Partial Terminal Sale continues for Jr. Fair Market exhibitors in 2021

Plans for the 2021 Jr. Livestock Sale have been modified and adopted.

In 2021, Fairfield County Jr. Fair market livestock exhibitors will again have the option to take their market livestock projects home versus sending the animal through the sale or for packer bid, however that opportunity and process, as adopted by Senior Fair Board at their regular March meeting, will be different than it was in 2020.

  • The 2021 Jr. Livestock Sale will be a partial terminal sale 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 the 8 declared grand/reserve champions mentioned above.
    • Take homes must be declared before the animal leaves the scale (no exceptions).
    • Take home animals will lose their sale slot and will not be eligible for a premium and/or packer bid.
  • Exhibitors who do not take a market animal home must qualify for their sale slot (as individual or group) in the same fashion as they have in the past.

Examples:

  • Exhibitor exhibits 2 market lambs in the Jr.Fair show, neither are Grand or Reserve Champion, and chooses to take both home: No sale slot regardless how they place in the show. This is a change from 2020.
  • Exhibitor takes lamb #1 home (must have been declared at weigh-in) and lamb #2 remains to be sold in the Jr. Fair sale: Exhibitor will earn (individual or group) sale slot for lamb #2. That sale slot is based on the placing of lamb #2 (not lamb #1) – even if lamb #1 does better. This is new for 2021.
  • Exhibitor takes 2 lambs and chooses not to take either home: Earns (group or individual) sale slot with highest placing lamb. Second lamb goes direct to packer. This is the same as it was in 2019.

Animals that qualify for the sale in individual or group slots will be back in the sale ring for 2021. It will be buyers choice, like in years prior to 2020, if they would like to “keep” and pay packer price for the meat and make their own packer arrangements. This decision was made in response to feedback from 2020 buyers saying they want to see the animals in the ring, and have the choice to buy the animal for meat if they so choose.

All project requirements must still be met such as meeting attendance, quality assurance and skillathon participation. Those exhibitors wanting to take their animals home must also wait to be released by the show superintendents before leaving with the respective animals.

This action was approved by the Fairfield County Senior Fairboard at their meeting on Tuesday, March 16, 2021.