Minnesota 4-H Skillathons

Who can participate

Youth in grades 3 and up can register in teams of three to four or as an individual in the following divisions: 

• Junior division grades 3-8 

• Senior division grades 4 and up

When is the contest

Choose from contests on Feb. 20 in Redwood Falls or Feb. 27 near Brainerd

The contest is open at 9 a.m. and teams will note their preferred competition time on the registration form.

Cost

• $40 per team
• $10 per individual

Registration

Complete the online form (coming soon) by Feb. 2.

Youth can participate as a team of three to four youth members or an an individual contestant. 

The contest will consist of eight stations, a test and a team problem. Participants will rotate through each of the stations. 

Sr. Teams can earn up to 500 points; each station, test and team problem is worth 50 points. Jr. Teams can earn up to 300 points; each station, test and team problem is worth 30 points. 

Individual contestants will not participate in the team problem and will only be eligible for individual awards. 

Winners will be selected for the top teams and individuals.

There are three parts to the competition

• The individual test (25 questions)
• The individual stations (eight stations)
• The team problem

Contest process

• Youth can complete their test and stations individually; youth will have 15 minutes to complete each individual station. Jr. and Sr. teams will complete the same stations, but Jr. teams will have less questions and points per station.
• Youth must complete all eight stations once they begin.
• Youth will have up to 25 minutes to complete their individual test.
• Teams will sign up to complete their team problem; teams will have 20 minutes to complete their work.
• Once all team members have completed their test, individual stations and team problem, they are free to leave.  

Rules

• No talking is allowed in the contest room.
• No electronic devices may be used during the contest; if a calculator is needed, one will be provided.
• Youth not participating, coaches, parents or spectators may not be in the contest room during the competition.
• Once the station time is up, all answers are final as written.

How are results tabulated

Results will be tabulated and sent to each coach electronically within the following week of the contest. Each contest site's individual and team scores will be compiled following the last contest. Awards will be given out based on the compiled list.  

The top two teams in each age division and the top two scoring individuals in each age division will receive an award. 

The results will be sent out electronically within the following week of the last contest. You can also find the results at the link below.

2026 Skillathon results

The test and each topic is for 50 points total.

Stations will include eight of the following topics

• Breed identification
• Equipment identification
• Retail meat identification
• Feed identification
• Feed tag identification
• Wool judging
• Performance class
• Quality assurance scenario and forage judging

The topics and test questions will come from the following references and examples: 

• The Ohio State University 4-H Beef Resource Handbook(available for purchase)
• The Ohio State University 4-H Sheep Resource Handbook(available for purchase)
• The Ohio State University 4-H Swine Resource Handbook (available for purchase)
• The Ohio State University Goat Resource Handbook(available for purchase)
• National 4-H Livestock SkillaThon Contest Resources & Examples (scroll to bottom of page)

National contest eligibility

The top senior division team will be eligible to participate in the North American International 4-H Skillathon competition. 

• On Jan. 1 of the contest year, all senior team members must be at least 14 years old but not 19 years old. In other words, youth who do not fall into this national contest age window (14-19 years of age) can still compete at regional and state contests, but the teams they are on forfeit any eligibility for national trips. However, those teams are eligible for regional and state contests and awards. 
  • Please note that any team at the contest that lists a 4-H'er whose age falls outside the national age window (14-19 years of age) automatically forfeits any chance for national competition. It is the coach's responsibility to make any changes to the team roster before the regional contest begins. 
  • If no changes are made by the coach before the regional contest begins and the team roster contains participants outside the national contest age window (14-19 years of age), the team will not be eligible for national trips, even if the ineligible 4-H'er does not participate.
• The 4-H’ers must not have participated in post-secondary coursework in general animal science courses or judging or selection in the subject area of their national 4-H competition, nor have they participated in training for a post-secondary judging team in the subject area of their national 4-H competition.
• All listed team members must be eligible to take a national trip for the trip to be awarded. Deletions or substitutions will not be allowed.  
• All national trip winners must have participated in the contest.
• If the champion team is not eligible, the trip will pass to the next eligible team.  
• When a team is offered a trip, they will have one week to accept or decline.

The test and each topic is for 50 points total of Sr. teams and 30 points total for Jr. teams.

Stations will include eight of the following topics

• Scat/track identification

• Reptile identification

• Fur identification

• Fish identification

• Bird identification

• Skull identification

• Plant identification

• Tree Identification

• Wildlife habitat management practices

• Wildlife terms and concepts

The topics and test questions will come from the following references and examples: 

• National WHEP Manual 2026

• Moriarty, J. J. (2018). A field guide to the natural world of the Twin Cities. University of Minnesota Press. 

• Arthur, A. (2013). Minnesota State Parks: How to Get There, What to Do, Where to Do It. Adventure Publications

• Kavanaugh, J. (2017). Minnesota Wildlife: A Folding Pocket Guide to Familiar Animals (Wildlife and Nature Identification). Waterford Press.

• Peterson Field Guide to Animal Tracks

• WHEP Study Resources

National contest eligibility

The top senior division team (3-4 members) will be eligible to participate at the National WHEP Competition, location and exact dates will be released at a later date. 

• On Jan. 1 of the contest year, all senior team members must be at least 14 years old, but not 19 years old. In other words, youth who do not fall into this national contest age window (14-19) can still compete at regional and state contests but the teams they are on forfeit any eligibility for national trips. However, those teams are eligible for regional and state contests and awards. 
  • Please note that any team at the contest who lists a 4-H'er whose age falls outside of the national age window (14-19) automatically forfeits any chance for national competition. It is the coach's responsibility to make any changes in the team roster before the regional contest begins. 
  • If no changes are made by the coach before the regional contest begins and if the team roster contains participants outside the national contest age window (14-19) described above, the team will not be eligible for national trips, even if the ineligible 4-H'er does not participate.
• The 4-H’ers must not have participated in post-secondary coursework in general animal science courses or judging or selection in the subject area of their national 4-H competition, nor have participated in training for a post-secondary judging team in the subject area of their national 4-H competition.
• All listed team members must be eligible to take a national trip for the trip to be awarded. Deletions or substitutions will not be allowed.  
• All national trip winners must have participated in the regional contest.
• If the champion team is not eligible, the trip will pass to the next eligible team.  
• When a team is offered a trip, they will have one week to accept or decline.