Competition Descriptions

Agriculturalist of the Year Award is presented to an individual, who has contributed extensively, and in a professional capacity, to the agricultural industry. Award criteria stipulates that this individual must have demonstrated leadership and clearly represented the industry over a number of years in one or more of the following areas: finance, government, production agriculture, education, labor, research, communications, trade and public service. This prestigious award has been presented annually since 1980. For more information, contact Mike Bradley at mbradley@calexpo.com.

AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse Class (sanctioned by the American Quarter Horse Association) The Versatility Ranch Horse competition demonstrates the versatility of the working ranch horse in five categories - ranch riding, ranch trail, ranch cutting, working ranch horse and ranch conformation. To be eligible for points in the Versatility Ranch competition, one rider/one horse must enter all five classes. A youth division is also offered to exhibitors 18 years of age or younger (by January 1) as long as they are the recorded owner or exhibit a horse owned by his or her immediate family members. For more information, contact Nancy Easton at neaston@calexpo.com.

California Agricultural Heritage Club recognizes agricultural family enterprises and agribusinesses that have been in operation in California for 100, 125, and 150 years or more. For more information, contact Teresa Winovitch at twinovitch@calexpo.com.

California Creative Arts (Expo Center) Competitions in this program showcase the talents of California residents 18 years of age and older. Join us in the California Creative Arts Building to see California's crafters and artisans present exhibits featuring the California lifestyle.  This Building will present a showcase of crafts and textiles created by California's adults.  Competitive divisions include Creative Arts, Handcrafts, Fiber Art, needlework, quilting, Wearing Apparel (including costumes) and the "Spirit of Wood" the woodcraft competition.  For more information contact Willie Garrett at wgarrett@calexpo.com.

California Fine Art (Expo Center, Building 7) The visual arts competition is recognized as one of the Golden State's oldest and largest juried art shows. California artists at least 18 years of age compete for prize money exceeding $21,000. Entry divisions include Painting, Other 2-Dimensional Artworks (drawing, pastels, color pencil, printmaking, collage & mixed media), Sculpture, ArTech (film, video, animation, Digital Art and New Media), Photography, Fine Craft (ceramics, glass, jewelry, Fiber/Textiles, Wood Turning and Carving) and Themes (Equine & Western Art, The Art of Culture, The Art of Wine, Recycle Art, and “Hooray for Hollywood.”  For more information, contact Carol Buchanan at  cbuchanan@calexpo.com.

California's Kitchen (California Foodstyle Building, Expo Center, Bldg. 2) All food-related competitions have an agricultural and nutritional focus and relate to the fast pace lifestyle of Californians. The California's Kitchen, located in the California State Fair Foodstyle Building is California's Kitchen Program consists of Food Judging, Food Demonstrations, Chef Competitions, Cultural Events, and Kidz Kitchen activities. Michael Marks or Laura McIntosh, our Emcees for the building, will begin the day with a short food demo in order to gather an audience. After this demo the day's events will unfold. These activities include amateur baking and canning competitions for youth and adult, chef challenges, chef cooking demonstrations, special nutritional food demonstrations, food, food and more food. Amateur competitions are open to California residents 18 years of age and older. In order to participate in a professional competition you must be a professional chef, work in a food related career or be a student preparing for a career in food service.  For more information, contact Willie Garrett at wgarrett@calexpo.com.

Champion Challenge - the California State Fair's learning laboratory. This award-winning competition was introduced at the California State Fair in 1998 to stimulate competency in the care and management of livestock among today's youth; future industry leaders.

Considered a "hands-on" learning laboratory, Champion Challenge focuses on the application of practical knowledge. The 2008 competition will be open to all California youth eligible to compete at the California State Fair plus 2008 California State Fair Small and Large Animal Exhibitors that meet the qualifying requirements for the various competitions entered (refer to Competition Handbook and Champion Challenge Study Guide). Some exhibitors are required to participate in Champion Challenge based upon their success in other competitions (refer to Champion Challenge Study Guide).
Champion Challenge exhibitors are evaluated on their performance in practical exercises in the following areas:

• Animal Care, Handling, Health and Quality Assurance
• Nutrition
• Reproduction and Genetics
• Show Preparation, Transportation and Ethics Awareness
• Consumer Awareness, Marketing and Food Safety
• Animal Identification and Industry Technologies
• Environmental Stewardship

Top exhibitors move on to oral interviews where they are given an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge of California agriculture.
In previous years, Champion Challenge participants have competed for more than $20,000 in savings bonds and various specie awards. For a complete description of this exciting competition please refer to the Champion Challenge Study Guide.

