4-H is a youth organization. They have many areas like computers and robotics and photography and painting, but they are probably best known for their agriculture areas. There are forestry areas and even canning. It gets kids involved in livestock, learning what it means to raise an animal, what is involved in getting food on the table. I did poultry judging and equine judging and that sort of thing, too. But it gave us an opportunity to get together and compete, gave us something to strive for. I still have a whole basket full of blue ribbons in my closet. I was so proud, my Arab and I never got less than third haha! Which is saying something, as they are not a very popular breed in the area. I showed mostly against Paints and Quarter horses, ranch breeds and the like. Although we did have the occasional off the track Thoroughbred.
As far as cows, I showed commercial heifers. Just replacement heifers we pulled from our own pasture. It was hard to compete, as people would go out and buy high dollar animals and compete with those, it kind of took the fun out of it. But man, when I got to beat those kids with their expensive animal that had been exercised by hired hands, nothing felt better.
Here's 4-H's website: http://www.4-h.org/