saturday. They may be picked up on Saturday, check with superintendents for time.
Notice: Collect all open class premiums at check out time and check out with the appropriate Superintendent.
Superintendents:
Dog Show
Melissa Krysl, Superintendent
Monday Check In
Livestock Arena
All dogs MUST be immunized DHL Parvo & rabies.
Dogs and handlers should check in at arena for entry ½ hour before show is scheduled to start.
Baiting with food or a toy is NOT permitted in obedience classes (except Pee Wee).
Open age group is 9-years-old as of January 1st or the current year – through adult. Pee Wee age group is 8 & under.
All age groups may show in classes 1 through 14.
Farm Produce
Tim Mann, Superintendents
First prize is $1.00 in each class; second is $.50, Best of Show – $5.00
An exhibitor may enter only one exhibit of each item listed.
- One Gallon Winter Wheat
- One Gallon Spring Wheat
- One Gallon Rye
- One Gallon Barley
- One Gallon Oats
- One Gallon Buckwheat
- Five Ears, Pop Corn
- Five Ears Last Year’s Corn, Any Variety
- Five Ears This Year’s Corn, Any Variety
- One Ear Last Year’s Corn, Any Variety
- One Ear This Year’s Corn, Any Variety
- One Quart Field Beans
- One Gallon Alfalfa Seed
- One Gallon Sweet Clover Seed
- One Gallon Alsike Clover Seed
- Five Ears Sweet Corn
- One Gallon Red Clover Seed
- One Gallon Madison Vetch
- One Gallon Grain Sorghums, Any Variety
- One Gallon Brome Seed
- Five White Potatoes on Plate
- Five Red Potatoes on Plate
- Five Any Other Potatoes on Plate
- Two Rutabagas on Plate
- Five Turnips on Plate
- Five Tomatoes on Plate (red)
- Five Tomatoes on Plate (yellow)
- Five Pear Tomatoes on Plate
- Five Cherry Tomatoes on Plate
- Five Roma Tomatoes on Plate
- Five Any Other Tomatoes on Plate
- Ten Peanuts
- Five Yellow Onions on Plate
- Five White Onions on Plate
- Five Red Onions on Plate
- Two Slicing Cucumbers
- Five Pickling Cucumbers
- One Plant of Celery
- Five Table Beets on Plate
- Two Sweet Peppers on Plate
- Two Any Other Peppers on Plate
- Five Hot Peppers on Plate
- Five Kohlrabi on Plate
- Five Carrots on Plate
- Five Parsnips on Plate
- Two Heads of Cabbage
- Two Pie Pumpkins
- Two Table Squash (Summer)
- Two Winter Squash
- One Zucchini Squash
- Two Egg Plant
- One Plant Parsley
- One Plant Dill
- Two Muskmelons
- Two Watermelons
- Heaviest Watermelons
- Heaviest Pumpkin
- Largest Cucumber
- Largest Cabbage
- Most Unusual Vegetable
- Five Green String Beans on Plate
- Five Yellow String Beans on Plate
- One Plant of Spinach
- Five Stalks Rhubarb
- Five Okra on Plate
- One Swiss Chard
- Three Plants Corn on Stalk
- Three Sunflower Plants
- Most Unusual Vegetable
Sheaf Grains & Grasses
Sheaf should be five inches at the band, neatly stripped of leaves and neatly tied. First prize is $1.00 in each class, second is $.50.
- Oats
- Soy Beans
- Winter Wheat
- Rye
- Spring Wheat
- Alfalfa Hay
- Timothy
- Barley
- Clover, red
- Clover, sweet hay
- Field Beans
- Alfalfa Seed
- Lima Beans
- Intermediate Wheat Grass
- Sorghum, grain
- Sorghum, fodder
- Brome Grass
Composite Forage & Small Grain Exhibit
Exhibits can be made by individuals, precincts, or organizations.First prize $5.00, second prize $4.00.All fruits must be raised by exhibitors. First prize is $1.00 in each class; second is $.50. - Apples, five on a plate
- Fruits
- Samples to be mounted on a 4’X8′ board, preferably painted white. A minimum of 20 samples must be mounted. Samples may be native or introduced species, should be attractively arranged and labeled on board, and no more than two inches at the band.
