4-H Animal Science Resource Blog

STEM Connections, know-how & Inspiration

Rutgers NJAES logo
  • Alpaca/Llama
  • Dairy Cattle
  • Dog
  • Goat
  • Herpetology
  • Horse and Pony
  • Poultry
  • Rabbit/Cavy/Small Animal
  • Sheep
  • Swine

Want More? Check Out the ADGA National Show and Annual Convention

April 30, 2019

Our state 4-H goat program provides educational sessions and contests each year through the 4-H Goat Extravaganza, Junior Breeder Livestock Symposium at Rutgers, and the State 4-H Goat Show.  4-H members meet others in their project area, learn skills, and share their knowledge and creativity through a team poster contest, skillathon, quiz bowl, art contest, film festival, and showmanship competition.

But wait, there’s more!  For those wanting to pursue additional opportunities for learning and competition beyond the 4-H program, you are encouraged to explore the wonderful youth programs of the American Dairy Goat Association (ADGA).

ADGA National Show

ADGA Youth Showmanship Contest

All of the youth activities occur on Saturday and Sunday, July 6-7, 2019 – the first two days of the weeklong ADGA National Show in Redmond, Oregon.  ADGA hosts a goat judging and management contest, a morning of showmanship contests for all age groups, and a team fitting competition, in addition to a youth mixer and other fun activities.  If Oregon is too far away for you, stay tuned, as the national show is held in a different area of the country each year.  Information about all of the youth activities will be posted soon on ADGA’s national show website.

ADGA Annual Convention

ADGA Annual Youth Convention

If you love our NJ 4-H Goat Extravaganza, you might also enjoy the youth section of ADGA’s Annual Convention.  It includes youth team education, skillathon, and quiz bowl competitions, as well as essay, photography, and youth representative contests.  There are also educational workshops held throughout the week.  This year’s annual convention is scheduled for October 15-20 in Boise, Idaho, but it will be much closer in 2020 when it is held in Syracuse, New York.  ADGA plans to update all information about the youth events in July – so check the youth section of their website over the summer.  For now, the 2018 info will provide you a good idea of what is available and how all of the events are organized.  Also, ADGA provides competitive youth scholarships to help offset the cost of your trip.  They are due July 1. Your participation in 4-H may help you secure one of these scholarships!

By Chad Ripberger, Mercer County 4-H Agent, Rutgers Cooperative Extension

Filed Under: Club Programming Idea, Featured Resource, Field Trip, Goat

Content Type

  • STEM Learning
  • Career Profile
  • Field Trip
  • Ask the Expert
  • Club Programming Idea
  • Current Issue
  • Featured Resource
  • Focus on STEM

Statewide NJAES Events

Visit the NJAES Calendar »

sign up for monthly updates

Subscribe by Email or RSS

A Project of New Jersey 4-H Youth Development

New Jersey 4-H provides educational outreach programming for youth in grades K-13 (one year out of high school) through 4-H clubs, special interest programs, school enrichment, afterschool programs, and overnight camping.

Regardless of the subject matter – whether it be science, healthy living or citizenship, 4-H uses a learn-by-doing approach to help youth learn responsibility, community awareness and character development.

New Jersey 4-H Youth Development is a department of the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station.

Copyright © 2023 Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to direct suggestions, comments, or complaints concerning any accessibility issues with Rutgers web sites to: accessibility@rutgers.edu or complete the Report Accessibility Barrier or Provide Feedback Form. | Webmaster | Log in