Upcoming Events and Deadlines

Denton County 4-H Upcoming Events

Event/Activity	Event Date	Registration Deadline	Registration Process
District Fashion Storyboard	Virtual	Opens February 26 Closes March 12
District Roundup	April 11 - April 12	Opens March 5 Closes March 19	Register in 4-HOnline
District Shooting Sports		Opens March 19 Closes April 25
District Livestock Judging	May 3	Closes April 16

Summer Camp 2025

2025 DENTON COUNTY 4-H CAMP COUNSELOR APPLICATION

Applications are due to the extension office on March 26
- They will then be reviewed by a committee of adult volunteers.
- Selected applicants will be invited to be interviewed for a counselor position.
- Positions will be announced by the end of school.

2025 Texas 4-H Horse Validation

Texas 4-H Horse Validation for the 2025 season will be open in 4-H Online from March 1 – May 1, 2025.

A few important reminders:

ALL horses must be validated/re-validated each year. There is no limit to the number of horses that can be validated. You are encouraged to validate all horses that may possibly be shown at district and/or state shows. Only state-validated horses can be substituted in the event that a validated horse becomes unusable due to lameness, sickness, etc.
The family can submit payment of $10.00 per horse ($20.00 after April 15^th, or $250 from May 1^st to May 5^th) by credit card ONLY.
- From March 1 – April 15, the validation cost for each horse is $10.00. The $10.00 cost is only guaranteed if the animal validation is approved by the county office by the April 15^th deadline and the payment is processed.
- From April 16 – May 1, the validation cost for each horse is $20.00. The $20.00 cost is only guaranteed if the animal validation is approved by the county office by the May 1^st deadline and the payment is processed.
Each validation must include front view, right side view, and left side view images. The entire horse should be included in the photo and markings should be clearly visible.
If the horse is registered, a copy of the registration papers must be uploaded. These papers must list the 4-Her, sibling, parent, stepparent, grandparent or legal guardian as the current owner. If the ownership is in the process of being transferred, please list “pending” in the registration number area. Once the updated registration papers have been received, please email me a copy of the new papers and I will add it to the validation online.
Lease horses are eligible to be validated and shown at District and State 4-H Horse Shows. An official Texas 4-H Horse Lease Agreement must be signed by the exhibitor, horse owner, and the supervising County Extension Agent. The lease period must include, at minimum, May 1^st to August 31^st of the current 4-H year. The lease agreement form can be found at https://texasyouthlivestock.com/horse-validation/ and must be uploaded in 4-H Online at the time of validation.
Image uploads in 4-H Online must be in the form of a .jpg, .gif or .png file.
Families should validate each horse only one time. Once the horse is validated, any sibling within that family in 4-H Online is eligible to show the horse at their district show and/or the State 4-H Horse Show.
Youth validating a futurity horse must be at least 12 years of age (as of Sept. 1, 2024) and at least in the 6^th grade.

Validation walk-through guide for families: https://texas4-h.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/4honline_family_guide_horse_validation_2023.pdf

For additional one-pagers and other resources, please visit https://texasyouthlivestock.com/horse-validation/
Validation walk-through video: https://youtu.be/OPoOmyC1kTk
The family will receive an automated message from 4-H Online when the County Extension Agent has approved the horse at the county level. This approval does NOT guarantee eligibility. After it is approved at the county level, the validation will then be reviewed at the state level. The family will be notified by June 1^st if there are any issues with the validation at the state level.

Validation Tag Orders

2025 Summer Validation Tag Order Form

Tag orders are due April 8, 2025 to the Extension Office with Payment.
Late tag orders are due June 2, 2025.

Photography Contests

State Photography Contest

Qualify from county level (district contests have no bearing on qualifications)
Open to senior age division only
18 categories (includes a new “Patriotic” theme for this year)
Entry timeline is April 1-15
Texas 4-H Photography Contest Rules

2025 Camp Dates for the Texas 4-H Center in Brownwood, Texas

June 9 – 11, 2025: Mini Camp I

June 12 – 14, 2025: Mini Camp II

Mini Camp 1 & II are for youth in 3rd-8th grade, The camps are jam packed with fun and activities, more for your first time camper. A shorter week allows for first time campers to get an impression of our camp without being nervous about the longer time spent from home.

June 30 – July 4, 2025: Horizons (See Tracks Below – Limited Spots Available)

STEM

Re-Fashion

Fishing

Food Challenge

Sports & Games

Hunter’s Education

Arts & Crafts

Horizon camps are open for youth in 3rd-8th grade and allow them to dig in on a specific project during their camp experience.

July 7 – 11, 2025: County Camp I

July 29 – August 2, 2025: County Camp II

Both county camps are open for youth in 3rd-8th grade. Join Us for a Week Filled with Fun, Learning, and Exploration, while competing against other counties! Note: You do not have to be enrolled in 4-H to attend. Camp highlights include outdoor adventures, sports & games, preforming arts, as well as STEM!

July 24 – 27, 2025: Outdoor Adventure Camp

Outdoor Adventure Camp is open for youth in 3rd-8th grade. Campers will choose a track to focus on during the camp. Tracks include: Fishing, Outdoor Education, Ropes Course/Team Building, or Sports/Games.

August 4 – 6, 2025: District Camp

For District Camp, campers will register and be placed in dorms and teams by their district. Campers will progress through the short week competing in their tasks with the other districts to see who the best 4-H camping district is! The camp is open for youth in 3rd – 8th grade and you do not have to be enrolled in 4-H to attend.

Link to more information: https://texas4hcenter.tamu.edu/services/youth-camps-and-retreats/