How Fair Ribbons and Premiums Work

What is the difference between a ribbon and a premium?

A ribbon is a physical award that marks a placing. A premium is a payment, credit or prize connected to that placing, if the fair offers one. Some fairs give ribbons only, some give premiums only for certain departments, and some give both.

The premium book states which applies to each class. Do not assume that every ribbon includes money, and do not assume that money is available in every department.

Some fairs also state who pays for ribbons, whether premium money is withheld for ineligible entries, and whether a minimum score is needed. These details sit in the general rules at the front of the book.

What do ribbon colors usually mean?

Many fairs use blue for first, red for second and white for third, with other colors for lower placings or special awards. Others use a different order or a standards-based color system. There is no single national rule.

Check the fair's own key. A purple or rosette ribbon often marks a champion or reserve champion, but the exact use is the organizer's choice.

• Blue, red and white are common but not universal
• Purple, rosette or special colors often mark champions
• Honorable mention may exist in some fairs

How are premiums decided?

Fairs set a premium schedule that links placings to amounts or awards. The schedule is usually published in the premium book and may differ by department, by class, or by division such as youth and open. Funding often comes from fair budgets, sponsors and local donors.

Because schedules change, this guide gives no amounts. Read the current book, and treat any figure you hear secondhand as unconfirmed until you see it in print from the organizer.

How and when do I receive them?

Ribbons are usually attached to the entry or placed with it, and you collect them when you pick up your item. Premium payments, where offered, are handled according to the fair's process, which may include a claim form, a mailed check or pickup at the office.

Ask how and when payments occur and whether you need to provide any information. Share only what the fair requests through its own channels.

If the premium book mentions a tax form or identification for larger awards, ask the office what is required and why. Do not give such details to anyone who contacts you outside the fair's official channels.

• Ask about the claim window
• Keep your receipt
• Confirm the payment method with the office

Do champion and special awards work differently?

Champion and best-of-show selections often occur after class judging, using the class winners. These may carry extra awards, trophies or sponsored prizes. Some awards are named in memory of local people or supported by a business, and the book describes any conditions.

Eligibility for a special award may depend on entering a specific class or following an extra rule. Reading the fine print helps you avoid disappointment.

Sponsors sometimes attach their own rules, such as requiring a particular ingredient, theme or entry category. Read the sponsor line in the book carefully, and thank sponsors when you meet them, since their support helps pay for many of the awards at a local fair.

How should I think about ribbons and learning?

A ribbon records one judging on one day. A pattern of placings across years, along with the comments you collect, tells you more. Many successful exhibitors save every ribbon and note the lesson tied to it.

Youth especially benefit from a focus on process: finishing a project, meeting deadlines and handling results gracefully. Those habits last longer than any color.

Parents can help by praising effort and preparation before mentioning placings. A child who learns to ask what the judge noticed, rather than what color they won, is learning a skill that applies far beyond the fairgrounds.

How do I plan my first year of entries?

Choose a few classes that match skills you already have and a small number that stretch you. Early success builds confidence, and a stretch class teaches new technique. Avoid entering so many classes that quality suffers.

Make a short list of goals that are not about placing: finish every entry, deliver on time, learn one new thing from a judge. Placings then become a bonus instead of the whole point.

Keep a simple record each year of what you entered, how you placed and what you would change. After three or four seasons you will have a personal guide that no book can replace.

• Pick a mix of comfortable and stretch classes
• Set goals unrelated to placing
• Record results each year

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the County Fair & Rodeo Guide Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.