The "GRASSLAND EVALUATION CONTEST GUIDE” will provide additional details as to
how the GRASSLAND EVALUATION CONTEST is to be set up and conducted at the contest site.
All contestants should familiarize themselves with this information along with these CONTEST
RULES (reviewed annually).
RULES DURING COMPETITION:
- A contest team will consist of a maximum of four (4) or a minimum of three (3) students who are
either currently enrolled at the high school level (FFA or 4H). If less than three members of a
qualifying team competing are present they may enter and compete as individuals at Mid
America contest.
- Contestants will be supplied score cards, appropriate maps or aerial photos and any necessary
information. All score cards, maps and aerial photos will be collected at each judging site.
- Contestants will fill out their name, school name, and/or student ID number on score
sheet. If all three items are left off the score sheet the individual will receive a zero (0)
on their score sheet. If any of the three items are filled in – the judging team will try
to find out whose it is.
- A maximum of five (5) 4-H and five (5) FFA teams may enter from each state.
- Contestants will be allowed twenty-five (25) minutes to judge each of the four (4)
segments of the contest with three (3) minutes to move between judging sites. Total contest
time is approximately two (2) hours.
- Contestants may use non-programmable hand-held calculators. Each participant will furnish
their own pencils, calculator and clipboard.
- Contestants will NOT be allowed to:
- talk to anyone during the contest or use other printed materials for reference.
- touch plants used for the plant identification.
- leave the contest site during the contest. There will be NO exceptions.
- step into or touch plants within the 50 X 50 ft. plots.
- Only contestants and officials will be allowed within the contest area during the contest
- Judge’s decisions will be final concerning any questions involving the contest.
SCORING RULES AND ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES:
- The winning team will be determined by adding together the highest three (3) team member’s
scores. If less than three (3) members of a team are present, they may enter and compete as
individuals.
- In case of a tie score, the Plant I.D. score will be used to determine the winner.
Should this score also result in a tie, the Grassland Condition Score will be used followed by a
"coin-flip" in the event of another tie.
- Members of the 4-H and FFA first place teams in a Mid-America Grassland Evaluation Contest
will NOT be eligible to participate in the next year’s contest.
SCORE CARD CLARIFICATION NOTES:
- Plant Identification: This part of the contest involves two answers (common name and life cycle)
for each of the twenty-five plants. Both answers must be correct for the question to be
considered as correct. If the plant falls in both life cycle categories, either one or both can be
marked to be considered correct.
- Grassland Condition: Question no. 3, “Matching Livestock & Forage”. The answer to this
question must be within a ten percent (10%) range of the final correct answer determined by
the judges at the contest site -- within five percent (5%) above or five percent (5%) below the
correct answer.
- Soils: Contestants will determine “soil slope” from designated stakes located at or near the
"soils" site. Elevations will not be given.
AWARDS
- Team members compete for both team and individual awards.
- Contest awards (trophies, plaques, &/or medallions) will be presented according to the following
categories (in case of ties, see no. 11 under Scoring Rules):
- TEAMS:
- Five highest scoring FFA teams.
- Five highest scoring 4-H teams.
- Over-all Champion Team (highest scoring three-member team) - one award only.
- INDIVIDUALS:
- Five highest scoring FFA individuals.
- Five highest scoring 4-H individuals.
- Highest Over-all scoring individual -- one award only.
MID AMERICA CONTEST RULES: Revised: August 2009
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