NRI 4-H Dairy Department

Superintendent: Destiny Sincavage

Assistant Superintendent: Chip Tucker

Email: Dsincavage01@gmail.com

Phone: N/A

Entry Information

Exhibitors must be currently enrolled Rhode Island 4-H members or otherwise eligible participants under RI 4-H.
Entry fee: $1.00 per entry. Entry fees must be paid at the time of entry.
Entry deadline: Online entries are due no later than July 1.
Enter Here!
Submit your entry fee here (Venmo)

Rules & Regulations

All animals shown at fairs, shows, or exhibitions must be in proper physical condition and are subject to examination by federal or state animal-health officials before unloading and during exhibition for visual signs of infectious or contagious disease or any condition that would make the animal unfit for exhibition. Animals showing signs of illness may be refused entry. The 2026 URI animal-health document is guidance only; if there is a conflict, official Rhode Island regulations take precedence.
4-H members must do their own work to prepare and show their project animals. Adult assistance must be limited to guidance and instruction. Adult grooming may be treated as a rule violation and may result in forfeiture of awards.
Ownership or management deadline for dairy is May 1 of the current year. All dairy animals must be registered, with registration available or pending. Provisional registrations are accepted in breeds that allow them. For 2-year-old and older classes, ownership and registration or lease agreement must have existed on or before May 1 of the year in which the animal was a senior yearling.
Showmanship is required for 4-H members entered in a dairy show. Age divisions are based on exhibitor age as of January 1. For dairy, use Cloverbud (ages 5–7), Junior (ages 8–13), and Senior (ages 14–18). A Novice class may also be offered for first-year exhibitors. The superintendent may split or add classes when appropriate.
Cattle shown at RI 4-H fairs must meet current rabies requirements. The 2026 URI animal-health guidance states that cattle over 6 months of age must be vaccinated for rabies at least 30 days before showing and that the vaccination must still be valid. Animals 3 to 6 months of age must be vaccinated before showing, and the rabies certificate must be presented at the fair. Rhode Island’s active import rule separately requires proof of current rabies vaccination for cattle 3 months of age or older imported into Rhode Island for exhibition, show, competition, or public display.
Out-of-state dairy cattle must comply with all Rhode Island DEM import and exhibition requirements. Under the active Rhode Island rule, animals imported for fair, show, or exhibition may only be in Rhode Island for less than 10 consecutive days. Imported fair/show animals must be officially identified, and unless the event is operating under the fair/show exemption process through event management, they must be accompanied by a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection issued within the calendar year of the event. Rhode Island’s general cattle import section states that dairy cattle must test negative for tuberculosis within 60 days before entry unless they qualify through a certified tuberculosis-free herd, while the fair/show section states that cattle imported for fair/show must meet a tuberculosis testing or herd-certification window of 365 days. Because both provisions appear in the active rule, out-of-state dairy exhibitors should verify the applicable testing window with RIDEM before travel.
No animal may participate with horns in excess of one inch. Show clothing for dairy is white or khaki pants or skirt with a white collared shirt. Members may be disqualified for wearing clothing that advertises a farm or breed, or for inappropriate clothing. Livestock exhibitors must always wear shoes.
Department-specific NRI 4-H Fair requirements, deadlines, check-in details, and updates posted on this page are supplemental to official 4-H requirements. Official state regulations take precedence in the event of a conflict.

Dairy Breed Classes

Spring Heifer Calf – Born on or after 3/1 this year
Winter Heifer Calf – Born 12/1 last year to 2/28 this year
Fall Heifer Calf – Born 9/1 last year to 11/30 last year
Summer Yearling – Born 6/1 last year to 8/31 last year
Spring Yearling – Born 3/1 last year to 5/31 last year
Winter Yearling – Born 12/1 two years ago to 2/29 last year
Fall Yearling Heifer – Born 9/1 to 11/20 two years ago *Not in milk; if in milk, enter Junior 2-Year-Old class.
Junior 2-Year-Old Heifer – Born 3/1 to 8/31 two years ago
Senior 2-Year-Old Heifer – Born 9/1 three years ago to 2/28 two years ago
Three-Year-Old Cow – Born 9/1 four years ago to 8/31 three years ago
Four-Year-Old Cow – Born 9/1 five years ago to 8/31 four years ago
Five-Year-Old and Older
Dry Cows – Have calved at least one time
Junior Champion
Reserve Junior Champion
Senior Champion
Reserve Senior Champion
Grand Champion
Reserve Grand Champion

Showmanship

Showmanship is required for 4-H members entered in this show. Age divisions are based on exhibitor age as of January 1. For NRI, showmanship divisions are Cloverbud (ages 5–7), Junior (ages 8–13), and Senior (ages 14–18). A Novice class may also be offered for first-year exhibitors. The superintendent may split or add classes when appropriate.

Notes

Additional reminders, check-in notes, and department updates will be posted here.