JUNIOR FAIR RULES
I. THE PURPOSE OF THE JUNIOR FAIR
The purpose of the Junior Fair shall be to promote and encourage agriculture, horticulture, raising of better livestock and to improve domestic, commercial and educational interests of the young people of Williams County.
II. ELIGIBILITY
Any boy or girl belonging to the following organizations in Williams County:
FFA Chapters and Agri-Science Classes, 4-H Members or Other Youth Organizations
1. Boys and girls who are regularly enrolled in any of the above named organizations are eligible to show providing they have complied with the rules of the Junior Fair as given in this premium book. Exhibitors must successfully meet all requirements of their youth organizations before being eligible to exhibit for competition.
2. Other Youth organizations that are affiliated with county, state and national organizations.
3. There shall be two classes of exhibits on exhibition at the Jr. Fair, Individual and Group. Individual exhibits and awards shall be limited to those organizations supported whole or part by public monies as specified by revised code of the General Assembly of the State of Ohio. (At the present time this includes 4-H, and FFA.)
4. Members' entries must fit into the divisions allowed for their organizations by the Junior Fair (e.g. only 4-H members may exhibit in the 4-H project classes; only 4-H and FFA members may exhibit in the livestock classes; other specific project eligibility are listed by department.)
5. Should an exhibitor belong to both a 4-H club and a FFA chapter in the same county, in all cases, the projects must be separate and different. Examples of separate and different projects are breeding-market lamb; beef breeding-market beef; cows in production-dairy heifer not freshened; horse production-horse riding; and laying hens-market poultry.
6. The Ohio Department of Agricultural is requiring all youth who produce livestock for breeding, market and/or produce a marketable livestock commodity (i.e., milk) to attend a general Quality Assurance program each year. Any youth failing to meet this requirement will not be permitted to exhibit livestock (excluding horse, dogs, rabbits, llama and small animals) at the Ohio State Fair and The Williams County Fair. (Check 4-H Calendar for dates.)
7. Entry Forms are to be turned in at Livestock Interviews on August 15, 2007 by 9:00 p.m. or at the time of scheduled Early Livestock Interview. All FFA Farm Shop and Farm Products Department entries must also be turned in by August 15, 2007. Anyone not meeting this deadline will be ineligible to show at the Williams County Fair for the current year. (No exceptions)
8. All animals must comply with health requirements of the Williams County Fair and Ohio State Department of Agriculture. Health Certificate must be presented when unloading or weighing of animals on the fairgrounds. All animals must have a health certificate.
9. Livestock Project Interview: All 4-H and FFA members must pass an oral interview for each project enrolled to exhibit and/or sell that project animal(s) at the Williams County Fair. Any youth failing to pass the interview will receive a letter stating such. The Junior Fair eligibility for the respective specie(s) will be the discretion of the Senior Fairboard Livestock Committee. Interviews are scheduled August 15, 2007. Anyone who can not attend the August 15th interview should contact the OSU Extension office prior to that date to schedule an early interview .No-make-up Interviews will be allowed after August 15th. Note: Definition of "pass" Have the project book and feed record completed to date, completed one page report either in book or on separate paper and attempt to answer oral questions that are taken from the project book(s).
10. All animals (exhibits) must be fully owned as evidenced by a bill of sale before June 1 of current year. Be sure to check with each division for different rules.
4-H Membership Policy
Ohio 4-H Membership is the youth development initiative of Ohio State University Extension and is open to all boys and girls in Ohio. 4-H membership begins with the 5-8 year old and K-2 program called Cloverbuds. Cloverbuds is a non-competitive program. "Traditional" 4-H Club membership begins when the youth is at least eight years of age and in the third grade as of January 1. Members must not have passed his or her 19th birthday on January 1 of the current year. 4-H enrollment deadline for 2007 is April 1 with April 15th being the deadline for changes. Only traditional 4-H club members can exhibit livestock, compete for awards or sell livestock at the Williams County Junior Fair.
4-H Membership across county lines. Ohio State University Extension administers the 4-H youth development education program whose mission is to develop youth to reach their fullest potential as capable, competent, caring, and contributing citizens. Each county in Ohio conducts the 4-H youth development program to accomplish this goal.
