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Home > Utah State Fair > Compete > Competitive Arts > Horticulture

Horticulture

DEPARTMENT H - HORTICULTURE

Entry Information

Horticulture SHOW 1 Entries Received:
Wednesday, Sept 3RD | 12 pm - 6pm
PLEASE TAKE YOUR ENTRIES TO: TBD
JUDGING SEPTEMBER 4TH @ 8 AM

*NEW* Horticulture SHOW 2 Entries Received:
Tuesday, Sept 9th | 2 pm - 8 pm
PLEASE TAKE YOUR ENTRIES TO: TBD
JUDGING SEPTEMBER 10TH @ 8 AM

Honey Entries Received (ONLY ONE SHOW):
Thursday August 28th 10 am - 5 pm
Friday August 29th 10 am - 7 pm
Saturday August 30th 10 am - 3 pm
PLEASE TAKE YOUR ENTRIES TO THE ZIONS BUILDING (NORTH DOOR)

JUDGING SEPTEMBER 2ND @ 10 AM
HONEY ENTRIES WILL BE DISPLAYED IN THE ZIONS BUILDING


ENTRY FEES

$2.50 ENTRY FEE PER ENTRY (excluding commercial)

$5.00 COMMERCIAL ENTRY


DEPARTMENT H - HORTICULTURE

DIVISIONS

HP -PROFESSIONAL OR COMMERCIAL (SECTION L ONLY)

HO- OPEN ALL AGES



HORTICULTURE SECTIONS

CLICK ON A SECTION BELOW TO SEE THE CLASSES AVAILABLE TO ENTER. ALL AGES MAY ENTER ALL SECTIONS EXCEPT FOR SECTION L. SECTION L IS FOR PROFESSIONAL/COMMERCIAL EXHIBITORS.

Special Rules - Entries

  1. Name of the variety for each item exhibited must be included on the entry tag. Entry Tags will be provided by the department supervisor.
  2. All items must be identified at the time of entry.
  3. Only one entry per class may be entered by the exhibitor.
  4. Entries in this department are limited to residents of Utah and all products must have been grown within the state by the exhibitor during the current year. The only exception to this will be special events or divisions and sanctioned competitions.
  5. Commercially/Professionally manufactured products are not eligible for competition in this department, except where specified.
  6. All entries become property of the Utah State Fair to be used as it deems fit. All Horticulture and Agriculture entries will be disposed of by the Utah State Fair after the last day of the fair. The only exceptions will be if arrangements are made with the Competitive Arts Manager prior to the opening of the fair.
  7. All plate entries must contain four specimens each of the large fruits, such as apples, pears and peaches; specimens such as plums, crabapples, etc. must contain 6 entries; and three bunches of American type grapes or three bunches of European type grapes.

Premiums

  1. Exhibits will be Judged on their own merits. Premiums will be awarded according to the quality of the exhibits. Judges' decisions are final.
  2. Best of Show will be awarded per section if Judges deem worthy. There must be at least 3 placings in the section in order to award a Best of Show.
  3. Exhibitors receiving Best of Show awards and premiums are also eligible for first place monies on the same entry.
  4. Ribbons and prize money may be picked up on Sept. 15th, or they will be mailed

PLACINGS......................................................1ST............................2ND.........................3RD.....................4TH
HO - OPEN ALL AGES...................................$10.00.......................$5.00......................$2.50...................RIBBON
HP - PROFESSIONAL SECTION L ONLY.....$50.00......................$10.00.....................$5.00..................RIBBON

    Winners will not forfeit placing premium with Best of Show or Grand Award. There needs to be at least 3 placings in the division in order to award a Best of Show.

    Horticulture Best of Show Premium $20, a Rosette and an Award.

    Horticulture Grand Prize Premium $50, a Rosette and an Award


General Information

  1. Supervisors of departments will not be allowed to enter exhibits in the divisions/classes over which they have supervision.
  2. After judging, all perishable items will be treated with chemicals to preserve the quality and prolong their exhibit life.

JUDGING CRITERIA (All except Honey)

  • The Judges are instructed not to award premiums unless the entries are deemed worthy of merit. If any entry is not worthy of the first premium, the Judges may award second and third or no premium, according to their judgment.
  • Supervisors, Horticulture staff and Judges may enter items for display only.
  • Premiums will be paid as indicated, unless specified otherwise.
  • If an item is entered into the wrong class the Judges may move it to the correct class for judging.
  • Judges' decisions are final.
  • All judging will be closed to the public.

  • Exhibits must be from this year’s crop. It is important that fruit specimens be handled carefully by the exhibitor and the judge to prevent bruising and damage. Fruit should not be polished but washed and wiped free of dust or residue before judging. Use these criteria when judging:

    FRUIT SCORING EACH CATEGORY UP TO 20%

    • Condition: Condition of fruit is most important. Exhibits should not be misshapen or damaged by insects, disease, or mechanical handling. Fruit should be clean, but not polished.

    • Uniformity: All fruit should be of a similar size, color, shape, and maturity. Stems should be intact. There should be no leaves or foliage attached to the fruit.

    • Color: All fruit should be free of blemishes and have a good color, typical of the variety.

    • Size: The best size is medium – not too large or too small.

    • Trueness to Variety: The fruit should be true to the variety in size and color.


    Preparing Fruits for Exhibition


    Ensure the cleanliness of apples and pears, free from any residue from sprays, and consider giving them a polished appearance. When exhibiting apples on plates and trays, retain the stems. Peaches can be gently brushed or wiped to remove fuzz, and grapes should be trimmed with any defective berries removed, maintaining intact stems for all fruits except raspberries, blueberries and blackberries. Peaches and plums may exhibit with or without stems.

    Both commercial and home garden fruits should avoid extremes in size—neither extra large nor extra small are desired. A strategic choice of a size slightly above the average crop often results in the highest quality. Consistency is key; all specimens should exhibit the same maturity, color, size, and shape, unless otherwise specified in the exhibit class description. Examine each specimen for blemishes, ensuring freedom from insect damage, bruises, cuts, wind-induced injuries, or any other causes. Select mature specimens, avoiding over-mature ones, perhaps leaning slightly towards the green side for optimal presentation.

    Commercially Packed Fruit

    The primary objective of the commercial fruit classes is to promote enhanced packing practices for Utah fruit destined for the market. Consequently, the assessment will focus on the utilization of commercial packages and packs. These fruit packs will be categorized into box and basket classes. All entries that are properly packed will be evaluated based on their adherence to commercial packing standards. This is open only to Division HP.


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