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Exhibitor Rules
  • 4-H, FFA, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and FCCLA will show together in all classes unless otherwise specified.
  • Animals will be housed by 4-H clubs, FFA chapters, Boy Scout/Girl Scout groups and FCCLA when possible.
  • The following Breeding and Market Animals - Beef, Sheep, Swine, Goats - must have a Preble County Jr. Fair Ear Tag in place upon arrival at the fairgrounds.
  • No animals on the Midway past the sheep barn, the rotary junction and westward.
  • All Junior Fair livestock exhibitors must exhibit in a Showmanship Class (See Showmanship rules).
  • If an individual is disqualified from any Ohio Fair Livestock Show, the exhibitor will be banned from showing livestock at the Preble County Fair for three years. The same punishment will be enforced if the harvested animal is found to contain any illegal, banned, or restricted substance, oil, or any other form of tampering to cause the carcass to be condemned.
  • Sale scratches must be declared at the time of weigh-in and turned into the department superintendent or designee.
Possession Dates
  • Exhibits must be part of the member’s project prior to May 1 except:
  • Market Beef - must have been secured by the December weigh-in/tag-in date.
  • Rabbit Meat Pens - must be born by June 1, tattooed and in exhibitor’s possession by July 1.
  • Meat Pen Chickens - must be established by June 14.
  • Breeding Sheep - ownership must be established by June 1.
  • Feeder Calves - ownership must be established by feeder calf tag-in.
Exhibits
  • Animals which are registered should be in the name of the exhibitor or partnership of which the exhibitor is part.
  • A judge may rule any project unworthy of competition and prize money.
  • Members of multiple youth organizations, such as 4-H and FFA, may not exhibit the same animal under both organizations’ names.
  • Livestock (except market livestock sold) must be on display in the way they were displayed all week until the release time.
  • Junior Fair exhibitors desiring to show animals in open class must pay any entry fees or stall rent as stated under the open class department rules. All breeding animals must be registered in the exhibitor’s name or in partnership to be entered in open class. It is suggested that exhibitors keep their Junior Fair animals in the stalls or pens provided by the Junior Fair.
  • Exhibitors are required to double-tie all halter broken animals.
  • Any dairy or beef animal not broken sufficiently to be tied by its exhibitor should not be brought to the Fair. The Junior Fair Board reserves the right to have any unbroken or unsafe animal removed from the fairgrounds.
  • All Junior Fair animals will be housed together, space permitting. No animals are to be moved to a different pen without the permission of the Junior Fair Committee Chair or Senior Fair Board Department Superintendent.
Grooming and Animal Care
  • All animals must be fit in the vicinity of the respective barn area.
  • All Junior Fair livestock projects must be groomed by the exhibitor ONLY. Minimal assistance may be provided by members of the exhibitor’s immediate family (mother, father, legal guardian, brother, sister), any Preble County Junior Fair exhibitor, and/or advisor/leader. Advisors are expected to educate members but not fit any animal during the week of the Fair. Any infraction of this fitting rule would result in the exhibitor being excluded from class/competition and/or sale and forfeiture of all premiums and awards.
  • Any exhibit not properly cared for, including a dirty pen, will receive one written warning and if neglect continues, animals must be removed immediately without selling (if applicable). The responsible exhibitor will not show that species the following year.
  • All Exhibitors must clean out pens at the conclusion of the Fair.
Animal Health
  • Livestock Health regulations will be the same as open class requirements. Health papers, where required, must accompany the animals to the fair, and must be checked by the fair veterinarian.
  • Any animal that becomes sick during the fair may be released by the county fair veterinarian. To secure the release, the owner should report to the Senior Fair Superintendent. Junior Fair exhibits may be released at the discretion of the Department Superintendent in charge.
  • In case of death or injury beyond owner’s control, a project animal may be replaced under the following conditions. A certificate must be obtained from a licensed veterinarian stating the cause of death or extent of injury. A copy of the certificate must be on file at the Preble County Fair Secretary’s Office. The animal must be replaced by the current year’s Jr. Fair entry deadline.
Show Organization
  • Market animals will be shown by weights unless otherwise noted in specific show rules. If shown by breeds and animal is a crossbred, it will be shown in a crossbred class.
  • Participation Ribbons: Only given to 8–10-year-olds in showmanship excluding Horses.
Weigh-in/Check-in
  • Any market animal that does not weigh in the designated weight range for the species will not be eligible to show in its market class or sell in the Junior Fair Market Livestock Sale. There are no re-weighs. The animal can still be shown in showmanship. The exhibitor will still receive a grade as long as he/she shows in showmanship.
