Junior Fair Buyer Poster Contest Results

Thank you to all individuals and clubs who participated in this year’s Buyer Poster Contest sponsored by the Junior Fair Board.

The results were shared during sale announcements during fair week and we also wanted to share with you now! Winners will be receiving their cash prizes thanks to the Junior Fair Board.

1st Place Club – Blue Ribbon Showmen

Individuals – 1st: Aubrey Duke-Ward (Awesome Animals 4-H Club) and 2nd: Alexis Armstrong (Green Extreme 4-H Club)

Livestock Sale Photos and Exhibitor Buyer Lists

Thank you Expressions Photography from Pickerington (Kate Spinner and team) who provided their photography services for the species participating in the 2023 Livestock Sale. Photos are available for download at this link: http://go.osu.edu/23salephotos

The deadline for buyers to make Add-On’s was Friday, October 20th.

As of October 26th, the OSU Extension Office is sending buyer lists for each exhibitor to the organizational advisor of each club. Exhibitors should check with their advisor to receive their list. Thank you notes should be written for each buyer on your list (premium sale buyers, packer, and add-on’s). Please take the time to thoughtfully thank these individuals, businesses, and organizations who generously support all 4-H and FFA youth by attending the Livestock Sales. Tips for writing thank you notes.

Livestock Sale checks should be available in December. Advisors will be notified when they will be ready for pickup.

Sweet Treat Items Needed for Livestock Sale Buyer’s Tent

Returning this year the Livestock Sale Committee will host a refreshment table for livestock buyers at the livestock auctions on Thursday evening October 12th and Friday, October 13th during the fair. A Junior Fair volunteer organizes this table and other 4-H Clubs and FFA groups donate all the food. Contact Leslie at cooksey.25@osu.edu or 740-653-5419 if your club can help on either sale day in addition to donating various food items.

Items needed: Pre-bagged cookies/brownies (3 per bag) and please note if there are nuts; bagged trail mix/nuts in snack size baggies.

Livestock Sale Updates for Fair (Sale Etiquette, Commissions, Add-On’s, Take Homes, Buyer Info)

Livestock Sale Etiquette – Due to some concerns expressed from buyers and families, please make sure you review the Livestock Sale Etiquette fact sheet to learn the Do’s and Don’ts of Buyer communication.

Livestock Sale Update: Sale Commissions – Continuing for 2023: All dollars handled by the Livestock Sale Committee are subject to commission, not to exceed 4%. This includes direct to packer animals and all add-ons.

Livestock Sale Update: Add-Ons – Continuing for 2023: In order for an exhibitor to receive an add-on, the exhibitor must qualify for a sale slot as either an individual or in a group. Take Home animals are not able to receive add-ons. Parents and exhibitors should not be completing Add-On Forms on behalf of a buyer – it is the Buyer’s responsibility. Parents and exhibitors should not be including Add-On Forms in their buyer letters. Buyers can request an Add-On Form by contacting the Sale Clerk or picking up a paper copy on sale days. New for 2023: Add-On’s must be received by the Sale Clerk by 5:00 p.m. the Friday following fair (Friday, October 20th at 5:00 p.m.)

Livestock Sale Updates: Take Home Animals – The 2023 Fairfield County Fair Junior Fair will have a partial terminal sale/show for all species. This will allow for a Take Home option this year.

  • The exception to this is the 8 champions that must be slaughtered and inspected at a designated packer according to ODA (grand/reserve market beef, grand/reserve market hog, grand/reserve market lamb, grand/reserve market goat).
  • Additionally, grand/reserve dairy beef feeders, grand/reserve market rabbits, grand/reserve market turkeys, grand/reserve market ducks, and grand/reserve market chickens will forfeit any take home option and must sell in the respective sale slots.
    • In the event that the buyer chooses to NOT KEEP any of the top non-terminal species (grand/reserve dairy beef feeders, grand/reserve market rabbits, grand/reserve market turkeys, grand/reserve market ducks, and grand/reserve market chickens), then the exhibitor may take their animal home if they completed a Take Home Form at weigh-in.
    • Any animal that does not have a packer bid (i.e. poultry) will be offered to the buyer, if turned, the owner is responsible for that animal.
  • Take homes will be allowed for all species with the exception of those all grand/reserve champions listed above.
  • Take homes must be declared before the animal leaves the scale during check-in (no exceptions). Exhibitors must express their intent to take home their animal by submitting the Take Home Form at weigh-in. Take Home Forms will be available from your Show Superintendent at weigh-in.
  • Take home animals will lose their sale slot and will not be eligible for a premium, packer bid, or add-on’s.
  • Exhibitors who do not take home must qualify for their sale slot (as individual or group) at the discretion of the species show committee.
  • Take Home animals will be released by the specie’s Superintendent. See Specie Department Rules and Junior Fair Schedule for details: https://go.osu.edu/fcjrbook.

