Fairfield County Jr. Fair Beef Breeding Possession Date & Identification

For all those Junior Fair Youth with Beef Breeding Project please be aware of the upcoming possession date: Beef Breeding possession is July 1st . All beef breeding animals exhibited must have been completely and full owned and in the complete possession and continual care of the exhibitor on and after the designated date.

Registered Beef Breeding Identification:

  • All registered breeding beef will submit the following by July 15th to OSU Extension Office: EID 840 Tag and/or Tattoo Number as well as DNA hair sample for each animal.
  • If an animal currently has an EID 840 tag in place, this tag will be used as the official fair identification.
  • Registration Number is required at the time of fair entry and by August 29th, 2025 (FairEntry Deadline).
  • If breed registration is not completed by fair entry deadline, the animal will show as a crossbred.

Crossbred Beef Breeding Identification:

  • All crossbred breeding beef will submit the following by July 15th to OSU Extension Office: EID 840 Tag as well as DNA hair sample for each animal.
  • If an animal currently has an EID 840 tag in place, this tag will be used as the official fair identification.
  • If needed, crossbred heifer exhibitors will be able to pick-up 840 EID tags from OSU Extension (which are provided by the Senior Fair).

4-H Summer Judging – Scheduling will open the week of June 16th

Hello 4-H Members! We hope that you are busy working on your 4-H projects this summer. Here are a few important updates to be aware of:

  • All Summer Judged Projects will be judged on the following days: Monday, July 14th and Tuesday, July 15th. Scheduling for these dates will open the week of June 16th (watch email/blog posts for the scheduling link). Please be aware that certain projects will be judged on certain days – please review the 2025 4-H Member Handbook to determine your project judging day(s). Writing Projects have been moved to Monday, July 14th.

If you cannot attend judging during this week, you can:

  1. Attend Late Judging on Tuesday, July 29th from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. by calling 740-653-5419 to schedule an appointment. Participation in Late Judging receives a grade only and is not eligible for county awards or state fair consideration.
  2. Advisor Completion – Talk to your club advisor as they can work with you to review your project for completion only. No grades or awards will be given with this option.

Please review the 2025 4-H Member Handbook as you complete your project(s) and prepare for judging.

Youth enrolled in the Tractor Maintenance Club or Shooting Sports Club do not need to complete summer judging if they met all completion requirements at the club level for Small Engine/Tractor Projects and or 700 level Shooting Sports disciplines (Shotgun, Rifle, Archery). However, if they wish to qualify for the Ohio State Fair for any of these projects, they must attend summer judging for each project.

Youth enrolled in Cake Decorating have the option for summer judging completion or county fair completion. If youth wish to qualify for the Ohio State Fair, they must complete summer judging.

Food and Nutrition Project Members should also review their project book inserts. These were tucked inside your project book if books were purchased at the Fairfield County Extension Office. If needed, you can download these here: Menu Planning Worksheet and Food Project Insert packetMembers WILL NOT bring food to judging.

Clothing Project Members should also review their project book inserts. These were tucked inside your project book if books were purchased at the Fairfield County Extension Office. If needed, you can download these here: Style Revue Card and Clothing Project Insert packet.

  • Clothing Project Members plan to attend the Style Revue at Liberty Union High School, July 14th, 7:00 p.m. This is a required part of judging to be eligible for county awards and State Fair participation.

Livestock Exhibitors: Quality Assurance MUST be completed by June 30th to show at fair, no exceptions!

Quality Assurance is an annual requirement of the Ohio Department of Agriculture for youth taking livestock projects to county and state fair. In Fairfield County, Quality Assurance Training is required for all members who will be exhibiting a livestock project at the Fairfield County Fair or Junior Exhibitor at the Ohio State Fair. Beef (Breeding & Market); Dairy Breeding, Dairy Steers, & Dairy Feeders; Goats (Dairy, Meat, Market & Pygmy); Poultry (Breeding & Market); Sheep (Breeding & Market); Swine; Rabbits (Breeding & Market), and Alpacas/Llamas.

Deadlines for 2025:

  • Youth planning to exhibit at the Ohio State Fair must have their Quality Assurance completed by June 1st, 2025 (or 45 days prior to exhibition).
  • Youth planning to exhibit at the Fairfield County Fair must have their Quality Assurance completed by June 30, 2025.

Email reminders will be sent to advisors this last month for those who have yet to complete this requirement.

All Quality Assurance information has been shared with club/chapter advisors and has been posted on the blog since April 24th. Read all Quality Assurance options for 2025 here.