In order to affirm Ohio State Extension's position concerning across county (and/or state lines) 4-H membership and establish guidelines in this area to fulfill the above mission, the following philosophy and process statements are provided.
a) Youth are expected to affiliate with the program in their county of residence.
b) 4-H membership in two counties simultaneously is NOT possible.
c) Across state line membership will be considered the same as for across county participation.
d) It is recognized that limited situations may occur where membership in a county other than the county of residence might be positive. The agents in both counties must be in agreements that the change should occur. This agreement should be based on their professional judgment in accord with the opening paragraph of this policy.
e) Consideration for membership in a county other than the county of residence should be given only in situations where a positive educational experience will result. Any change motivated by perceived competition or sale advantage, any change due to controversial issues, or other similar motivations will not be seen as justified reasons for consideration for membership in a county other than the county of residence, and should be automatically rejected by the agents involved.
f) Any consideration for membership in a county other than the county of residence, within the limits of this policy and not addressed by the above statements should be brought to the attention of the county chair, district 4-H specialist and/or district director by county 4-H agent. This support team will then provide leadership for decisions in these special situations.
g) 4-H project books must be up-to-date when entry cards are signed by the advisor. 4-H members must attend four club meetings or club activities to compete by August 15.
FFA Membership
In FFA, entries are open to regularly enrolled high school Agri-Science students and enrolled in their school FFA Chapter. The member must not have passed his or her 19th birthday on January 1, of current year, to be eligible. Exhibits must be a part of the student's occupational experience program, and follow all Junior Fair rules for exhibit and competition.
III. LIVESTOCK PROJECT BOOKS
1. Current market prices will be posted in barns and Junior Fairboard office. Use these prices to determine your profits or losses to complete project books.
2. All livestock projects books must be completed and turned into the Junior Fairboard office in order to receive show numbers, fair passes and premium money.
3. Record books will be returned at the fair.
IV. GENERAL
1. Any exhibitor may be entered in open classes provided exhibitor conforms to Open Class rules. Check with the open class entry information.
2. All Junior Fair equine must be in place by 8 p.m. on Thursday September 6th. Equine may arrive between 12 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Thursday, September 6.
3. All livestock, except equine, must be in place by 8:00 p.m. on Friday, September 7, All livestock exhibits not being sold are released at the discretion of the Senior Fairboard Livestock Committee. Livestock may arrive Friday, September 7 from 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. Any exhibitor leaving early without written permission from the Senior Fairboard Superintendent will forfeit all premiums and awards and will be barred for one year from the Williams County Fair.
4. All livestock should stay on the fairgrounds in designated areas.
5. Livestock is to be exercised in designated areas. No livestock is permitted to be exercised on the midway nor in the camping area.
6. Any exhibitor leaving early without written permission from the Senior Fairboard Superintendent will forfeit all premiums and awards and will be barred for one year from the Williams County Fair.
7. No writing, farm name, advertising or 4-H or FFA logos permitted on clothing.
8. Youth must be present to either show the project animal or sell the project animal. Youth can not be absent for both or he/she will forfeit the opportunity to sell the project through the Junior Livestock Sale.
V. HEALTH REGULATIONS
1. Health regulations for Jr. Fair Livestock shall require a certificate of veterinary inspection.
2. All required health papers must be checked as animal(s) are unloaded or weighed at each livestock department. In case of small animals and dogs, papers will be checked at the beginning of the show. Any livestock show could be canceled due to any disease outbreak upon authorization of the State Veterinarian.
3. Any animal deemed unsafe to spectators, exhibits and/or exhibitor may be sent home. This determination will be made by the Senior Fairboard Superintendent in charge of the respective division and the Senior Fairboard Livestock Committee members. Their decision is final.
4. Any animal may be deemed unworthy of show due to health condition or injury. This animal will be sent home. This determination will be made by the Senior Fairboard Superintendent in charge of the respective division and the Senior Fairboard Livestock Committee members. Their decision is final.