- Ben Davis
- Greening, N.W.
- Black Ben Davis
- Grimes Golden
- Jonathan
- Delicious
- Strawberry
- Tallman Sweeet
- Winesap
- Wealthy
- Wealthy Summer
- Any Other Apple
Crab Apples, five on a plate
- Minnesota
- Martha
- Alaska
- Romanite
- Syberian
- Hyslop
- Whitney
- Any Other Crab Apple
Strawberries, five on a plate
Plums, six on a plate
- Transcedent
- Blue Damson
- Pattawatmie
- Wauneta
- Wolf
- Sapa
- Opata
Grapes, three bunches
- Concord Grapes
- White Grapes
- Delaware Grapes
Pears, five on a plate
- Kiefer
- Barlett
- Peter Piper
Peaches, five on a plate
- Seeding
- Grafted or Budded
Quince
Nuts, five on a plate
- Walnuts
- Any other edible nut
Photography
Luann Pribil, Superintendent
First prize $1.00, Second $.50, Best of Show $5.00
All displays should be framed or mounted on a stiff cardboard. (It is recommended that displays be placed in a plastic type bag to prevent dust or other damage.) There will be two categories: Amateur and Professional. Please let the superintendent know which category your entry will be. Photographs will display easier if they have a stiff back, prefer matted.
An exhibitor may enter up to three exhibits of each item listed.
(It is recommended that displays be placed in a plastic type bag to prevent dust or other damage.)
Collage of three pieces
- Altered Picture
- Animals & Wildlife
- Scenic, includes Sunrise, Sunset
- Portrait (People)
- Candid (People Unposed)
- Floral
- Nature
- Miscellaneous
Art
Luann Pribil, Superintendent
First prize $1.0, Second $.50, Best of Show $5.00
All displays should be framed or mounted on a stiff cardboard, ready to hang. (It is recommended that displays be placed in a plastic type bag to prevent dust or other damage.)
An exhibitor may enter up to three exhibits of each item listed.
- Oils
- Acrylics
- Watercolors
- Sketch
- Charcoal
- Chalk
- Pencil
- Mixed Media
- Mosaic Picture
- Miscellaneous
Flowers
Janet Kliment, Superintendent
First prize $1.00, second $.50 Best of Show $5.00
The top placings in each division will be recognized.
Cut Flowers
(3 stems with 1 inch of foliage or less unless otherwise stated)
- Aster
- Bachelor Button
- Balloon Flower
- Balsam
- Bell Flower
- Bleeding Heart (Fernleaf)
- Calendula
- Canna (1 Stem)
- Castor Bean (1 stem)
- Celosia
- crested
- plume
- Chrysanthemum
- football
- large
- cushion
- Cockscomb
- Columbine
- Cosmos
- Dahlia
- large
- small
- seed
- Day Lily
- Daisy
- a. perennial
- Delphinium (1 spike)
- Dianthis
- Echinacea
- Foxglove (1 spike)
- Gaillardia
- Gerbera
- Gladiolus (any color 1 spike)
- Gomphrena
- Hibiscus (1 stem)
- Hollyhock (1 spike)
- Hosta
- Hydrangea (1 stem)
- Impatien
- single
- double
- rose
- Lavender
- Lillies (any type 1 stem)
- Marigolds
- Melapodrum
- Moss Rose
- Nasturtium
- Nicotiama
- Obedient (1 stem)
- Pansys
- Petunias
- single
