Fair Ribbons: The Color Order Judges Use and How to Order

Fair ribbons follow one of two color systems, and knowing which one your judges use is the key to ordering the right quantities. We supply county fair ribbons to fair boards, extension offices, and 4-H and FFA clubs, and the most expensive mistakes almost always come from mixing up the two systems. This guide explains how judges assign colors, what each color means, and how to plan an order that covers every exhibit.

The Two Judging Systems Behind Fair Ribbons

Every fair award ribbon you hand out depends on how the exhibit was judged. Most fairs use one of these approaches, and some use both in different departments.

The Placing (Ranking) System

Judges line up entries in a class from best to worst. One entry gets first, one gets second, and so on.

This is common in open class departments, livestock shows, and horse shows. Each class needs one ribbon per placing, so quantities are easy to predict.

The Danish System

Judges score each exhibit against a standard instead of against other entries. Several exhibits in the same class can earn the same color.

Washington State University Extension's guide to the Danish or group method of judging describes blue as excellent, red as good, and white as fair, with a typical scoring framework of 90 to 100 for blue, 80 to 89 for red, and 70 to 79 for white. Many fairs also use a modified Danish system, which ranks exhibits within each color group to pick champions.

Fair Ribbon Colors: What Each One Means

Color meanings change depending on the system. The table below shows the common patterns side by side.

Color	Placing system meaning	Danish system meaning
Purple	Champion (often)	Top grade, outstanding
Blue	1st place	Exceeds or meets high standards
Red	2nd place	Meets standards, room to improve
White	3rd place (often)	Below standards or fair
Yellow	3rd or 4th place	Rare in Danish scoring
Pink and green	5th and 6th place	Rare in Danish scoring

Montana State University Extension's ribbon system explainer uses a four-color Danish scale: purple for excellent, blue for exceeding standards, red for average, and white for below standards. It also notes that fairs may name Grand and Reserve Champions within a modified Danish system.

The takeaway: the same blue ribbon can mean "first place" at one fair and "exceeds standards" at another. Your fair book should spell out which meaning applies.

Champion Ribbons

Grand Champion and Reserve Champion awards usually get larger rosettes in purple, tricolor, or metallic accents. Our rosette ribbons guide covers sizes and tiers that make champions stand out.

Open Class vs Youth Fair Ribbons

County fairs often run two worlds under one roof. Open class departments serve adults, and youth departments serve 4-H and FFA members.

Open class tends to use the placing system, with first through third or first through sixth.
Youth departments often use the Danish or modified Danish system.
Livestock shows usually place animals in order, even inside youth programs.

The USDA's 4-H program overview explains that 4-H is delivered through the land-grant university Cooperative Extension system, so your local extension office is usually the best source for youth judging rules.

How to Estimate Fair Ribbon Quantities

Quantity planning is where fair boards save or waste the most money. The formula depends on the judging system.

For Placing Classes

Count the classes in each department.
Multiply by the placings you award (for example, first through sixth).
Add champion and reserve rosettes for each division.
Add a small buffer for new classes and ties.

For Danish System Classes

Pull last year's entry counts from your fair records.
Look at the share of exhibits that earned each color.
Apply those shares to this year's expected entries.
Round up on blue and purple, since strong years create surprises.

Our Best Planning Tip

Keep a simple spreadsheet of ribbons ordered, ribbons used, and ribbons left over each year. After two seasons, your order almost plans itself.

Custom County Fair Ribbons

Stock ribbons get the job done, but custom county fair ribbons carry your fair's name and year, which exhibitors love to keep. Many families save a child's fair ribbons for decades.

Common custom elements:

Fair name and year on the center or streamer
Department or class name
Placing or grade ("Blue Award," "1st Place," "Grand Champion")
Fair logo or county seal
Sponsor name, when a local business funds the awards

Grosgrain is a popular material for fair award ribbons because it is sturdy and holds print well. Our custom grosgrain ribbon guide explains why.

Wording Tips

Keep text short. "Clay County Fair 2027 | Blue Award" reads better on a small center than a full sentence about the department.

Common Fair Ribbon Mistakes We See

Fair week is busy, and small ribbon problems snowball fast. These are the ones fair boards tell us about most often.

Ordering by placing when a department grades by standard. A Danish system department can run out of blue ribbons by the second morning.
Carrying last year's artwork forward without changing the year.
Colors that look alike in the barn. Under dim lighting, a pale yellow and a white can be hard to tell apart.
No champion rosettes for new divisions added late to the fair book.
Ribbons stored in one big box, which slows superintendents down on judging day.

A short pre-fair checklist catches nearly all of these. Walk each department superintendent through the ribbon plan before you order, confirm the judging system in writing, and note any new classes. That ten-minute conversation saves a lot of scrambling once exhibits start rolling in.

When to Order Fair Ribbons

Fair boards run on committee schedules, and ribbon artwork often needs approval from a board or extension staff. Build that time into your plan.

Here is a planning timeline that works for most fairs:

Early in the year: review last year's counts and leftovers
Once the fair book is final: confirm classes, departments, and judging systems
Well before the fair: send artwork, approve proofs, and place the order
A few weeks out: sort ribbons by department so superintendents can grab and go

Start with our custom pin rosette ribbons, then see our award ribbons guide and first place ribbon guide for color charts and style tiers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What color ribbons do county fairs use?

Most U.S. county fairs use blue, red, and white, with purple for top grades or champions. Placing classes may also use yellow, pink, and green for fourth through sixth place.

What is the Danish system for fair ribbons?

The Danish system judges each exhibit against a standard rather than against other entries. Several exhibits in the same class can earn the same color ribbon.

Is a purple ribbon better than a blue ribbon at the fair?

At many 4-H fairs using the Danish system, purple ranks above blue and marks outstanding work. In placing classes, purple is usually reserved for champions.

How many fair ribbons should we order?

For placing classes, multiply classes by placings and add champion rosettes. For Danish system classes, use last year's entry counts and color shares, then round up on blue and purple.

Can fair ribbons be customized?

Yes. Custom fair ribbons can carry the fair name, year, department, placing or grade, logo, and sponsor name.