State Fair

Ohio State Fair Skillathons – Open to **ALL** 4-H and FFA youth!

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Did you know any 4-H/FFA youth can participate in the State Fair skillathons? Skillathons are events for youth to show what they know about a species and to be recognized for their knowledge and skills. All Skillathons are open to any Ohio 4-H member, age 8 and in the 3rd grade, or 9 years old and older regardless of grade level, to age 18 as of January 1, 2024, and FFA members. Therefore, 4-H and FFA members turning 19 on or before December 31, 2024 are too old to participate in the Skillathons. Youth do not have to be an exhibitor at the Ohio State Fair to participate or be enrolled in an animal project.

Want more information? Click here!

Be Prepared for Fair Season With Your Sheep and Goat Projects! What to Know About Scrapie ID.

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Jennifer Reynolds, USDA Animal Health Technician

 

When you have picked out your fair goat or sheep project, make sure the breeder has officially identified the sheep or goat before it leaves the farm. The most common form of official ID is a scrapie tag that will have a U.S. shield on the tag and will start with a state abbreviation according to the premises where the animal was born (flock/herd of origin). Other forms of official identification can be found in our USDA Official ID Types Handout . Always make sure the exhibition you are showing the sheep or goat at accepts the form of official ID you are using. If you are using official tattoos or 840-approved microchips for official identification, remember that tattoos must be legible, you must have your corresponding paperwork in the form of a registration paper or owner statement, and microchips should be in the correct location. You should arrange for a microchip reader to be available at ID check time at the fair. The important thing to remember about official ID is that it cannot be duplicated and it’s unlawful to remove. There is no reason why a sheep or goat should have two scrapie tags – it only needs one which identifies it to the flock of birth. 

 

Scrapie is an incurable, fatal, degenerative disease that affects the central nervous system of sheep and goats. It is classified as a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, the same class of disease as BSE, otherwise known as Mad Cow Disease. Sheep and goats are exposed to scrapie at birth if they are born into an infected flock and may not show signs or symptoms of the disease until 2-5 years of age. This is why flock of birth/flock of origin identification is so important. You can learn more about scrapie and disease resistant genotypes for sheep on the USDA Scrapie website page. If you are a sheep or goat producer and have not yet signed up for scrapie ID and live in Ohio, please call our Ohio USDA APHIS VS office at 614-856-4745 to get a scrapie flock identification number assigned. 

Published in the Ohio Animal Health Newsletter – July 2024

UPDATED Ohio Livestock Exhibitions Rules are in Effect

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Jacquie Keller-Potvin, Emergency Operations and Program Manager

The Livestock Exhibitions Program has updated applicable chapters of Ohio Administrative Code just in time for the start of Ohio Fair Season. The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) is tasked with determining the regulatory framework for exhibitions of livestock to ensure the food safety of market livestock, health and welfare of the livestock, and provide consistent regulations for the competition. ODA distributes testing supplies and performs urine sample testing for select market livestock exhibited at county, independent, and state fairs. The testing is critical to ensuring the market livestock tested are safe for consumption.

Chapters 901:1-18 and 901-19 became effective on May 23, 2024. The Ohio Advisory Committee on Livestock Exhibitions have been working on the draft regulations since 2022 in efforts to streamline, update, and simplify the regulations for exhibition livestock. Specifically, chapter 901:1-18 pertains to the importation requirements for exhibition livestock and chapter 901-19 pertains to the practices in preparation to and at the exhibition. To read the regulations in their entirety, please click the links below. Also, take time to browse Ohio Fair Manager’s Association’s webpage to find a fair near you!

Chapter 901:1-18

Chapter 901-19

Published in the Ohio Animal Health Newsletter – July 2024

Scheduling for 4-H Summer Judging is OPEN!

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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 15, 2024, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (by appointment).
      • Food & Nutrition NEW FOR 2024-NO FOOD IS BROUGHT TO JUDGING
      • Genealogy
      • Home/Money
      • Creative/Fine Arts (including Cake Decorating)
      • Healthy Living
      • Collecting
      • ALL Self-Determined Projects
      • Clothing
    • Tuesday, July 16, 2024, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (by appointment).
      • Animal Science
      • Robotics
      • Communications/Leadership/Citizenship
      • STEM
      • Nature/Gardening
      • Woodworking

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

  1. Attend Late Judging on Monday, 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 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 projects 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. All Pies, Candies and Pastries are judged at fair only.
  • NEW FOR 2024! Youth enrolled in Gardening and Crop projects must complete summer judging. Project books should be up to date and as complete as possible regardless of timing of harvest.
  • 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: Food Project Insert packet.
  • 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 15, 2024, 7:00 p.m. This is a required part of judging to be eligible for county awards and State Fair participation.  A practice session will be available on Monday, July 15, 2024, at 6:30-7:00 p.m. at Liberty Union High School.
  • Scheduling is now open!
    • We ask that you schedule an appointment that works best for you by using this link: http://go.osu.edu/fcsummerjudging
    • Scheduling will be open through MIDNIGHT, Thursday, July 11th. 
    • If you have more than one project, please be sure to schedule an appointment for EACH PROJECT and allow time between appointments to complete each interview.

Please contact the Extension Office if you have additional questions about project judging! We can’t wait to see you!

Have you attended the Ohio State Fair 50 years or more? If so – read on!

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THE FIFTY-YEAR CLUB CELEBRATION

Rhodes Center at THE OHIO STATE FAIR

Monday, July 29, 2024

9:30 a.m. – Registration & Refreshments

10:00 a.m. – Program

  • “New Footprint of the Ohio State Fair” and it’s time frame for completion.
  • 2024 Giant Step Recipient: Governor Mike DeWine. . .and remarks from the Governor
  • Entertainment: All-Ohio State Fair Youth Band and All-Ohio State Fair Youth Choir

COME JOIN US!

