Hello,

My name is Nikole. I am a mother of 3, a 4-H leader, and a former 4-H and FFA exhibitor. For more than 25 years, my family and I have been involved in youth livestock programs through my own participation, my siblings, and now my children. Through those years of experience, I have come to believe that it is time to reevaluate and modernize the current exhibitor dress requirements.

I am seeking support for a change to the show uniform requirements at the Sacramento County Fair and, eventually, the California State Fair.

Currently, exhibitors are required to wear white pants as part of their official show attire. 4-H members wear white pants with a white shirt, green hat, scarf, and tie, while FFA members wear white pants with their official FFA jacket and scarf.

While I understand and appreciate the tradition behind these requirements, I no longer believe that white pants are the most practical, economical, or uniform option for today's exhibitors and families.

White pants are expensive, difficult to keep clean, and often must be replaced every year as children grow. Many families purchase multiple pairs to make it through fair week because stains and daily wear make reuse challenging. In today's economy, reducing unnecessary expenses for families should be a consideration.

Additionally, the current requirement does not necessarily create the uniform appearance it was intended to achieve. Exhibitors often wear a variety of styles depending on what is available, including boot cut, flare, skinny fit, and other variations. The same with the white shirts. People wear long sleeves, short  sleeve & polos. As a result, the overall appearance is just not as consistent or as clean as one might expect.

I propose allowing clean blue jeans as an alternative for pants, and paired with a colored green or blue polo shirts, with the 4H and FFA logo. Like CYE. I personally like that look. If you still want cleaner look while still mainting some of the past tradition. Another option could be white  polo shirts featuring the appropriate 4-H or FFA emblem.

This change would:

Reduce costs for families.
Increase practicality and comfort for exhibitors.
Maintain a professional and polished appearance.
Preserve the traditions and values of 4-H and FFA while adapting to current economic realities.
I respectfully ask fair leadership to review and consider updating these requirements and invite fellow exhibitors, families, leaders, and supporters to join this conversation.

Thank you for your consideration and support.