2017-Mercer-County-Fairbook

82 ♦ 2017 MERCER COUNTY FAIR ♦ CELINA, OHIO
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♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ RULES FOR JUNIOR FAIR PARTICIPATION ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
The Junior Fairboard, in conjunction with appropriate adult advisors, reserves
the right to interpret the rules, herein published and also the right to rule on all
questions not covered by these rules. All decisions are FINAL.
ELIGIBILITY OF EXHIBITORS
1. The Mercer County Junior Fair shall be composed of all official youth
organizations in Mercer County. These organizations are as follows:
a) All 4-H members which are located in Mercer County and/or are under the
jurisdiction of the Mercer County Extension Office.
1. AGE of 4-H members - 4-H members must be 8 AND be in the third grade
during cur
rent school year to be eligible for
4-H membership and exhibition in Junior Fair activities
and projects. Members must not surpass their 19th birthday during current year.
2. Enrollment of 4-H members. Members must be officially enrolled on or
before March 1 of current year.
3. To be eligible to exhibit in Junior Fair, members must attend at least six
(6) 4-H meetings during the time from one fair to the next year’s fair.
b) All members of The Future Farmers of America (FFA), Family, Career, and
Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) and home economics
departments that are located in the schools serving Mercer County.
Entrants must not have passed his/her 19th birthday as of Jan. 1 of
current year.
c) All members of the Mercer County Boy or Girl Scouting programs.
d) All members of the Mercer County Junior Grange organization.
e) All members of the Farm Bureau Youth Council - current school year.
f) Cloverbud 4-H members, age 5 AND in kindergarten, are also eligible to
display project work in the Junior Fair Department.
g) all Junior Fair livestock exhibitors will register their intent to participate in
Junior Fair by April 1 current year. (4-H enrollment or other youth
enrollment process)
ABSENCE OF EXHIBITOR
1. Exhibitors who can not attend regularly scheduled judging and/or the animal
skillathon must attend early judging in order to complete their project and/or be
eligible to exhibit their animal at the fair.
2. If a person is showing in Junior Fair competition at the Ohio State Fair the same
day as the Mercer County Junior Fair competition, another Junior Fair
exhibitor may show the project for the absent exhibitor. The absent exhibitor
must notify the 4-H Extension Educator of this situation. With this year’s fair
dates - this should not be a problem.
3. If the exhibitor is absent due to illness or injury or any other validated reason,
the exhibitor should contact the 4-H Extension Educator, and another Junior
Fair exhibitor may show the absent exhibitor’s projects.
AWARDS
1. All non-livestock projects will be judged as complete, unless the judge
determines the project is not acceptable to be exhibited.
Examples: paint or finish wet, etc.
2. Best in Class and Outstanding ribbons will be awarded in all non-livestock
classes if the judge determines the exhibit merits such an award.
3. Ribbons indicating state fair selection will be awarded to state fair exhibitors.
4. An article can only be shown by any exhibitor one time. The only exception to
this is livestock (which are in different classes each year due to age)
and genealogy materials which are added to the project each year.
5. Projects made as part of a school project or science fair project are not
acceptable for 4-H exhibits in the Junior Fair.
6. All awards, quality and quantity, distributed through Junior Fair will be the
decision of the Junior Fair Board – their decision is FINAL.
CONDUCT OF EXIHIBITORS AND OTHERS
Sportsmanship Rule
a. The Mercer County Agricultural Society, Ohio State University Extension
FFA, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and all involved in the Mercer County Fair
support a code of good sportsmanship in all events and promote learning
and responsibility through its’ activities. Verbal abuse, physical abuse,
or harassment toward directors, judges, ring stewards, superintendents,
employees, OSU extension staff, junior fair members, club advisors or
volunteers for the Mercer County Fair will not be tolerated. You may be escorted
from the fairgrounds, premiums forfeited, and upon Mercer County Agricultural
Society Rule Committee’s decision, the family members may not be able to
exhibit at the Mercer County Fair for a period of time indicated by the committee
cased up the severity of the situation.