The Fifty-Year Club of the Ohio State Fair is an organization that holds an annual celebration during the Ohio State Fair. The objective of the group is to support, improve, and promote the Ohio State Fair and develop fellowship among the members.

Attendance at the annual celebration is open to any person who has attended an Ohio State Fair 50 or more years ago. Family and friends are welcome.

Who is Eligible: If you have attended an Ohio State Fair 50 or more years ago (1974 or earlier) . . . plan to attend!

Membership is Free: There is no membership fee.

How: Contact Barb Prince, 614-644-4052, or e-mail B.Prince@expo.ohio.gov and request that you be added to the Fifty-Year Club mailing list. A notice of the annual celebration will be sent in June providing you the opportunity to order discounted entry tickets for the fair. Discounted Ohio State Fair entry ticket orders must be requested by Friday, July 12th to allow time for mailing. A parking permit (available for an optional $10 fee will be mailed with your tickets), OR park for FREE in general parking. If you miss the mailed information, you are still welcome to attend the Fifty-Year Club Celebration. Just show up!

When: The 83rd annual celebration will be held Monday, July 29, in the Rhodes Center Auditorium. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. and program commences at 10:00 a.m.

Why: Come enjoy the social time to renew friendships, meet others who enjoy the fair, and view some of the historical displays of past fairs. Enjoy short concerts by the All-Ohio State Fair Youth Choir and Band, an informative and brief business meeting, presentation of the Giant Step Award, refreshments, and door prizes.

Donations: The Fifty-Year Club of the Ohio State Fair does not have membership dues, but voluntary donations offered at the annual celebration helps the 50-Year Club provide monetary support to special fair projects, including the All-Ohio State Fair Band and Choir and other philanthropic efforts important to the membership.

Ohio State Fair Entries Now Open for Livestock Competitions – Deadline to enter: June 21st at 1 p.m.

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Ohio State Fair Entries open now for the below species:

  • Beef
  • Boer Goats
  • Cheese
  • Dairy Cattle
  • Dairy Goats
  • Dogs (opened April 15. Deadline: May 21 at 1 p.m.)
  • Draft Horses
  • Junior Horses (Deadline: July 1 at 1 p.m.)
  • Llamas
  • Poultry
  • Rabbits
  • Sheep Swine

Unless otherwise noted, the deadline to enter livestock competitions is June 21 at 1 p.m. For rules and additional information for Ohio State Fair Livestock Competitions, please click here.

Youth Opportunity: Ohio State Fair Livestock Judging Contest

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The rules and entry forms are officially posted for the 2024 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!

Ohio State Fair Dog Show and Agility Trial – Entries are Open

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The 2024 Ohio State Fair Dog Show JUNE 17-19 is open for entries.

Entries close May 21 at 1:00 pm. There are no late entries.

Please go to the Ohio State Fair website for detailed information at:

https://www.ohiostatefair.com/p/get-involved/livestock/livestock-competitions

Scroll down to DOG SHOW. Read Competition Information and Information for entering dogs online.

Then click on the red – ENTER THE 2024 DOG SHOW (ENTRY LINK)

 

The 2024 Ohio State Fair Agility Trial July 24 is open for entries.

Entries close June 21 at 1:00 pm. There are no late entries.

Please go to this link to enter; https://go.osu.edu/osfagilityentries

 

The OSF Agility Trial is the first day of the fair. It has a different entry process and deadlines.

 

All the information is available on the Ohio State – 4-H Dog Program Facebook page. Information is also available on the Ohio 4-H Youth Development Dog page at:  https://ohio4h.org/animalsciences/dog/dog-ohio-state-fair

Beef Exhibitors: Ohio State Fair Crossbred Heifer DNA Requirements (DNA envelopes now available at OSUE)

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For those beef exhibitors planning to show at the Ohio State Fair, please know that there is a new DNA hair sample requirement for crossbred heifers. Please review all Ohio State Fair rules here.

Ohio State Fair Junior Beef Rules:

  • Crossbred breeding heifers MUST be owned by June 1, and be born on or after January 1, 2023.
  • To be eligible to exhibit a crossbred heifer at the Ohio State Fair, a DNA sample must be filed. Envelopes MUST be complete and returned by June 1, 2024 and returned to the Livestock Department.
  • All crossbred heifers must have a USDA RFID tag (all tags must begin with the numbers 840).
  • DNA Envelopes can be requested via email at cooksey.25@osu.edu and picked up at the OSU Extension Office in Fairfield County. This is a different envelope than the Market Beef. A Market Beef envelope will not be accepted for a crossbred heifer.
  • Any animal arriving at the Ohio State Fair with DNA not submitted will not be eligible to show. This does not constitute as an official entry, you still must enter online at ohiostatefair.com by June 21 at 1 p.m.

Attention STATE FAIR livestock exhibitors – PLEASE READ!

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Those who plan to exhibit at the 2024 Ohio State Fair will need to complete their Quality Assurance by June 1st, 2024 (this is a recommended deadline set by the Fairfield County Senior and Junior Fair Boards to meet ODA requirements). Members must also be enrolled at the county level by April 15th in the project(s) they intend to exhibit at the Ohio State Fair. Our office will be asked to verify both QA  completion and that members are enrolled in the correct projects (breeding projects, for example) on all Ohio State Fair junior livestock entries.

Ohio State Fair dates are July 24 – August 4, 2024. Entries will be due by 12:59 p.m. June 21st (online).

4-H and FFA members must make OSF entries online at https://www.ohiostatefair.com/p/get-involved/livestock/livestock-competitions

No late OSF entries will be accepted. Additionally, please review the link above to confirm rules and possession dates for the Ohio State Fair.