General Open Class Rules & Info

Lancaster County Super Fair Participation

Anyone can participate in open class livestock, static, horse shows, and other special events listed here. Residency in Lancaster County is not required. Check age requirements within each section.

OPEN SHOWS DETAILED INFORMATION (JUNE 1):

• Participation Rules for Lancaster County Super Fair and State Fair, Entry Fees, Judging, Premiums and Grievance Procedures will be online at SuperFair.org (click on “Be a Competitor”)

• Open Static Exhibitor books may be picked up at the Sandhills Global Event Center office Monday–Friday, 
  8 a.m.–4 p.m. starting June 1.

• Open Show questions are best directed to your Superintendent. For Superintendent contact information, see SuperFair.org (click on “Be a Competitor”) or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call the SGEC fairgrounds office at 402-441-6545, option 0.

OPEN STATIC ENTRIES ACCEPTED JULY 1–25:

• Open Livestock entries day of show only.

• Open horse show entries must contact event promoters. Contact info available at SuperFair.org > Be a Competitor

• Open Static entries will be considered late after Thursday, July 25 and will be charged a late entry fee of $1 per exhibit.

State Fair Participation

For information about entering exhibits in the Nebraska State Fair, click here. 

Liability

Lancaster County Agricultural Society and/or Sandhills Global Event Center shall not be responsible for any damage to exhibits, merchandise or concession caused by thefts, wind, hail, fire, water or any cause whatsoever. Any persons shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless Lancaster County Agricultural Society and/or Sandhills Global Event Center against any and all losses and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees), claims, costs, causes of action, damage to property, arising out of or in consequence of this agreement, but only to the extent such injuries of damages arise out of any act or omission of any persons, including officers, officials, employees, volunteers, agents, contractors, guests and invitees. Lancaster County Agricultural Society and/or Sandhills Global Event Center shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless any persons, including officers, officials, employees, volunteers, agents, contractors, guests, vendors and invitees against any and all losses and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees), claims, costs, causes of action, damage to property, arising out of or in consequence of this agreement, but only to the extent such injuries of damages arise out of any act or omission of Lancaster County Agricultural Society and/or Sandhills Global Event Center, including Lancaster County Agricultural Society and/or Sandhills Global Event Center’s officers, officials, employees, volunteers, agents, contractors, guests and invitees.

Open Static Check-In & Parking

• Open Static check-in (except Quilts): Tuesday, July 30, 1–6 p.m., enter Gate 1 off 84th Street and park in gravel Lot K at top of hill and proceed to south doors on west side of Ag Society Hall. If needed, temporary unloading/loading available near doors for up to 20 minutes — please move vehicle as soon as done actively unloading/loading.

• Open Quilts check-in: Tuesday, July 30, 1–6 p.m. in Lancaster Room (enter Gate 3 off Havelock Avenue, proceed to parking north of Currency Pavilion, enter Meeting Center doors).

• 4-H/FFA exhibitors may also check-in their Open Static exhibits in the Ag Society Hall during 4-H/FFA check-in, which runs Tuesday, July 30, 4–8 p.m. No open Youth in Quilts.

Static Exhibit Ag Society Hall Parking:

The following applies to all static exhibitors — see next section.

4-H and Open Class static exhibitor parking is allowed on static exhibit check-in/ out and interview judging days only in Lot K at the Gate 1 entrance off 84th Street. For those that need to get closer to the doors of the Ag Society Hall, there is temporary 20 minute active unloading/loading by the north and west doors of Ag Society Hall. After you have loaded or unloaded, please immediately move your vehicle back to Lot K while you finish your activities, so others can get close to the building as needed.

4-H exhibitors: Please use the north three sets of doors indicated on map.

Open class exhibitors: Please use the south two sets of doors indicated on map. On other days of the fair, static exhibitors are welcome to park in public parking entering from Gate 1 or Gate 3.

The closest parking to the Ag Society Hall would be to enter Gate 3 off Havelock and park east of EquineMarket Pavilion and walk through FR8Star Pavilion. 4-H & FFA Exhibitors will need Entry Pass Hangtags. Available from the County Extension office.

Open Static Judging & Open Static Exhibits Open to Public

• Judging for Open Static will occur at the same time as 4-H Static on Wednesday, July 31 — both the Ag Society Hall and Lancaster Room will be closed except for pre-scheduled 4-H interview judging in the Ag Society Hall. Static Exhibits will re-open to exhibitors on Thursday, Aug. 1 when it opens for the public

• Open to public Thursday, Aug. 1 to Sunday, Aug. 4, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily (note: closes early at 8 p.m. on Sunday)

• Note: No early checkout allowed or premium may be forfeited.

Open Premium Payouts & Move Out

• Open Static premium payouts will be available Sunday, August 4, 8:30–10 p.m. and Monday, August. 5, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. in the Ag Society Hall, including for Open Quilts. IMPORTANT: Get payouts first, then pick up your exhibit(s) during this time. All Open Static exhibits can be picked up in Ag Society Hall except Open Quilts will be in the Lancaster Room.

• Open Quilts premiums will be available in the Lancaster Room if exhibitor has no other Open Static exhibits entered under same name in the Ag Society Hall.

• 4-H’ers may pick up their Open Static premiums and exhibits during Open Static move-out times listed above OR during 4-H Static exhibit release on Monday, August 5, 7–11 a.m. in the Ag Society Hall — your choice.

• All Open Static premiums not picked up at above specified times will be forfeited and any Open Static exhibits not picked up will be thrown away or donated.

Miscellaneous

Awards

All static exhibits are judged on the American System, not the Danish System used in 4-H and FFA. The American System places only one 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. place in each class regardless of how large the class is. Adult classes are awarded 1st–3rd place only and youth classes are awarded 1st–4th place. Special awards are given in some classes.

Grievance Procedures

The following procedure will be followed for any grievance (including judges’ decisions) in the open class areas:

1. All grievances should be discussed with the appropriate superintendent.

2. If a satisfactory resolution is not reached with the superintendent, protests should be stated, in writing, with the nature of the protest and issues involved, signed and submitted to the Ag Society Grievance Committee within 48 hours. This committee will act upon all written protests.

All decisions are final.