Award Ribbons: Picking Colors and Styles for Every Place

Award ribbons work best when every placing, from first to participation, has its own color and a style that matches how much it means. We help fair boards, schools, clubs, and companies plan custom award ribbons for whole seasons at a time, and the smoothest orders start with a simple plan: list every award, give each a color, then pick a style tier. This guide walks you through that plan step by step.

Step 1: List Every Award You Give

Most people plan first, second, and third, then scramble when judges want to give a "Best in Show" or an honorable mention. Write the full list before you order anything.

Typical award categories:

Placings: first through third, or first through sixth for larger classes
Top honors: Grand Champion, Reserve Champion, Best in Show
Special awards: Judges' Choice, People's Choice, Best Presentation, Sponsor Award
Recognition: Honorable Mention, Participation, Merit
Division awards: age groups, skill levels, or project categories

Step 2: Assign Colors to Each Place

Color is the fastest way for families and spectators to read results across a room. U.S. events tend to follow a familiar order, which you can see in more detail in our first place ribbon guide.

Award	Common color	Suggested style
1st Place	Blue	Rosette or large flat ribbon
2nd Place	Red	Rosette or flat ribbon
3rd Place	White or yellow	Flat ribbon or small rosette
4th Place	Yellow or white	Flat ribbon
5th Place	Pink	Flat ribbon
6th Place	Green	Flat ribbon
Grand Champion	Purple or tricolor	Large multi-tier rosette
Reserve Champion	Lavender or tricolor	Large rosette
Honorable Mention	Varies, often green or gold	Flat ribbon
Participation	Varies, often multicolor	Flat ribbon or small pin

Youth Fair Color Systems

Many 4-H and youth fairs grade exhibits against a standard instead of ranking them. Nebraska Extension's Cheyenne County fair ribbon rules use purple, blue, red, and white, with only purple exhibits eligible for Grand Champion (horse exhibits are an exception there).

That means your ribbon count depends on the judging system. Under a ranking system, each class gets one blue; under a standards system, a class might produce many blues and several purples.

Special Award Colors

There is no national rule for special awards, so pick colors that do not clash with your placings. Gold, black, teal, or your organization's brand color work well for sponsor awards and Best in Show.

Step 3: Match Style to Importance

The higher the award, the bigger and more layered the ribbon should be. Winners notice the difference, and so do their families.

Flat Ribbons

A single streamer with printed text and a cut or pinked end. They are the most affordable prize ribbons and ideal for lower placings and participation.

Rosettes

Pleated loops around a printed center button, with streamers hanging below. Rosettes feel like a real trophy, which is why they are the standard for first place and champions. Our rosette ribbons guide breaks down tiers and sizes.

Pin Ribbons and Badges

Small ribbons or mini rosettes with a pin back. They work for school events, conferences, and staff recognition where winners wear the award right away.

A Simple Tier System

Champions: large, multi-tier rosettes
First and second place: standard rosettes
Third through sixth: flat ribbons
Participation and honorable mention: flat ribbons or pins

This structure keeps costs reasonable while making top awards feel special.

Step 4: Customize Your Award Ribbons

Custom award ribbons carry your event name, year, and logo, which turns them into keepsakes rather than generic prizes. Stock ribbons are fine in a pinch, but they rarely end up framed on a wall.

What to put on custom award ribbons:

Event or organization name
Placing or award title
Year or date
Logo on the center button
Class or category name on the streamer
Sponsor name, if a sponsor is paying for the awards

Keep text short and bold. Long phrases shrink until they are unreadable on a small center button.

If you want to print your own wording on ribbon for other uses, our personalized ribbon guide walks through materials and print methods.

Step 5: Count Quantities Carefully

Under-ordering is the most common mistake we see, followed closely by forgetting special awards. Count per class, not per event.

A quick formula:

(Number of classes) x (placings per class) for standard placings
Plus champion and reserve rosettes for each division
Plus special awards
Plus a buffer for ties, late entries, and judging changes

Youth programs are a big part of this market. 4-H reports nearly 6 million young people in its programs, and many county fairs hand out ribbons for every exhibit, so quantities add up fast.

Award Ribbons Beyond the Fairground

Fairs and horse shows get most of the attention, but award ribbons do a lot of quiet work in offices, schools, and community groups too. The same color and tier logic applies.

Places we see prize ribbons pulling their weight:

Company sales contests, with rosettes in brand colors for top performers
School science fairs, spelling bees, and art shows, where pin ribbons let students wear their win all day
Chili cook-offs and bake sales, often with a People's Choice ribbon voted by guests
Car shows and garden clubs, which usually run their own class and placing systems
Conferences and trade shows, where ribbons mark speakers, sponsors, and award winners

For wearable recognition at events, our custom badge ribbons guide covers titles, attachments, and stacking. In a corporate setting, using your brand color for the top award instead of blue can feel more personal.

Common Mistakes With Award Ribbons

We see the same issues season after season. Most are easy to prevent.

Clashing colors, like a gold sponsor ribbon that looks too close to yellow fourth place
Too much text on the center button
Wrong year carried over from last season's artwork
No spares, which leaves the judge improvising with the wrong color
Ordering late, when custom artwork still needs a committee vote

When to Order Custom Award Ribbons

Custom ribbons require artwork and proof approval, and fair boards or school committees often need a sign-off before production. Plan backward from your event date and leave room for revisions.

Start planning with our custom pin rosette ribbons, and if your event is a fair, read our fair ribbons guide for judging-specific tips.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the colors for award ribbons?

In the U.S., first place is blue, second is red, and third is usually white or yellow. Pink and green often cover fifth and sixth, and purple or tricolor rosettes are common for champions.

What is the difference between a rosette and a flat award ribbon?

A rosette has pleated loops around a center button with streamers below, while a flat ribbon is a single printed streamer. Rosettes are typically used for higher placings and champions.

What should be printed on custom award ribbons?

Include the event name, the placing or award title, and the year. Add a logo on the center button and a class or sponsor name on the streamer if space allows.

How many award ribbons should I order?

Multiply your classes by the placings you give per class, then add champion rosettes, special awards, and a buffer. Events using the Danish system may need extra blues and purples.

What color is an honorable mention ribbon?

There is no single standard color for honorable mention. Many events use green or gold, but choose a color that will not be confused with your regular placings.