State Livestock Nomination Information

Kansas utilizes an online system to accept state livestock nominations for the Kansas State Fair Grand Drive and/or Kansas Junior Livestock Show (KJLS)!

 

Nomination Deadlines:

Market Beef – May 1

Small Livestock – June 15

 

DNA Envelope Order Deadlines:

*Official DNA Envelopes must be ordered in advance!*

**Use online nomination system link below to order envelopes.**

How do I skip ahead and order DNA envelopes without entering an animal/prior to tagging?

Market Beef – April 20

Small Livestock – June 5

 

Kansas State Livestock Nomination System (ShoWorks) Link:

https://kansasnom.fairwire.com/
Instructions

 

All Important Show & Nomination Dates

Nominated Livestock Reports

KSU Family/Household Names and KSU Nomination Numbers

Returning Families - click on the link above to find your KSU Family/Household Name and KSU Nomination #. Then, follow nomination link above and use existing exhibitor account(s) from last year to login and submit livestock nominations/order DNA envelopes.

New Families - if this is your first year nominating, click HERE to request an official KSU Family Name and Nomination #. Once processed, you will receive it in 1-3 days via email. Make sure to check your spam. Once received, follow nomination link above to create exhibitor accounts, submit livestock nominations, &/or order DNA envelopes.

*The above KSU Family Name and Nomination # list is posted at the beginning of the nomination season each spring and not updated throughout the year. New families need to keep their number in a safe place once it is received via email; they will appear on the list next spring.

2024 Important Information & Materials

2025 Nomination Updates

2025 Declaration Form

New Family KSU Family Name and Nomination # Request

Nomination Guidelines

Nomination Checklist - requirements for each specie

ShoWorks Field Description Key

Quick Tips

Youth Livestock Show Nomination and Entry Deadlines - Table

Rookie Guide (updated 2024)

YQCA Requirement Information

Get YQCA Certification

YQCA Certification Help Document - Creating an Account & Accessing Certificates

Zoom Session Video - Market Beef & Commercial Heifer (4/8/2024)

Zoom Session Video - Small Livestock - Hogs, Sheep, Meat Goats (5/9/2024)

 

4-Step State Nomination Process:

1. Purchase Official DNA Envelopes. Only DNA envelopes ordered after 2022 will be accepted.

2. Enter Animal & Exhibitor Data through Online System (ShoWorks) by Nomination Deadline.

3. Mail Completed DNA Envelopes & Copy of Online Submission Receipt by Nomination Deadline.

4. Online Approval by Extension Agents (4-H) & FFA Advisors (FFA).

*Nomination Only Makes Animals Eligible - A complete nomination does NOT constitute show entry. Nominations make market animals or commercial breeding females eligible to be entered and shown in the Kansas State Fair Grand Drive and/or KJLS. After completing the nomination process, exhibitors must submit show entries, and pay the affiliated entry fees, directly through each show's entry link by the entry deadline to participate.

**Resources - ALL families are encouraged to use the Rookie Guide and specie checklists!

***First Steps - Exhibitors need to have completed their YQCA training for 2025 and downloaded their certificate before beginning the nomination process. Families should also locate their KSU Family Name and Nomination # before logging in to ShoWorks.

*ALL SUBMISSIONS MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY OFFICIAL DNA HAIR SAMPLE ENVELOPES (PURCHASED IN 2022-2024).*

Mail completed and signed DNA envelopes and copy of ShoWorks receipt listing nominated animals to:

Kansas State University
c/o State 4-H/FFA Shows
ATTN: Lexie Hayes
214 Weber Hall
1424 Claflin Road
Manhattan, KS 66506-0202

 

Worksheets
*To be used as a guide to organize animal information for submission in online system. Do NOT mail. Will NOT be accepted in lieu of online nomination submission.*

Market Beef Worksheet

Commercial Heifer Worksheet

Swine Worksheet

Sheep Worksheet

Meat Goat Worksheet

 

Registered Breeding Animals

Registered breeding heifers, gilts, and ewes do not need to be nominated and do not need an EID tag for state shows (except KJLS gilts). It is only required if needed for county show management. However, ALL meat goats, including does, must be tagged with an EID tag and officially nominated. Refer to show rules for specific details regarding registered breeding animal eligibility and entry.

 

Tag Change Policy

When an animal loses a tag, the Extension Agent must submit a tag change form to the KSU Youth Livestock Program in to verify the change. Please include the family name, specie, original tag number, new tag number and the EID barcode sticker, the date you tagged the animal, and verification this is the same animal that was nominated by the specified deadline. The tag change form below is required for the change to be accepted and honored. Completed and signed forms must be received prior to the show each year, traditionally by September 1 for the Kansas State Fair Grand Drive and September 30 for KJLS.

Tag Change Form

 

Ear Notch & Scrapie Educational Resources

Purdue Extension: Reference Guide - Introduction to Ear Notching

Nebraska Extension: UNL Ear Notching Information

Ear Notch Chart

Scrapie Tag Resource

 

Where do I get EID ear tags?

Exhibitors: Kansas 4-H EID ear tags are required for all nominated (market and commercial) animals showing at the Kansas State Fair and Kansas Junior Livestock Show. Please contact your local extension agent if you need to have an animal tagged for state nomination.

Extension Offices: You must order the EID ear tags via the link and forms distributed to extension units each fall. Information is also posted on this website, under EID Tags. Please contact Lexie Hayes with the KSU Youth Livestock Program, (785)532-1264 for additional details. In the event you run out of EID ear tags, you can share with neighboring counties but you must let Lexie know the tag number(s) you obtained and from which county you obtained them.

 

Where do I get DNA hair envelopes?

Exhibitors: DNA envelopes for state livestock nominations must be orderd through the online portal (Kansas Nomination ShoWorks link) by the deadline for each specie, listed above. Only official DNA envelopes will be accepted. One type of envelope is available for all species. Be sure to circle the correct specie from which you pulled hair and write the ear tag number on the envelope. DO NOT CUT THE HAIR. DNA must be submitted in an official DNA envelope and must have at least one parent’s signature in addition to all exhibitors in the family. Unofficial envelopes received will be returned to the sender and a $20 fee will be charged. For more information on HOW to obtain DNA hair samples, please visit the DNA Hair Sampling Instructions link on the left.

Extension Offices: Please follow the established procedure for ordering new DNA envelopes.

 

Incomplete Nomination Policy

Nominations that are submitted but incomplete (i.e. no YQCA certificates, missing signatures, mismatched ear tags, missing documents, lack of nomination fee, missing ear notches, missing scrapie tag #, etc.) will be flagged as incomplete and a letter will be returned to the nominating family explaining why the nomination is incomplete. A $20.00 incomplete fee will be charged and is required in order for a nomination to be rectified, in addition to the returning or correcting missing information.

 

Late Nomination Policy

Late nominations may be accepted as long as they are postmarked within ten (10) calendar days of the original due date, and the family has not previously submitted a late nomination. Any nomination received with a postmark after the appropriate deadline will not be accepted, for any reason. The late nominating family is placed on “probation,” meaning if they ever have a late nomination again, the nominations will not be accepted and they will be ineligible to show for that year. A letter is sent to the family explaining the process, requiring exhibitor, parent, and agent signatures, as well as the late fee. Signed letters and the late fee must be returned within 10 days of the postmark date on the letter from the Youth Livestock Program. This late policy is a courtesy and affected families are expected to fully cooperate with the Youth Livestock Program.