Commercial Cheese Competition is open to California cheese companies wishing to compete in the divisions of soft cheese, semi-soft cheese and hard cheese. Cheeses are judged by dairy inspectors from the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and evaluated on the basis for flavor, texture, body, finish and color. For more information, contact the Competitive Entry office at entryoffice@calexpo.com.

Commercial Craft Brew is open to licensed California brewers selling on a retail level and wishing to compete in several different categories as specified by the Beer Judge Certification Program Style Guidelines. For more information contact Greg Kinder at gkinder@calexpo.com.

Commercial Wine (Save Mart Supermarkets Wine Country). The State Fair Commercial Wine Competition is the oldest and most prestigious wine competition in North America and is open to California bonded wineries selling retail. The competition is limited to California wineries. For more information contact Kem Pence at kpence@calexpo.com.  Also visit www.thebestcaliforniawine.com.

Counties Exhibits (California Building) Competition is open to all of California's 58 counties wishing to showcase their portion of the Golden State. Each county display is evaluated for content, marketability, craftsmanship, and creative use of products/produce/artifacts, technology/animation and/or special effects. The People's Choice Award is presented to the county receiving the most votes from fairgoers. For more information about the Counties Exhibits contact Greg Kinder at gkinder@calexpo.com.

County Fair Best of Show. More information coming soon.

Fur & Feathers (Budweiser Grandstand) Open and Junior competitions include Rabbit, Poultry, Cavy, Exotic Birds and more. For more information, contact Eunita Boatman at nitabug@colton.com.

Golden Bear Award is presented to an individual or organization that has rendered meritorious service and support to the California State Fair. This prestigious award was first presented in 1977 and, with the exception of the subsequent five years, has been awarded annually. For more information, contact Mike Bradley at mbradley@calexpo.com.

Home Brew Competition is open to brewers producing for non-commercial use. The goal of this competition is to improve the art and science of home brewing. For additional information, contact Greg Kinder at gkinder@calexpo.com.

Home Wine Competition is a open to home wine makers, WHO LIVE IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, to produce and promote a forum/competition where home made wines are judged in a formal, professional manner. This competition is designed to increase the knowledge, skills and abilities of the amateur winemaker. For more information please contact G.M. "Pooch" Pucilowski at gmpooch@pacbell.net.

Horse Shows (Cavalcade) features a Youth Horse Show and the American Quarter Horse Association Ranch Horse Versatility Class. For more information contact Nancy Easton at neaston@calexpo.com.

Industrial & Technology Education (Expo Center) is designed to recognize outstanding California students and their instructors, enrolled in or instructing an accredited program in grades 7 through community college. Shows include Architectural Drafting, Mechanical Drafting, Graphic Communications, New Media, General Technology, Photography, Construction-Woods, Group Projects and the Instructor Competition and Sweepstakes. Look for The Outstanding Exhibitor Competition that recognizes the finest I&TE students. For more information, contact Cottie Johnson at cjohnson@calexpo.com.

Livestock (Livestock Pavilion) is a mainstay of the California State Fair. Open and Junior competitions include Beef Cattle, Sheep, Swine, Dairy Cattle, Dairy Goats, Llamas, Boer Goats, Pygmy Goats and Nigerian Dwarf Goats and more. For more information, contact the Competitive Programs Entry Office at entryoffice@calexpo.com. Note to Livestock Exhibitors: There is new DNA Collection and Reservation Information. 2008 State Fair Livestock Exhibitors will now be responsible for the first DNA Collection for all species (Market Beef, Market Sheep, Market Swine and Market Meat Goat).

California State Fair Simplifies DNA Collection Process for Junior Market Livestock Exhibitors

Youth Exhibits (Expo Center) feature award winning entries from California youth ranging from 5-19 years of age. Shows include Art Show, Creative Projects and FFA Show. Special Competitions include Urban Bird - a creative competition addressing the urban population of birds and how they habitat, Green Thing - a fun competition addressing environmental issues and solutions, bring on your green things, Signs of the Time -is a photographic art competition for the youth lifestyle and Art of the Board - a competition for artistically addressing boards, from skate boards to circuit boards!  For more information, contact Cottie Johnson at cjohnson@calexpo.com.

For more information
Write: California State Fair
Competitive Entry Office
P.O. Box 15649
Sacramento, CA 95852
Call: 916/263-3146
Email: entryoffice@calexpo.com