Missouri Ruralist logo

First-time state fair exhibitor grant available

Young people could be eligible to receive $500 to cover expenses at the Missouri State Fair.

Mindy Ward, Editor, Missouri Ruralist

March 5, 2020

2 Min Read
Children showing sheep at Missouri State Fair
READY TO SHOW: Most young kids can hardly wait for their first Missouri State Fair, and the Missouri State Fair Foundation is encouraging their enthusiasm.

To encourage more young people to exhibit livestock at the Missouri State Fair, the Missouri State Fair Foundation established a first-time exhibitor grant.

Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe was the first to put in funds for the grant. Then other foundation members and friends of the fair stepped up and donated more money. This year, the Missouri State Fair Foundation is offering 20 $500 scholarships to first-time exhibitors.

“It is a way to help the next generation get involved with showing livestock and the Missouri State Fair,” says Mark Wolfe, Missouri State Fair director.

Who is eligible?

In order to apply for the grant, the individual must be a Missouri resident, a member of 4-H or FFA and be between ages 8 and 18 at the time of application. The exhibitor may not have exhibited in any 4-H or FFA livestock class at the Missouri State Fair. However, they may have entered projects in the 4-H or FFA Building.

Grants will be awarded for these species: horses, cattle, swine, sheep, goats, rabbits and chickens. People can only apply for one grant, not one in each species.

The application process is online at mostatefairfoundation.net. However, the application must be signed by the exhibitor, parent or legal guardian, and a 4-H leader or FFA advisor.

The deadline to enter is March 20, with winners announced April 3.

Staying on track

After selection, the foundation requires the exhibitor to provide project updates via email or Facebook post each month, starting in April and leading up to the fair in August. The update will include a picture of you and your livestock entry with a few words describing what you have learned. These will be used for media and promotional purposes.

Grant funds will only be distributed once the individual provides a photo of them exhibiting at the Missouri State Fair, along with a brief essay about the experience. Exhibitors may pick up their check in the Missouri State Fair Foundation office during the fair, or checks will be mailed to the exhibitor after the fair.

About the Author(s)

Mindy Ward

Editor, Missouri Ruralist

Mindy resides on a small farm just outside of Holstein, Mo, about 80 miles southwest of St. Louis.

After graduating from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural journalism, she worked briefly at a public relations firm in Kansas City. Her husband’s career led the couple north to Minnesota.

There, she reported on large-scale production of corn, soybeans, sugar beets, and dairy, as well as, biofuels for The Land. After 10 years, the couple returned to Missouri and she began covering agriculture in the Show-Me State.

“In all my 15 years of writing about agriculture, I have found some of the most progressive thinkers are farmers,” she says. “They are constantly searching for ways to do more with less, improve their land and leave their legacy to the next generation.”

Mindy and her husband, Stacy, together with their daughters, Elisa and Cassidy, operate Showtime Farms in southern Warren County. The family spends a great deal of time caring for and showing Dorset, Oxford and crossbred sheep.

Subscribe to receive top agriculture news
Be informed daily with these free e-newsletters

You May Also Like