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ag society general rules

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ag society General Rules and Information

• The closing date of entries will be found at the heading of each department, but for most Departments, all walk in entries close on July 12, 2025 at noon. Online entries close at 11:59 pm on July 12, 2025. (Firm deadline).
• The owners of membership tickets are privileged to enter animals or articles for exhibition.
• Junior Fair members will not be required to purchase a membership ticket/weekly pass to exhibit 4-H, FFA and FCCLA projects. Junior Fair members must pay entry fee for any open class entry.
• All entries shall be made in the name of the bona fide owner of the animal or article.
• Persons entering animals required to be purebred will be required to furnish a certificate of registry in their respective stud, herd or flock books and/or be prepared to prove their ages.
• No animal shall be shown in more than one class, except sweepstakes or as one of a pair or herd.
• All animals shown as breeders must be so in fact, and be confined to their own progeny.

Bedding * Stall * Pen

• Each exhibitor shall furnish own approved bedding. No animals are to be tied out until after 7 pm. Contact department superintendents for the place of tie out.
• Entry fees and stall fees will be charged as outlined in each department.
• No stall fees will be charged for Junior Fair exhibits housed in assigned Junior Fair stalls.
• All stalls and pens should be kept clean and open for viewing every day of the Fair.
• Sheep, goat and swine pens must be cleaned of all bedding by 10 pm the last Friday of fair. If not cleaned, a fine of $50 will be assessed. If not paid, sale check will be held for the exhibitor until fine is paid.

Premiums

• No premiums will be awarded, with or without competition in any department unless the Judge deems the entry worthy.
• Protests as to premiums should be made in writing to the Secretary prior to the close of the Fair, and the matter will be disposed of at the next regular meeting or special meeting.
• Blue denotes first premiums; red, second premiums; white, third premiums; yellow, fourth premiums; green, fifth premiums.
• If the amount of receipts, after current expenses are paid, are not sufficient to pay premium in full, the board reserves the right to prorate the available funds.

General

• The Preble County Fair Board will take every precaution in its power for safe preservation of livestock and articles on exhibition, after their arrival and placing on the grounds. However, the Preble County Fair Board will not be responsible for damage to exhibits or livestock by fire, water, windstorm, or any act of God, nor does the board assume any liability for loss by thefts or accidents to persons or property. Exhibitors are requested to give their attention to their livestock and articles during the Fair and remove them promptly after the close of the Fair.
• No person, except the judges, officers of the Society, marshal and grooms will be allowed in the ring while stock is being exhibited.
• Any person showing disrespect to any member of the Board or Awarding Committee may be removed from the grounds and the exhibitor shall forfeit all premiums taken during the Fair.
• No duplicate tickets/passes. They must be purchased at the same price if your ticket/pass is lost or stolen.
• No person shall be permitted to make solicitations of any nature on the Fairgrounds except in contracted concession or commercial rented spaces. No person will be permitted to post or display signs, distributed handbills or advertising material or sell or distribute free any merchandise, except persons under contract, and within 4 feet of their contract booth.
• In the case of these General Rules conflicting with the Rules and Regulations of any Department under which an animal or article is exhibited, the said Department Rules will take precedence regarding said exhibit. The Director/Superintendent of a department is empowered to decide all issues not covered by the rules and regulations.
• TAMPERING AND/OR MISREPRESENTATION as to breeding age, ownership, custody and any other irregularity in showing will be considered fraud and deception. To maintain a high degree of confidence and integrity in the livestock shows, the Preble Co. Agricultural Society reserves the right to disqualify an animal fitted in an unethical manner and disqualifies the exhibitor and the exhibitors’ assistants who fitted the animal involved. 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 tail heads, 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. THE USE OF CLENBUTEROL AND OTHER UNAPPROVED DRUGS IS PROHIBITED. All exhibitors, their immediate family and any other parties involved in the unethical fitting and showing of an animal will be banned from exhibiting or showing at this fair, and will forfeit all premiums, prize money and awards won in any junior fair or open class division. 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. The animals placing next in line at the show move up. SHOULD VIOLATION BE DISCOVERED AFTER THE SALE, all sale money shall be returned to the buyer and the animal, carcass or carcass value shall be returned to the exhibitor. All placing 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. 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 exhibitor incurs the loss of the animal.
• Exhibitors must see to delivery of their exhibits to the member in charge of the appropriate department. All livestock shall be in place at the time specified by each Department.
• All buildings shall remain open until 9 pm each night of Fair.
• Veterinarian on grounds will take care of inspection of animals, but if an animal becomes ill at the Fair, the individual exhibitor or Junior Fair member has the option to call their own veterinarian or veterinarian of their choice.
• No feed deliveries after 11 am.
• Vehicles blocking fire lanes will be towed at owner’s expense.
• Vehicles parked in posted “NO PARKING” areas will be towed at owner’s expense.
• No bicycles, motorcycles, or horses will be permitted on the midway at any time.
• Any exhibitor removing his exhibit before release time will not be permitted to make entries of any kind next year and will forfeit all premium money.
• THE PREBLE COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT WILL ENFORCE THE LAW ACCORDING TO THE OHIO REVISED CODE. IF AN EXHIBITOR IS CONVICTED BY THE PREBLE COUNTY COURT FOR THE CONSUMPTION OR USE OF ANY ILLEGAL SUBSTANCE, THE INDUVIAL WILL FORFEIT ANY AND ALL ENTRY FEES, PREMIUMS, AND BE SUSPENDED FROM SHOWING AT THE PRESENT OR FOLLOWING YEAR, WHICH IS TO BE DECIDED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OR ALL DEPARTMENTS THE ARE CONNECTED WITH.
• NO DOGS OR OTHER PETS ALLOWED ON THE FAIR GROUNDS DURING FAIR WEEK, EXCEPT JUNIOR FAIR DOGS ON EXHIBITION AND SERVICE DOGS.
• THERE WILL BE SOME RULES THAT ARE NOT IN THE FAIR BOOK AT TIME OF PRINTING, BUT WHEN FINALIZED, THEY WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO PARTIES CONCERNED.
• In case of any controversies (other than final official judging), protests must be made in writing, signed by party or parties making protest, and filed at the Senior Fair office by noon of the day following award, accompanied by a protest fee of $150 cash, which will be retained by the Preble County Senior Fair Board if the protest is not sustained. The Senior Fair Board or designated members shall hear protests with Superintendent of the Department involved and if necessary, other people will be involved as designated by the Senior Fair Board. All protests will be considered at a time set by the Senior Fair Board and all parties will be notified. The decisions of the Senior Fair Board will be final.
• Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter Protection Required (GFCI) will be required and provided by user on all 120 volt, single-phase, 15 and 20 amperage receptacles, if permanent receptacle is not already GFCI protected.
• User supplied GFCI protection must be approved UL Listed device and used at source of electric.
• Lights and/or electrical decorations and fans will be permitted but must be out of reach of animals and humans and must be properly GFCI protected. This rule will be enforced. If you fail to properly GFCI protect your electric for fans, lights, decorations, etc., your electric will be unplugged, and you will be given a warning from the Sheriff’s Department. If you fail to correct the GFCI protections, then your fans, lights, decorations, etc. will be confiscated until the end of the Fair.
• Your cooperation is greatly appreciated in this matter in order to protect all families and animals that attend the Fair.

Gates

• All gates except the Main entrance will be closed from 1 am until 5 am by order of the Sheriff’s Department.