DRESS CODE FOR JR. FAIR LIVESTOCK EXHIBITORS
1. All Junior Fair Exhibitors are to wear clothing that is in good repair.
2. All livestock project exhibitors are required to wear closed toe foot coverings.
Boots are preferred but not mandatory.
3. Long pants are to be worn when exhibiting livestock. Any exceptions
due to extremely hot weather conditions, will be announced by the adult
superintendent of the department.
4. Clothing containing slogans encouraging the use of alcohol, drugs, tobacco or
inappropriate behavior is not allowed.
5. Clothing advertising a business or farming operation may not be worn during
junior fair livestock events. Only the 4-H or FFA symbol may be displayed on
clothing while showing livestock.
6. The front of a shirt will be no lower than one hand’s width from the top
of the chest plate to the top of the shirt. Anyone wearing a low cut shirt -
male or female - will be dismissed from the ring for that class by the adult
superintendent or he/she may put on a provided tee shirt while still in the ring.
7. Shirts are not to gap open in the front when one bends over.
8. Shirts are to be tucked into pants and be long enough to not pull out of tucked
pants when one bends over. Anyone exhibiting too much of their backside will
be dismissed from the ring for that class by the adult superintendent or he/she
may choose to put on a provided belt while still in the show ring.
9. Belts are to be worn by all livestock exhibitors.
10. Shows are family events - dress respectfully.
11. Dairy - Exhibitors are to wear a white polo shirt and long pants or jeans of any
color. All other livestock dress code policies are also enforced.
Rabbit - Exhibitors are to wear a long sleeved white shirt and or a long
sleeved white jacket. All other livestock dress code policies are also enforced.
Dairy Goat - Exhibitors are to wear a collared white shirt and long pants. All
other livestock dress code policies are also enforced.
Horse and Pony - Exhibitors are to follow dress code as stated in
the Uniform Rules book.
ENTRIES
1. All 4-H non-livestock projects are officially entered in the Junior Fair by enrolling
in that project by March 1 of current year.
2. All Junior Fair animal exhibitors MUST RETURN an entry at your skillathon
judging. Entries will be distributed to advisors.
3. Dropping or adding a 4-H project. Projects may be added to or dropped from
the current enrollment until April 1. A drop/ add form must be completed and
returned to the Extension Office by the April 1 deadline.
4. All FFA members wishing to show a livestock project in the Junior Fair must
complete a livestock enrollment form by the March 1 deadline.
EXHIBITS
1. 4-H exhibits shall consist of materials, articles, animals, products and project
books plus record sheets as specified in each project requirement.
2. Department superintendents of the Agricultural Society, Junior Fairboard and
department advisors are responsible for the operation and conduct of their
department. Exhibitors MUST FOLLOW THEIR POLICIES.
3. All precautions will be taken to prevent injury to or theft of an exhibit. The Junior
Fairboard and/or the Agricultural Society will not be responsible for loss or
damage. The exhibitor will assume all liability for exhibit.
EXHIBIT SECURITY
Livestock Projects
a. Only the owner of the animal(s) or their immediate family members, adult
superintendents or those authorized by a superintendent, fair veterinarians,
OSU Extension Staff or FFA advisors may move an animal to another pen or
location on the fairgrounds.
b. Anyone witnessed moving an animal without proper authority to do so may
incur the following consequences:
a. Forfeiture of all awards and premiums earned and/or
b. Forfeit the opportunity to exhibit and/or
c. Forfeit the opportunity to participate in the junior fair
auction and/or
d. Have projects and/or person(s) removed from the
fairgrounds and/or
e. Be barred from showing for a stated period of time and/or
f. Be subject to criminal charges
c. The Rules Committee of the Agricultural Society in partnership with specific
adults superintendents and junior fairboard officers will decide upon
consequences of witnessed violations.