Youth Opportunity: Ohio State Fair Livestock Judging Contest – REGISTER BY JULY 3rd

All 4-H members are encouraged to participate in the 2025 Ohio State Fair Livestock Judging Contest on Sunday, July 20th at the Ohio Expo Center.

  • Check-In: 8:30 am – 9:30 am – Voinovich Livestock Center Show Arena
  • Contest Instructions: 10:00 am – Voinovich Livestock Center Show Arena
  • Judging Begins: 10:30 am – Denny Hales Arena
  • Awards Presentation – Following Contest Critiques in Voinovich

Pre-Registration is required by July 3rd and must have a county 4-H Educator’s approval – please contact Leslie Cooksey if you wish to participate. The cost is $15 per member and if Fairfield County 4-H youth wish to participate in this contest, members will be reimbursed by the 4-H Advisory Committee. Click here for additional rules and contest information.

4-H Dog Exhibitors – Items due June 1st

Hello Dog Project Exhibitors – This post serves as a reminder for all 201D You and Your Dog Exhibitors about upcoming dates regarding your project. Information was also emailed to those enrolled in the 4-H Dog Project on May 14th via 4-HOnline. 

The 2025 Ohio Dog Project Identification Form and Vaccination Certificate is due June 1, 2025, to the OSU Extension Office (831 College Avenue, Suite D, Lancaster, OH 43130). As we know that this deadline is on a weekend, we will be accepting paperwork through the end of day on Monday, June 2, 2025. Our business hours are Monday-Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. If you are unable to make it during business hours, we do have a drop box on the right side of our building, this box is by the door and will have the 4-H logo on it. The 2025 Ohio Dog Project Identification Forma and Vaccination Certificate can be found here: 2025 Ohio Dog Project Identification Form and Vaccination Certificate

 Additionally, we are urging members and families to view the State Ohio 4-H Dog website for more information regarding rules, resources, and the 2025 Showmanship and You and Your Dog questions. This website will also have the links to the rules and scoresheets that we utilize at the Fairfield County Fair. The link to the State 4-H Dog Website is: https://ohio4h.org/animalsciences/dog/dog-resources.

 Please let us know if you have any questions regarding this information.

 

Youth Opportunity: Ohio State Fair Livestock Judging Contest – July 20th

The rules and entry forms are officially posted for the 2025 Livestock Judging contest. Please visit our website for all of the up-to-date information. Please forward this information to anyone who may be interested. Currently, we do not have a livestock judging coach/team in Fairfield County. If you are interested in coaching a team, please contact Leslie Cooksey at cooksey.25@osu.edu. If you are interested in competing in this state 4-H event, they can still do so (even without an organized team at the county level). Youth must be 4-H members in good standing and have a county 4-H educator sign off on your registration. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out!

The 2025 Ohio State Fair Livestock Judging Contest will be Sunday, July 20th. If interested in participating, please contact Leslie Cooksey by July 1st (cooksey.25@osu.edu)

Ohio 4-H Livestock Judging Resources and Information: https://ohio4h.org/node/3429

Youth Opportunity: Ohio 4-H Avian Bowl and Poultry Judging

The rules and entry forms are officially posted for the 2025 Ohio 4-H Avian Bowl, Poultry Judging, and Livestock Judging contests. Please visit the websites below for all of the up-to-date information. Please forward this information to anyone who may be interested. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out! 4-H Advisory, Jeff Sweeney will be coaching the poultry team this year. If you are interested in participating in these events – please contact Leslie Cooksey (cooksey.25@osu.edu) by July 1st and she’ll get a list to Jeff.

Dog Exhibitors: Ohio State Fair Entries are due May 21st at 1:00 p.m.

Entries for the Ohio State Fair Dog Show close May 21 at 1:00 pm. There are no late entries.

The 2025 Ohio State Fair Dog Show JUNE 16-18 is open for entries. Please go to the Ohio State Fair website to enter the dog show: https://www.ohiostatefair.com/…/livestock-competitions

The 2025 Ohio State Fair Agility Trial JULY 23 is open for entries. Please follow this link to enter the agility trial: https://go.osu.edu/2025osfagility

Protocol for tagging Market Lambs, Market Hogs, Market Goats and Dairy Beef Feeders

Order your tags from the Extension office today!

It’s once again the time to prepare for tagging and weigh-in of market and MQP lambs, market and MQP hogs, market and MQP goats and dairy beef feeders. Again this year exhibitors will be required to tag their own market animals with an 840 EID tag (unless the animal already has an EID tag).

Specifically, the check list of step-by-step process and requirements include . . Continue reading Protocol for tagging Market Lambs, Market Hogs, Market Goats and Dairy Beef Feeders