4-H/FFA Rabbits Rules & Classes

Departments 17 & 27: 4-H and FFA

Jump to a Section:

• 4-H & FFA Rabbit Show (Including Market)
• Rabbit Classes
• Meat Pen Classes
• Showmanship for 4-H/FFA Rabbit Exhibitors
• Judging Schedules

4-H & FFA Rabbit Show (Including Market)

Judging Program – Meat Pen Show – August 19, after 5:30 p.m.
Breed Show – August 20 & 21, 8:00 am.
Entries Close July 13, 2026- Please check size of t-shirt on entry form.

Open Superintendent and Assistants are in charge of 4-H/FFA Rabbit Show

4-H and FFA exhibitors must check-in with Rabbit Superintendent by 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, August 18, 2026 for the 4-H/FFA Show.

4-H/FFA are limited to two (2) entries per class.

Best Meat-Pen In Show; Best 4 Class; Best 6 Class; Best In Show

1. Eligibility: Entries open to 4-H or FFA youth who are members in good standing with their respective organizations. FFA members must have included rabbits as part of S.A.E. program. 4-H members must be enrolled in a rabbit project. Rabbits shall have been the property of the 4-H or FFA member on or before June 1, except meat pens. Meat pens must be the property of the exhibitor (by July 15, 2026) no later than 5 weeks prior to show date! At the time of check in, if you purchased your meat pen rabbits, you will need a bill of sale. Bill of sale needs to include date purchased, name of person or rabbitry, address, phone number and signature of person rabbits are purchased from.
2. Judging & Premiums: 4-H and FFA entries will be judged separately. 4-H and FFA meat pen entries will be judged separately and the Grand and Reserve of 4-H and the Grand and Reserve of FFA will be judged together to determine the Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion Meat Pen. The 4-H and FFA rabbit show will be judged on the Dual Merit System. Gold, silver, and bronze ribbons will be awarded as determined by the group placing. Premiums will be paid on a point basis in relation to the group placing awarded:
   • Individual: Gold-6; Silver-4; Bronze-2
   • Pens: Gold-9; Silver-6; Bronze-3

The value of the point will be determined by dividing the total points for the rabbit show into the total money available for the 4-H and FFA rabbit show. In no case will the point value exceed 50 cents.