- double
- fancy
- Phlox
- a. perennial
- Red Hot Poker
- Roses
- Climbing (1 stem or cluster)
- Floribunda (1 cluster)
- Grandiaflora (1 stem or cluster)
- Grootendorst (1 cluster)
- Hybrid Tea (1 stem)
- Miniature (1 cluster)
- Polyanthus (1 cluster)
- Rubeckia
- Salvia
- annual
- perennial
- Scabiosa
- Snapdragon
- Strawflower
- Statice
- Sunflower
- Tuberous Begonia
- Vinca
- Zinnia
- large
- fancy
- small
- Yarrow
- a. perennial
- Any Other
Holt County Wildflowers
(with foliage)
- Bean
- Buckwheat
- Buttercup
- Caper
- Figwort
- Flax
- Gentian
- Lily
- Mallow
- Milkweed
- Mint
- Nightshade
- Parsley
- Pink
- Poppy
- Primrose
- Rose
- Spiderwort
- Spurge
- Sunflower
- yellow
- pink
- white
- purple (blue)
- Vervain
- Any Other
Fresh Arrangement
(Accessories allowed with any foliage)
- Monochromatic (one color)
- Holt County Fair (theme)
- Using Holt County Wildflower and Grasses
- Holiday
- Rose Bouquet (any mix)
- Blooming Bouquet (any mix)
- Dare to be Different
Artistic
(Fresh or artificial)
- Corsage (in plastic bag)
- Silk Arrangement
- Dried Arrangement
- Swag
- Wreath
Educational
(Displayed with explanation)
- Preserved plant
- Conservation
- Fertilizers and insecticides
- Preserved Plant
- Rocks
House Plants
(Grown in house pots)
- Any
Container Plantings
(Grown in outside pots)
- Any
Pantry Stores
Emily Cronk, Superintendent
First prize $1.00, second $.50, Best of Show $5.00.
Money will be awarded only on items in the premium list. Prizes as shown above each class unless otherwise indicated.
After judging of loaf breads and cakes, a sample will be left on exhibit, the remainder may be taken by exhibitor. NO CREAM PIES MY BE EXHIBITED. NO MERINGUE.
There will be three age divisions: 8-18 years and 19-74, 75 & over. An exhibitor may enter up to three exhibits of each item listed.
Quick Breads
- Baking Powder Biscuits, plate of four
- Coffee Cake
- Cornbread, ¼ pan
- Fruit Bread Loaf
- Four Muffins
- Any Other
Yeast Breads
- Batter Bread
- Bread Machine
- Cinnamon Rolls, Four
- Cloverleaf Rolls, four
- Crescent Rolls, four
- Dinner Rolls, four
- Graham or Whole Wheat Bread
- Rye Bread
- White Bread Loaf
- Any Other
Cakes – unfrosted
- Angel Food
- Chiffon Sponge
- Cupcakes
- Gluten Free
- Sugar Free
- Chocolate or Devil’s Food
- Spice
- Fruit Cake
- Applesauce Cake
- Pineapple Cake
- White Cake
- Marble Cake
- Any Other
Decorated Cakes, cupcakes, cookies
- Holiday
- Wedding
- Birthday
- Cupcakes – 4
- Cookies – 4
- Any Other
Pies
- NO CREAM
- NO MERINGUE
- Fruit
- Two-Crust Fruit
Cookies, Four on a plate
- Bars, No Bake
- Refrigerator
- Chocolate Chip (standard recipe)
- Oatmeal drop
- Sugar
- Sugar Free
- Molasses
- Peanut Butter
- Decorated
- Gluten Free
- Snack
- Any Other
Canned Goods
All canned fruits, vegetables, meats and pickles must be in regular pint or quart jars.
