What the 4-H/FFA Swine Show Is
The 4-H/FFA Swine Show is the youth hog show at the North Dakota State Fair in Minot. It is open to North Dakota 4-H and FFA members who bring market hogs and breeding gilts to the fairgrounds, show them in the ring, and compete for ribbons, premiums and a place in the fair's round-robin showmanship contest. The 2026 show starts at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 23, in the Expo Barn, during the fair that runs July 17 to 25.
Classes and Ways to Show
| Division | Classes |
|---|---|
| Showmanship | Junior (age 8 to 10), Intermediate (11 to 13), Senior (14 to 16), Advanced (17 to 19) and Legacy (20 to 21), with age counted as of Sept. 1, 2025 |
| Registered breeding gilts | Born January 2026 or later; born July through December 2025; born January through June 2025 |
| Crossbred or grade breeding gilt | Maximum weight 385 lbs, following the market hog weigh rules |
| Market swine | Market gilt, market barrow and registered market barrow |
Each exhibitor may enter up to two animals per class per breed and a total of 12 animals. A market gilt cannot also be shown as a breeding gilt, and the same animal can be shown only once in the 4-H/FFA show (showmanship excepted).
Who Can Enter and Rules
- Youth must be an enrolled North Dakota 4-H member (ages 8 to 18, active in a club in the 2025-2026 year) or an FFA member on the chapter roster.
- Swine must be owned or leased, with daily management by the exhibitor, by May 1 of the show year. All livestock must be entered by May 1 through 4-HOnline or with the FFA advisor.
- Every pig needs an official USDA 840 ear tag and ear notches in both ears using the Universal Ear Notch System. Registered animals must show registration papers at check-in or be shown as commercial.
- All 4-H/FFA livestock exhibitors must have quality assurance training, such as YQCA, LQA, BQA or PQA, or be in an accredited FFA chapter with a formal ag course.
- Market hogs must weigh 220 to 300 pounds. A pig under 220 goes to the premier market class and is out of the champion drive; a pig over 300 goes to an overweight class.
How It Works: The Timeline
- Arrive: Swine may arrive Monday, July 20 from 9:00 to 11:00 p.m. or Tuesday, July 21 from 7:00 to 11:00 a.m. There are no early arrivals or releases. Check in with the swine superintendent for pen assignments.
- Weigh in: Tuesday, July 21, noon to 3:30 p.m. This is a declare-your-weight show: exhibitors weigh their own hogs and fill out weight cards, which must be turned in by 3:30 p.m. or the animal cannot show.
- Exhibitor meeting: Tuesday, July 21, noon, followed by the exhibitors' picnic from 5 to 7 p.m.
- Show: Thursday, July 23, 2:00 p.m., Expo Barn. The top two in each class are weighed back after their class and must be within 15 pounds of declared weight to return for the overall drive.
- Awards and release: 4-H/FFA awards are Saturday, July 25 at 9:30 a.m. Livestock is released on a staggered schedule from 3 to 6 p.m. that day.
Awards and What You Get
Blue, red and white ribbons carry premiums, with extra premiums for first place in market classes and for champion and reserve champion breeding animals. Premiums are mailed in September. Each livestock exhibitor receives a show shirt that must be worn in every 4-H/FFA show. Grand and reserve champion market hogs are drug tested after judging. The National Swine Registry offers $100 for the overall champion barrow if it is a registered Duroc, Hampshire, Landrace or Yorkshire from a recorded litter, and the Poland China Record Association offers $50 for a Poland China champion barrow. The Herdsman Award recognizes neatness and cooperation across the week.
Where
Expo Barn, North Dakota State Fair, 2005 Burdick Expressway East, Minot, ND 58701. Livestock trailers must park off the grounds, and one free livestock load/unload pass per family must be requested in advance because passes are not sold at the gate. The Expo Barn opens at 7:30 a.m. daily.
Questions
Do I enter through the fair website?
No. 4-H and FFA members are entered by their county extension agent or FFA advisor. Families showing only in 4-H/FFA fill out the 4-H/FFA Only Exhibitor Stall and Passes Request Form on the fair website.
Can the same pig also show in the open or junior show?
Yes. A pig can be in the 4-H or the FFA show, not both, and can also enter the open and junior shows. Check the 4-H/FFA box on the entry form so it keeps its stall.
Who do I call?
The State Fair office at 701-857-7620. The swine superintendent is Brian Zimprich.
Official Links
- 2026 livestock exhibitor schedule
- 2026 4-H division exhibit list
- 2026 swine department rules
- How to enter
North Dakota County Fairs: The Essentials
North Dakota county fairs run from June into the fall and combine an open class, a 4-H division run by NDSU Extension, and often FFA exhibits. Each county sets its own fair book, dates and deadlines, so get yours from the Extension office early. History: laws from 1897 and 1905 let county commissioners levy taxes to support county fairs.
Examples
Grant County's 2025 fair (August 14-17, Carson) required six club meetings, set market beef ownership at March 1 and other species at May 1, and used interview judging for static projects. Cass County's 2021 Red River Valley Fair opened registration June 1 and paid static blue $3.50, red $2.50 and white $1.50.
State fair
The 2026 North Dakota State Fair ran July 17-25 in Minot. Static exhibits needed a blue ribbon or higher at a county event supervised by Extension, and exhibitors needed to be enrolled in 4-HOnline. Livestock entries were due May 1, with YQCA or equivalent quality assurance training required, and premiums were mailed in September. Read your county book for the dates that apply locally and for any residency rules before you enter.
Other Upcoming Events Nearby
- North Dakota Farm Bureau Living Ag in the Classroom Minot
A Living Ag in the Classroom session in Minot for teachers. Next session posted for January 27, 2027; the city comes from the event title.
Minot, ND | Organizer: North Dakota Farm Bureau Official event details - Ward County 4-H Air Rifle and Pistol Match
County 4-H shooting sports match held February 21, 2026, at the North Dakota State Fairgrounds in Minot, with a Fun Match for all ages at 1 p.m.
2005 E Burdick Expy, Minot, ND 58701 | Organizer: Ward County 4-H Official event details - Rodeo Minot
Friday brings an NDRA rodeo and Saturday a PRCA rodeo at the State Fair Center, with adult tickets at $15 and $20. Held each year; the most recent dates were April 10-11, 2026.
2005 Burdick Expressway East, Minot, ND 58701 | 701-857-8206 Official event details - Ward County 4-H Achievement Days
The 94th annual Ward County 4-H Achievement Days ran June 12-18, 2026, at the North Dakota State Fairgrounds with 264 members showing projects, horses and livestock; free to attend.
Minot, ND | Organizer: Ward County 4-H Official event details - NDSA Spring Roundup Berthold
NDSA District 6 spring roundup in Berthold, a free cattlemen's meeting that starts with a 5 p.m. social. Held each year; the most recent roundup was 2026-06-08.
210 Main Street, Berthold, ND | Organizer: North Dakota Stockmen's Association Official event details
All North Dakota events by date
Listing checked Nov. 11, 2026 against this source. Details can change; confirm with the organizer.