Buyer Information

  • If exhibitors are aware of buyers who often choose to “KEEP” and wish to have animals processed for meat, it is important for the buyer to have arrangements made prior to fair with the harvest facility of their choice. This is due to limited availability for custom livestock harvest and processing capacity.
  • Please send buyers to the https://u.osu.edu/livestocksale/ website to review this information.

Drug Use Notification Forms – due at NOON, Friday, October 6th for Market Beef/Dairy Market Feeders/Lactating Dairy Cows & Dairy Goats/Market Hogs/Market Goats/Market Lambs

Animals must be drug free by weigh-in day of fair. Each member must complete a Drug Use Notification Form (DUNF) (http://go.osu.edu/fairfielddunf) form online for each animal they plan to exhibit prior to weigh-in at the fair. If the forms are not correctly completed, exhibitors will not be permitted to show. The link to the form will open on Monday, October 2nd (as forms should be completed more than 5 days before fair weigh-in).

  • Animals requiring a DUNF indicating the animal is free from any/all drugs in its system on fair weigh-in/move-in day are:
    • Market Beef
    • Dairy Beef Feeder
    • Dairy Cow (lactating)
    • MQP Barrow
    • Market Barrow
    • Market Gilt
    • Market Goat
    • Dairy Goat (lactating)
    • Market Chicken
    • Market Turkey
    • Market Duck
    • MQP Lamb
    • Market Lamb
    • Market Rabbit (new for 2023)
  • Forms should be completed no sooner than 5 days prior to animal weigh-in to be sure that their animal is drug free during fair.
  • Forms submitted prior to that timeframe will be deleted and exhibitors will be asked to resubmit the DUNF form closer to their animal’s weigh-in. All animals being brought to the fair requiring DUNF forms will need to submit their forms by 12:00 p.m., Friday, October 6, 2023.
  • The only EXCEPTION to the Friday deadline will be Market Poultry and Market Rabbits who will complete DUNF Forms AFTER they receive tags/leg bands so they have identification information to enter into the DUNF Form. One form per pen of animals should be completed for Poultry and Rabbits. Deadline for poultry and rabbit exhibitors is MIDNIGHT on Saturday, October 7th.
  • Animals tagged with an EID 840 (15 digit tag) should include the last 6 digits in the identification field of the form.
  • Scrapie Tag numbers DO NOT need to be entered for market goats and market sheep – please use the last 6 digits of your EID 840 tag.
  • There should be ONE form submitted for each animal Exception: Each pen of rabbits and each pen of market chickens will need a form per pen.
  • Turkeys exhibitors will put N/A in the identification field.
  • Market Chicken exhibitors will put all 3 leg band numbers in the same identification field for their pen of chickens.
  • Market Rabbit exhibitors will put both tag numbers for their pair of rabbits in the identification field for their pen of rabbits.

Livestock Sale Buyer Refreshment Tent is BACK! – Donations needed!

The Livestock Sale Committee is excited to share the return of the Buyer Refreshment Tent at the fair for our Livestock Sale Buyers. Thank you to Susan Foltz and family for their leadership once again to make this happen.

A few things are needed to help provide items to buyers. If you are able to donate these items, please email Leslie Cooksey at cooksey.25@osu.edu. Additionally, items can be dropped off at the Extension Office (now through fair week) OR once the fair starts, they can be dropped off at the Junior Fair Office during office hours.

  • Cookies – must be bagged individually or in pairs before delivery.
  • Other snacks (pre-packaged treats, etc)

Items that have been taken care of:

  • Coffee – 1 large can
  • Decaf Coffee – 1 large can
  • Hot Chocolate Mix – 1 large can
  • Lemonade Mix – 2 containers

Buyer Poster Contest – Thank our Livestock Sale Buyers!

Show your appreciation for the livestock buyers by making a poster thanking them for their support by participating in the poster contest sponsored by the Fairfield County Junior Fair Board. Exhibitors may enter a poster as an individual or as a club/chapter. Posters will be displayed during the week in the Feeder Creek Show Arena. Cash prizes will be awarded! Cloverbud members are also welcome to participate!