Fruits
- Apples
- Applesauce
- Apricots
- Bing Cherries
- Cherries
- Gooseberries
- Grapes
- Huckleberries
- Mulberries
- Peaches
- Pears
- Plums, Tame
- Plums, Wild
- Prunes, Italian
- Raspberries
- Rhubarb
- Sand Cherries
- Strawberries
- Any Other
Vegetables
- Asparagus
- Beets
- Beans
- Beans, shelled
- Carrots
- Corn
- Greens
- Peas
- Hominy
- Peppers
- Pumpkin
- Hominy
- Sanwich Spread
- Sauerkraut
- Vegetable Mix
- Tomato Juice
- any Other
Meats
- Beef
- Chicken
- Fish
- Hamburger
- Mincemeat
- Sausage
- Steak
- Any Other
Pickles & Sauces
- Asparagus
- Bean
- Beet
- Beet Salad or Relish
- Carrot
- Catsup
- Chili Sauce
- Corn Salad or Relish
- Crab Apple
- Cucumber Cinnamon Rings
- Cucumber Relish
- Dill, Cucumber
- Mixed
- Mustard
- Onion
- Peach
- Peppers
- Pepper Relish
- Sliced Cucumber
- Spahetti Souce Sour
- Sweet Cucumber
- Tomato
- Watermelon
- Any Other
Jellies
Must be standard 1/2 pt. canning jar
- Apple
- Cherry
- Choke Cherry
- Currant
- Gooseberry
- Grape, tame
- Grape, wild
- Mixed Fruit
- Peach
- Plum
- Raspberry
- Strawberry
- Sand Cherry
- Any Other
Jam or Butter
- Apple Butter
- Peach Butter
- Pear Butter
- Plum Butter
- Choke Cherry Jam
- Currant Jam
- Grape Jam
- Rhubarb Jam
- Any Other
Preserves & Marmalades
- Cherry
- Garden Huckleberry
- Mulberry
- Plum
- Strawberry
- Tomato
- Watermelon
- Any Other
Hobbies & Crafts
Paula McClanahan, Superintendent
First Prize $1.00, second $.50, Best of show $5.00
Needle Art
Rules for Best-In-County Contest at Nebraska State Fair
- Must be judged BEST IN QUILT/TEXTILE ART.
- One quiltand one other article may be entered in this contest from each county. Exhibitor must be a resident of Holt County.
- Superintendent of County Needle-work (or official) must send in exhibit with exhibitor’s name and address.
- Contest must be published in County Fair Premium Book.
- Exhibit will be under the general rules in the Nebraska State Fair Premium Book.
- Eiit must be entered in appropriate class from Textile Arts Divisions 5201-5210 OR Nebraska State Fair Quilt Dept., Division 5320 or 5330 by Tues. Aug. 8, Midnight deadline and the exhibit received at the Nebraska State Fair no later than Thurs., Aug. 17 at 3 p.m.
All exhibits must be entered and in place by 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Money will be awarded only on items in the premium list. Prizes as shown above each class unless otherwise indicated. Articles in this department in order to command premiums must have been made by the exhibitor within the past two years. All work must be completed. No article can compete for more than one premium and only one entry can be made for each premium.
An exhibitor may enter up to three exhibits of each item listed.
Crocheted
- Afghans
- Bedspreads
- Baby Afghans
- Doily/Centerpiece
- Table Cloth
- Garment
- Baby Garment
- Soft Pillow
- Miscellaneous
Knitted
- Afghans
- Bedspreads
- Baby Afghans
- Garment
- Soft Pillow
- Baby Garment
- finger/Arm Knitting
- Miscellaneous
Embroidered
- Table Cloth
- Tea Towel
- Pillow Case
- Doily/Dresser Scarf
- Soft Pillow
- Garment
- Wall Hanging
- Recycled
- Miscellaneous
Counted Cross-stitch
- Garment
- Wall Hanging
- Ornament
- Pillow
- Miscellaneous
Appliqué
- Garment
- Pillow
- Recycled
- Miscellaneous
Fabric Paint & Dye
- Garment
- Soft Pillow
- Pillowcases
- Wall Hanging
- Miscellaneous
Quilts
- Hand Quilt
- Machine Quilt
- Wall Hanging
- Garment
- Baby
- Tied Quilt
- Quilts made by Groups
- Recycled
- Miscellaneous
Rugs
- All Kinds
Handcraft
- Jewelry
- Baskets
- Leather
- Metal
- Beads
- Paper
- Dolls
- Fabric
- Nature
- Pottery/Clay
- Macrame
- Toys
- Plastic
- Paint
- Legos
- Jewelry
- Glass
- Fairy Gardens
- Miscellaneous
- Recycled Item
Ceramics & Pottery
- Any
China Painting
- Any
Historical & Educational Displays
- 4-H
- Family/Home Community
- metal
- Any
Scrapbooking
- Wedding
- School
- History
- Family/Home
- Community
- Any Other
Wood/Metal
- Furniture
- Toys
- Jewelry
- Lawn Ornaments
- Recycled
- Wall Hanging
- Welding
- Miscellaneous
Hobbies & Crafts
Barb Shane, Superintendent
We invite exhibits from children ages 8 and under. Their exhibits will be interview judged on Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Exhibitors will be broken up into the proper age division. Age divisions are 3+ under, 4-6 year olds and 7-8 year olds. Entries are limited to five (5) per Junior.