Non-animal Projects
a. 4-H and FFA advisors and those working within the special interest department
of the junior fair will have the authority to move and place these exhibits.
b. Any incident witnessed of someone removing an item which does not belong to
them and without the owner’s permission will be considered theft and dealt with
accordingly.
c. Possible consequences include:
1. Forfeiture of all awards and premiums earned and/or
2. Forfeit the opportunity to exhibit and/or
3. Have projects and/or person(s) removed from the
fairgrounds and/or
4. Be barred from showing for a stated period of time
and/or
5. Be subject to criminal charges
d. The Rules Committee of the Agricultural Society in partnership with
specific adult superintendents and junior fairboard officers will decide upon
consequences of witnessed violations.
FAIR EXHIBITOR PASS
1. Provided to Junior Fair exhibitors at a price of $5 per person. Advisors must
purchase passes at the Secretary’s office prior to the fair for their club’s
members and advisors. Advisor passes are $10 per person.
2. Any destroyed or lost fair pass will be replaced at the exhibitors expense at a fee
of $10 per pass.
FAIRGROUND POLICIES
1. Smoking is not permitted in fairground buildings and consumption of narcotic
substances is NOT PERMITTED on the fairgrounds. Alcoholic beverages, for
those of legal drinking age, is permitted in designated areas only.
2. Curfew is 12 midnight. Anyone seen after midnight without accompaniment of a
parent will be sent home.
a. Fairgrounds curfew is 12 midnight. Only individuals authorized by the Mercer
County Agricultural Society or the Mercer County Sheriff’s office who are
engaged in a sanctioned activity are to be present in any location on the
fairgrounds except the campgrounds after this time.
b. Camping rules, stated in the fairbook, apply to all individuals staying in the
campgrounds.
c. Those in violation will be escorted to the gate and asked to leave the
fairgrounds or turned over to the custody of their parent(s) or guardian(s).
OPEN SHOW PARTICIPATION BY JUNIOR FAIR EXHIBITORS
1. Exhibitors must purchase an open class exhibitor’s ticket OR exhibit in open
class using a family purchased open class exhibitor’s ticket.
OVERNIGHT POLICIES
1. Exhibitors are NOT permitted to stay over night in any animal building as stated
by the Mercer County Agricultural Society.
PREMIUMS
1. To secure a premium, Junior Fair projects must be exhibited at the fair.
2. Violation of any stated rule will result in forfeiture of premiums AND other
awards earned.
3. Premium will not be paid on classes eligible to be sold in the auction.
4. Premiums are $2 for all non-livestock 4-H projects, 4-H cloverbud exhibit
awards, Scouting, and FFA non-livestock exhibits. Poultry, dog, and rabbit
premiums are $2 per class.
5. Premium for livestock exhibits not eligible to be sold are $5 per class.
6.Exhibitor or legal guardian must pick premiums during specified hours.
PROJECT BOOKS AND RECORDS
1. Completed books for all projects are to be brought to interview judging.
2. The following statement pertains to 4-H exhibitors only; FFA exhibitors follow
procedures outlined by your chapter advisor. Swine, Sheep, Goat, Dairy, Dog
Beef, Poultry, Rabbit, and Horse projects must turn in a completed record book
at skillathon. Records will be graded and returned to club advisors. exhibitors
not turning books in on time and/or not completing to at least 70% will not be
eligible to exhibit an animal project the following year.
PROTESTS
1. All protests must be made in writing and signed by party or parties making the
protest.
2. The protest must be filed with the Ag Society by 12 Noon the day following the
action listed in the protest or no hearing will be held.
3. A $100 protest fee must accompany the written protest when filed (Cash only),
the fee will be returned to the petitioner if the protest is sustained.
4. The petitioner will be notified of a hearing time within 24 hours of filing the
protest.
5. Appropriate department committees/co-directors will hear the protest. The
Junior Fair Advisor will oversee the protest hearing.
6. The hearing decision is FINAL.