All posters must be submitted by October 7th or 8th to the Junior Fair Office during office hours. If you have any questions do not be hesitant to contact Junior Fair Board Member, Raelyn Bader.

Junior Fair Buyer Poster Contest Results

Thank you to all individuals and clubs who participated in this year’s Buyer Poster Contest sponsored by the Junior Fair Board.

The results were shared during sale announcements during fair week and we also wanted to share with you now! Winners will be receiving their cash prizes thanks to the Junior Fair Board.

1st Place Club – Clearcreek Showmen,

Individuals – 1st: Karson Kistler, 2nd Scott Family, 3rd – Alexandria Schmelzer

2022 Fair Photos from Blackberry Photography are now available!

At this time, all images are now available to purchase on the site (including the auctions if you need buyer photos!): https://prints.blackberryphotography.co/fairfieldcountyjrfair2022/

Please note that our main priority during the fair is creating high-quality images for buyers of all the market animals in time for the auctions, which is why the majority of images are backdrops from the market shows. Ring Shots and other images from breeding shows, etc. are at our discretion and availability, and if we don’t have them for the show or exhibitor you were hoping to see, please know that we appreciate your enthusiasm and are sorry we couldn’t get the shot you were hoping for this year.

Thank you, Blackberry Photography

The Livestock Sale Committee contracts a photographer for market livestock shows for the thank you sale placards given to livestock sale buyers. This cost is a part of the commission from Livestock Sale checks. A sincere thank you to Blackberry Photography for their talents and efforts in capturing these 2022 Fairfield County Junior Fair photos.

Market Livestock: Take Home Forms DUE at Weigh-In

Take Home Forms MUST be completed and turned in before the animal leaves the scale at your respective weigh-in. No EXCEPTIONS.

Take Home Forms: Market Hogs, Market Beef, Market Lambs, Market Goats, Dairy Feeders, and Market Rabbits will have the option to take home animals. NEW NCR (carbon copy) forms will be available from your Superintendent on weigh-in day. Forms must be completed and submitted before the animal crosses the scale. There is no reversal on the decision to take home once the forms are turned in.

Please read the info below (also available at u.osu.edu/livestocksale) regarding Take Homes and the 2022 Livestock Sale:

The 2022 Fairfield County Fair Junior Fair will have a partial terminal sale/show for all species. The only exception to this is the 8 champions that must be slaughtered and inspected at a designated packer according to ODA (grand/reserve market beef, grand/reserve market hog, grand/reserve market lamb, grand/reserve market goat). Take homes will be allowed for all species with the exception of those 8 declared grand/reserve champions. Take homes must be declared before the animal leaves the scale during check-in (no exceptions). Take home animals will lose their sale slot and will not be eligible for a premium and packer bid. Exhibitors who do not take home must qualify for their sale slot (as individual or group) at the discretion of the species show committee.

As a result, points for exhibitors of market animals to consider include:

  1. Since there is no packer bid available, all market turkeys, market chickens and market ducks will go back home at the conclusion of the Fair as in past years. No Exhibitor Intent to Take Market Animal Home affidavit is required for those poultry animals. Buyers of the Grand and Reserve Champion turkeys, chickens and ducks have the privilege of ‘keeping’ their purchases. Similar to 2016 and prior, beyond the champions it will be the responsibility of the exhibitor to decide whether to process their birds and give them to their sale buyer or market them privately.
  2. Exhibitors of all other market animals that have an opportunity to earn a sale slot must declare before they leave the scales during weigh-in at the beginning of the Fair if they will choose to take home a market animal by submitting the Exhibitor Intent to Take Market Animal Home Form (available at weigh-in).
  3. Per Ohio Department of Agriculture rules, the ‘live’ Champion and Reserve Champion market beef, market hogs, market lambs and market goats must go to slaughter and may not go home with the exhibitor regardless their choice during weigh-in prior to fair.
  4. Unless named Grand Champion or Reserve Grand Champion market beef, market hog, market lamb, market goat, market duck, market turkey, market chicken or dairy feeder calf during their respective Junior market show, animals designated by their exhibitor to go home after the fair will forfeit the opportunity to accept buyer add-on dollars or earn a livestock sale slot with that animal.
  5. Animals not designated by the exhibitor during weigh-in to go home will compete for an individual or group livestock sale slot as they have in the past.
  6. Buyers will once again have the opportunity to ‘keep’ animals they purchase in 2022.

To further clarify the details of implementing a partial-terminal livestock sale in 2022, review the answers to the FAQs linked here.