Every junior will receive a ribbon and $.50 per entry.
All exhibits will remain until Saturday. They may be picked on Saturday time to be determined by superintendent.
- Tree Leaves (five), named & displayed on board
- Posters
- Three root crops
- Three non-root crop vegetables
- Three cut flowers, annual
- Three cut flowers, perennial
- Seed Picture
- Sketch or Drawing
- Miscellaneous Pictures
- Painting
- Puppet
- Photo
- Healthy Snack
- Painted T-shirt or Sweatshirt
- Plate of three cookies
- Magnet
- Nature Exhibit
- Recycled Exhibit
- Sewing Exhibit
- Fine Art Exhibit
- Fruit Exhibit
- Wood Exhibit
- Clay Exhibit
- Beaded Exhibit
- Lego Exhibit
- Any other static exhibit listed in the open division
Open Beef Show
Megan Gotschall, Superintendent 402.340.0162
OPEN CLASS
BUCKET CALF SHOW
THIS IS JUST FOR FUN!!!!
- The show will take place at the conclusion of the beef show.
- All exhibitors must have a signed waiver on file with the show superintendent before they will be allowed to show.
- No entry fee required to participate in Open Class Bucket Calf Show.
- All exhibitors will be awarded a prize.
- Exhibitors will be asked questions by the judge, such as their name, what their calf’s name is, what their calf eats and how they got their calf…
- Bucket Calves must be on the fairgrounds by 8:30 AM on Friday in order to show on Friday afternoon. You can request stall space on the stalling form with your club or email gotschallultrasound@hotmail.com or call Megan Gotschall 402-340-0162.
OPEN CLASS
BUCKET CALF CLASS
- AGE – Kids ages 3-8 years old are eligible to participate. (If you turned 8 after the 1st of January). Current 4-H and/ or FFA members are NOT able to participate.
- Bucket calves must be under 9 months of age.
- Show halters, poly halters and other show equipment are to be used at the discretion of parent(s) or guardians of Bucket Calf exhibitor.
- Sign up by third Friday in July by contacting Megan Gotschall at 402-340-0162 or gotschallultrasound@hotmail.com
- Beef superintendent may deem any showman ineligible due to safety reasons or health of calf.
OPEN CLASS
PEE WEE BEEF SHOWMANSHIP
THIS IS JUST FOR FUN!!
Pee Wee exhibitor and family are responsible for obtaining animal for showing.
A waiver must be signed by the parents of the showman before they will be allowed into the ring. Showman may be asked questions on the microphone about the calf and about themselves.
PEE WEE
SHOWMANSHIP CLASS:
1. AGE – Kids ages 3-8 years old are eligible to participate. (If you turned 8 after the 1st of January). Current 4-H and/ or FFA members are NOT able to participate .
2. Pee Wee classes will be held at the completion of the Beef Show.
3. No entry fee required to participate in Pee Wee Showmanship Classes.
4. Show halters, poly halters and other show equipment are to be used at the discretion of parent(s) or guardians of Pee Wee exhibitor.
5. Adult supervision is REQUIRED in the show ring at time of Pee Wee Showmanship show .
6. Owner of the animal used may be present in the show ring if needed.
7. Sign up will be at the Show Ring by noon on Friday 4th of Aug at the 4-H/FFA beef show. Waivers will be available at that time .
8. Beef superintendent reserves the right to deem any showman ineligible due to safety reasons.
For more information contact Megan Gotschall 402-340-0162, gotschallultrasound@hotmail.com