  • All livestock exhibits must be weighed/checked in by the designated time unless they are being exhibited at a State or an approved species show and have received approval.
  • Livestock must weigh in before scales close. Weigh-ins will begin at 8 pm the Friday before Fair. Some open class departments will have additional weigh-in opportunities. See General Schedule for times.
Release Times
  • All animal species (except Horses and scratched swine) may be released on Thursday evening starting at 11 pm until 7 am on Friday. If not gone by 7 am, then release time is once that species concludes in selling at the Livestock Sale Friday of Fair.
  • Scratched swine must be removed from the barn between the hours of 6 pm to 9 pm on Thursday of Fair
  • All Equine are released from the Fairgrounds at 10 am Friday of Fair.
  • All Dairy cattle will be released after the dairy portion of the Grand Showman of Showmen contest.
Livestock Rule Violations
In the question of a rule violations, the following due process will be used.
  • The exhibitor and/or parties involved will be questioned by Fair officials.
  • If it is felt a violation has occurred, Fair officials will make recommendations to the designated committee of the Senior Fair Board which is appointed to the particular department. After the committee hears the allegations and/or evidence, they will decide if the case should be brought before the full Board of Directors.
  • In the decision of allegations being brought before the Senior Fair Board, all parties involved will be notified of a meeting date with all parties having the right to present their views and/or evidence. Upon hearing the case, the Fair Board will make a ruling.
  • If satisfactory evidence has been obtained by the Senior Fair Board that any of the livestock rules have been violated, the exhibitor and/or exhibitor’s family may be barred from showing in any future agricultural fairs. The minimum number of years for disbarment is three years before the right to review.
  • In case any premium shall have been awarded to animals shown in violation of this rule, the Senior Fair Board will require the exhibitor to refund all premiums, trophies, awards, ribbons, and sale money under each violation.
  • Unless fraud and/or deception are involved, all championship placing stand.
Quality Assurance
  • Jr. Fair Exhibitors must comply with the rules and laws set forward by the Ohio Department of Agriculture and the Preble County Agricultural Society.
  • All Jr. Fair exhibitors planning to exhibit a market hog, market steer, market lamb, market goat, lactating dairy goat, market dairy steers, lactating dairy cattle, market chickens, market turkeys, beef feeder calves and market rabbits, must complete Quality Assurance training.
  • Jr. Fair exhibitors of the forementioned species must also submit a completed drug use notification form (DUNF) for each animal by the established deadline at the fair. All parts of the DUNF should be completed including appropriate signatures and medication information.
  • Failure to complete an approved quality assurance program or submit a drug use notification form will result in the animal and/or the exhibitor being ineligible for exhibition in the Jr. Fair the current year.
  • Fair exhibitors should read all rules and regulations pertaining to Quality Assurance compliance. Information is distributed through the Extension Office, or Sr. Fair Board Office on the fairgrounds.
Junior Fair Livestock Showmanship
  • 1. All 4-H and FFA livestock exhibitors are required to exhibit in a showmanship class to receive a grade. Horses and Dogs are included.
  • 2. The exhibitor may select the animal of his/her choice to use for showmanship, but must use that same animal in all showmanship classes for that species.
  • 3. Exhibitors must prepare their own animal for show and must show their own animal in the contest. The animal must be entered under the exhibitor’s name in the Junior Fair shows.
  • 4. Showmanship contests will be held in each of the livestock division: GOATS, DAIRY/EXOTIC GOATS, DOGS, RABBITS, POULTRY, BEEF, DAIRY CATTLE, SWINE, SHEEP and EQUINE. The contest to be held in each division will be divided (except dogs and equine) according to the age of the exhibitor as of January 1st.
  • a. 8, 9 10 years old
  • b. 11 & 12 years old
  • c. 13 & 14 years old
  • d. 15 & 16 years old
  • e. 17 and older
  • 5. Exhibitors must show in the age appropriate and assigned age division. Each age group must have three or more entries. If there are fewer entries, the department committee has the right to combine classes.
  • 6. A champion will be selected in each of the livestock divisions where awards are offered.
  • 7. In each showmanship contest, the 4-H and FFA member will be judged on the exhibitors ability to:
  • a. Train and handle livestock
  • b. Fit and groom livestock
  • c. Show courtesy in the show ring
  • d. Use proper equipment and dress
  • e. Use accepted show ring practices & customs
  • 8. If an exhibitor does not show in the showmanship for a species, the exhibitor may not show in any other classes for that species and if applicable, may not sell the market animal in the Jr. Fair sale.
  • 9. Showmanship classes will not be held or altered unless there is another species showmanship class conflict.