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| 4-H is an excellent youth program. It was started in 1901 by farmers who wanted their kids to know more for farm life. In the last 100 years 4-H has evolved from not just being for the farm animals like horses, cows, poultry, goats, sheep, rabbits, ect, but also has clubs for more of the companion animals such as dogs and cats. There are even cavy (aka guinea pigs) and hedgehog clubs. 4-H however is not just for animals, they also had projects to teach the girls more on sewing, cooking, ect. Now 4-H even has projects for computers, rocketry, dirt bike, ect. In rabbit 4-H, there are two different competitions- Type Judging and Fit and Show. Type judging is where they compare rabbit against rabbit. Fit and show is where the kids are judged on how well they handle their rabbits and their knowledge of rabbits. 4-H is for kids ranging from 3rd-12th grade. They divide the kids into three different groups: Juniors- 3rd-5th grade Intermediates- 6th-8th grade Seniors- 9th-12th grade First years members are called “Novices” meaning that at 4-H shows they will be competing against other novices for fit and show. In some counties however, they limit novices to only the first time fitting and showing. For younger siblings who are anxious to do as older sibling is doing they do allow them to join as “Primaries” as it’s called in some parts of the country, in others it’s referred to as “Clover Buds”. During the year, what most 4-H clubs are working on is to get the kids ready and qualified to take their rabbits to the county fair. Most club have requirements for the kids to be able to go to their fair, what most clubs in my county use are: Do two community services Make a educational display (aka poster) Do a public presentation Fit and show at atleast one 4-H show Attend 2/3 of the meetings I, myself, joined 4-H in the third grade and went all the way through to the 12th grade in it, and served as the rabbit project leader for a year when I was too old to be a member. During this time I served as the rabbit youth leader for 3 1/2 years, president twice, secretary twice, and the community service officer. I was also on the show committee, helping to put on five successful shows, two of which I was the secretary of (the other three I assisted the secretaries), and two that I was the superintendent of. While being the rabbit project leader I know I spent quite a bit of time trying to make each meeting where the kids could learn something, and have fun while learning. Another challenge was to make it where not just the new 3rd graders were learning, but also the 12th graders who had been in for 10 years. My goal was to challenge the kids. I also wanted to make it fun for the kids by including different games at the end of each meeting. This page is to help out 4-H rabbit leaders with different ideas for meetings, games, fit and show questions, ect. |
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| Copyright © 2004 Double Dutch Rabbitry. All rights reserved. |
| 4-H Head, Heart, Hands, Health “To make the best better” “I pledge my head to clearer thinking, My heart to greater loyalty, My hands to larger service, And my health to better living, For my club, my community, my country, and my world” |
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