VI. CODE OF ETHICS/ PRACTICES
1. Participation in Jr. Fair should be considered a privilege. All Jr. Fair rules must be followed.
2. Be cooperative to all Jr. and Sr. Fair officials, volunteers, parents, and members of the public.
3. Practice good sportsmanship in all Fair events or activities.
4. Make quality your goal in all your exhibits (livestock exhibitors refer to the Code of Practices on care of animals.)
5. Parental help is allowed. Guiding and teaching members to do the work, that they are capable of doing, should be the primary goal.
Code of Practices
The following describes general responsibilities of the exhibitor and all persons in their authority, in the proper care and handling of animals raised for food and fiber.
- To provide food, water and care necessary to protect the health and welfare of animals.
- To provide a safe and healthy environment for animals, that is clean, well ventilated and provides ample space.
- To use humane and sanitary methods when it becomes necessary to dispose of animals.
- To make timely inspections of all animals to evaluate the health and ensure that all basic requirements are being met.
- To ensure proper handling techniques are used to eliminate any undue stress or injury when manual manipulation is necessary.
- To provide transportation for animals that avoids undue stress or injury caused by overcrowding, excessive time in transit or improper handling when loading or unloading.
- To make management decisions based on scientific fact and to consider the welfare of the animals.
VII. STALL/HOUSING
1. Senior Fairboard livestock superintendents are in charge of assigning buildings or barns, or tents, if necessary, for the different livestock departments.
2. Each exhibitor is responsible for bringing necessary equipment and bedding to properly maintain exhibit. Feed, water, must be provided and pens must be cleaned daily. Removal of manure from pens after animals are released is required. Junior Fairboard and Senior Fairboard Superintendents can down grade the premium for not maintaining proper care of animals exhibited. Premiums on any project will be forfeited if manure is not removed from pens.
3. Large animals (beef, dairy, goats, llamas, sheep and swine) should be exercised daily.
VIII. SHOWING/FITTING
1. Junior Exhibitors must show their own animals. Exceptions will be made only for exhibitors who may be physically impaired, who have two animals entered in the same class, or an exhibitor is absent on show day due to other commitments. In case of these exceptions another boy or girl who is a Junior Fair member may exhibit the animal with the authorization of the Superintendent in charge. If a Junior Fair Livestock Exhibitor cannot be present at the time of judging the exhibitor will need to present to the Junior Fairboard office a written permission notice signed by the parent.
2. Fitting of animals shall be done only by exhibitor and immediate family members. Immediate family consists of Father, Mother, Step-father, Step-mother, grandparents, sibling or guardian. Senior Fairboard Superintendent will address any infraction of the above rule immediately. Any further penalties or disqualifications will be addressed by the Senior Fairboard Livestock Committee.
IX. JUNIOR LIVESTOCK TAMPERING AND/OR MISREPRESENTATION
1. Any exhibitor entered or planned to enter the Junior Fair classes that are misrepresented or exhibited with unacceptable practices may be removed from the Junior Fair Show and Sale and may forfeit premiums and awards. The interpretation and enforcement of these rules and all Junior Fair rules will be made by the Rules Interpretation Committee. Application to any animal, of any material which will conceal the true conformation or condition of said animal, or make said animal appear more sound than it actually is, will result in disqualification.
2. Tampering and/or misrepresentation as to breeding, age, ownership, custody and any other irregularity in showing will be considered fraud and deception.
3. To maintain a high degree of confidence and integrity in the livestock shows, the agricultural society reserves the right to disqualify any animal fitted in an unethical manner and disqualify the exhibitor and the exhibitor's assistants who fitted the animal involved.
4. Unethical fitting shall include any cutting or tearing of the hide, cutting or tearing underneath the hide or removal of tissue in any attempt to alter the shape or appearance. It shall also include attempts to disrupt or change normal dental development, dyeing or coloring hair, adding artificial tailheads, switches, polls, hair and heels, as well as any attempt to change the conformation and degree of firmness, by administration of fluids or air internally or externally in a liquid, solid or gaseous state. Transparent grooming materials only may be used.