3. Entry: Each 4-H or FFA member is limited to a maximum of 50 rabbits entered. 4-H entries must be signed by 4-H youth staff, and FFA entries must be signed by the vocational agriculture instructor. Each exhibitor will be limited to two (2) entries in each individual class and two (2) in the meat pen class. See 4-H and FFA section for complete rules and regulations. Rabbits entered must all be entered as 4-H or FFA except for meat pen class can be entered for in 4-H or FFA, but not in both. Exhibitors may complete entires in all rabbit classes for 4-H and can enter meat pen class, if quailified, as FFA. Exhibitors may complete entires in all rabbit classes for FFA and can enter meat pen class, if quailified, as 4-H.
   • 4-H/FFA please remember when you enter this show you must also pay to enter Youth Open or Open show for a separate entry fee, if you want to be showing in both shows. Please mark the appropriate boxes on the entry blank. FFA if you are 19 years of age or over, mark both the FFA and Open boxes, not the Open Youth. If you are only showing meat pens and do not want to show them in the Open Youth show, please write “4-H/FFA Show only” on entry. If you have any questions email or call David Rugen, Rabbit Superintendent.
4. All rabbits must be purebred in order to show in the 4-H and FFA divisions. (Must conform to ARBA Standards of Perfection, but this is not an ARBA show.)
5. Arrival: Rabbits may arrive after 12:00 noon on Tuesday, August 18. All rabbits for the 4-H/FFA show including meat pens, to be in place by 10:00 p.m. Tuesday, August 18. Any stock arriving late may not be judged, nor will entry fee be refunded. Meat pen stock will be released immediately after showing. The Champion and Reserve Champion Meat Pen will remain on display through Saturday. Owners will be responsible for care of these animals until after the Sale of Champions.
6. Check in with superintendents: All rabbit exhibitors must check in by 8:00 p.m., Tuesday, August 18 and rabbits must be in place by 10:00 p.m. Tuesday, August 18. Contact should be made with the Open Superintendent before 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, August 18, 2026. If entered you will have to sign a verification sheet for the 4-H/FFA Breed show and the Meat Pen show. Meat Pen exhibitors must complete a Drug Use Notification Form (DUNF). At this time a number will be drawn for your meat pen coop number.
7. Substitutions: Each exhibitor is allowed 10 substitutions out-of-class with no limit to in-class substitutions for 4-H/FFA. All out-of-class changes and substitutions must be made to David Rugen, 29139 Hwy. PP, California, MO 65018, 573-680-1488 or rugdav@socket.net and received by Sunday, August 9, 2026, do not text changes. Absolutely no changes will be accepted after this date. If you email your changes you will get a reply that your changes were received. If you do not get a reply within 1 day, send the email again and call David Rugen do not text changes. Meat pen and single fryer ear numbers must be submitted by 8:00 p.m. August 18, 2026.
8. Showing: The exhibitor must be present during the show. The Superintendent may permit another Missouri 4-H or FFA exhibitor to show an animal if it complies with the 4-H/FFA Rules and Regulations.
9. Ear markings: All rabbits must be permanently tattooed in the left ear per ARBA Standards. Be sure the markings are plain enough to be easily read.
10. Release: Stock will be released at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 23 and must be checked out by 8:00 p.m. (If stock is released early, all stock must vacate barn within 2 hours after release time.) Meat pen rabbits will be released after the meat pen show Wednesday, August 19, except for the Champion and Reserve Champion Pens.
11. All rabbits must be entered in the name of the bona fide owner.
12. Entries should be sent with payment and mailed to: The Missouri State Fair, 2503 W. 16th St., Sedalia, Missouri 65301 received by July 13, 2026. The entry fee will entitle the exhibitor to show these rabbits in the 4-H or FFA show.
13. Coops: Coops will be assigned to all rabbits at the Missouri State Fair. 4-H/FFA Meat Pens will be assigned 2 coops per meat pen if space is available.
14. The Missouri State Fair will not be responsible in case of fire, theft or providential destruction. However, every practical precaution will be taken to prevent mistakes in the showroom, and there will be an attendant of the Fair in the showroom.
15. All rules governing the exhibition, judging and awarding of prizes will be interpreted by the Superintendent.
16. An American Rabbit Breeders Association licensed judge will place the awards. The State Fair reserves the right to substitute another judge in case of inability of the judge to officiate.
17. Only rabbits that are entered in the show are allowed in the showroom. All exhibitors must see that their animals are cared for during the duration of the Fair.
18. All rabbits arriving at the Fairgrounds shall enter through Gate 11 and shall so depart on removal of rabbits from Fairgrounds. Gate 11 is located at the southeast corner of the Fairgrounds on U.S. Highway 65.
19. 4-H Food Quality Assurance Policy for 2026:
    • By June 1, 2026, all 4-H members enrolled in food animal projects including beef, sheep, swine, dairy cattle, meat and dairy goats, rabbits, and poultry must complete the appropriate level of Missouri Show-Me Quality Assurance certification, or equivalent Quality Assurance programming, to be considered a 4-H member in good standing in that project. No further quality assurance documentation is needed.
    • Note: 4-H members must be in good standing in their county to enter the State Fair food animal related competitions. (Reference rule 1, C)

Refer to the Open Rabbit Show section of this premium guide for class numbers.

Rabbit Classes

All known standard breeds recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association.

All classes will be entered by weight and age according to ARBA Standards of Perfection.

• Senior Buck (Male – per ARBA standards)
• Senior Doe (Female – per ARBA standards)
• 6-8 Month Buck (Male – per ARBA standards) NO 4 class rabbits.
• 6-8 Month Doe (Female – per ARBA standards) NO 4 class rabbits.
• Junior Buck (Male – per ARBA standards – under 6 months of age)
• Junior Doe (Female – per ARBA standards – under 6 months of age)

Meat Pen Classes

All meat pens must be in place in the rabbit barn and cooped on Tuesday, August 18, by 10:00 p.m. Meat pens will be in coops designated by Superintendent and may be sealed. Coops will be opened by Open Show Superintendent or person delegated by the Superintendent.

Please refer to Department 47, Rabbits, rule #16 and #23 on care of rabbits during the Fair.

Meat Pens: A Pen of Three rabbits, same breed and variety, up to 70 days of age minimum weight 3.5 pounds each and not over 5 1/2 pounds each in weight per ARBA Standards. They will be judged by ARBA guidelines, except for weigh-in. Meat pens will be weighed in by someone designated by the Superintendent and the judge will not be present during the weigh-in. The Judge has the option to re-weigh the rabbits if the Judge desires. All meat pen exhibitors or family members or someone approved by the Superintendent will be allowed to weigh-in meat pen for exhibitors. Weigh-in will start after 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, August, 19, 2026. Judging will start at the discretion of the Superintendent after 5:30 p.m. The order of showing meat pens will be determined by the number drawn at the time of check-in with Rabbit Superintendent.

Meat pen class will be judged in the Rabbit Building. 4-H and FFA members are only allowed 2 (two) entries in the meat pen class. Tattoos will be read and verified at weigh-in. Rabbits are to enter and depart through Gate 11.

Showmanship for 4-H/FFA Rabbit Exhibitors

1. Showmanship: Signup on sheet at check-in. Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony Saturday morning.
2. Must be 2026 4-H/FFA State Fair Rabbit Exhibitor to do showmanship.