5. The use of clenbuterol and other unapproved drugs is prohibited.
6. All exhibitors, their immediate family and any other parties involved in the unethical fitting and showing of an animal will be barred forever from exhibiting or showing at this fair and will forfeit all premiums, prize money and awards won in any junior fair and/or open class divisions.
7. Should fraud or deception, and proof, as determined by the Agricultural Society, be discovered after the animal or animals have been shown and prior to the sale, such animal(s) shall not be permitted to sell.
8. Should violation be discovered after the sale, all sale money shall be returned to the buyer and the animal, carcass value shall be returned to the exhibitor. All placings in show will stand. No animals will move up. Any carcass suspected of being tampered with or suspected of containing drugs will be detained until the investigation is complete.
9. If the carcass is condemned at the packing plant for any reason, it shall be grounds for disqualification in the on-foot and carcass division of the show. Additionally, all premiums and sale money shall be forfeited and the loss of the animal be incurred by the exhibitor.
10. No painting, coloring or application of other foreign substances to the hooves or any other part of any animal with the exception of equine hooves.
11. No icing or cold compresses can be applied to any animal unless administered or prescribed by a licensed veterinarian for fever.
X. PREMIUMS
1. Premium money is paid by the County Fair for exhibition of project work. The premium disbursed is based upon amounts set for each category or department on an individual or group basis.
2. Premiums will be paid in accordance with the premium list set up for each department, subject to prorating if funds are not sufficient. The premiums are distributed through 4-H clubs and Vo Ag chapters in the fall.
XII. CHAMPIONSHIP CLASSES
1. All class winners will compete for Champion. Second place animal out of the class where Champion is selected is eligible to show for Reserve Champion.
2. In order to be judged Champion or Reserve Champion, an exhibit must have first receive an A grade or excellence according to type.
3. A single entry may not be from a pen of swine, sheep, rabbits, or poultry.
XII. OVERNIGHT POLICY for Junior Fair Exhibitors and Youth
It is the desire of the Senior Fairboard that as few youth as possible stay at the fairgrounds overnight. Youth staying at night on the fairgrounds MUST have a project exhibited and MUST comply with the following rules for each night they stay:
1. Must have written permission of parents or guardian to stay on the fairgrounds after 12:30 a.m. Permits may be picked up in the Secretary's Office before 7:00 p.m. the day the youth is staying.
2. No youth are to be out of the area assigned on the permit after 12:30 a.m. or the guardian/parent who signed for the permit will be notified to immediately pick up the youth. If permits are violated, the person in violation will not be able to receive a permit for the rest of the fair.
3. At no time will youth exhibitors or anyone be permitted to have alcohol on the fairgrounds. Any Junior Fair exhibitors caught with alcohol at the fairgrounds will forfeit all premiums and will not be permitted to sell their project at the Junior Fair Sale.
XIII. RULE VIOLATION
1. In the questions of a rule violation, the following due process will be used: The exhibitor and or parties involved will be questioned by the Rules Interpretation Committee.
2. Upon hearing the case, the Rules Interpretation Committee will make a ruling.
XIV. PROTEST POLICY
1. Protest (s) must be made in writing and signed by the party (ies) making the protest. The protest must be filed at the Senior Fair Office to the attention of the Senior Fairboard Supervisor in charge of that Junior Fair Division on the day of the complaint or incident. Any protest must be accompanied by a $100 fee which will be retained by the Williams County Senior Fairboard if the protest is not sustained.
2. The protest will then be heard by the Rules Interpretation Committee at a time and place set by the Senior Fairboard with all parties involved.
3. The Rules Interpretation Committee will consist of Senior Fairboard Superintendents, at least one from that division and other Senior Fairboard Superintendents from the Senior Livestock Committee, Extension Agriculture and/ or 4-H agent or other appropriate parties as needed.
XV. PENALTIES
1. When satisfactory evidence has been obtained by the Fair Board that any of the livestock rules have been violated, the exhibitor and/ or the exhibitor's family will be barred from showing in any future agricultural fairs. In case any premiums have been awarded to animals shown in violation of this rule, the Fair Board will require the exhibitor to refund all premiums, trophy awards, ribbons and sale money and under each violation. Unless fraud and/or deception are involved, all championship placings stand.