MQP Lamb Contest: Feeder Creek Vet Show Arena – Sunday, October 3, 12:30 p.m.
Showmanship, Breeding, Market Shows: Feeder Creek Vet Show Arena – Wednesday, October 13, 8:30 a.m.
Superintendent in Charge: Ginny Kemmerer
Assistant Superintendent: Kris Doyle
Assistant Superintendent: Jason Robinson
Assistant Superintendent: Sarah Martin
NOTE: The fair entry and showmanship sign-up procedure has changed. Deadline for all entries including showmanship is August 27, 2021.
TAGGING/POSSESSION DATE: Lambs will be ear-tagged for identification at the fairgrounds in July. Details of the tagging process may be found linked here.
Each exhibitor may tag in a total of four lambs. (Three for the live show and one for MQP/Carcass). Each exhibitor may choose at their discretion which lamb/lambs will be shown in the live or carcass contests by the final MQP weigh-in one week prior to the fair. To be eligible for MQP/Carcass Contest, lambs must be weighed on tagging day in July. More than one exhibitor from the same “immediate family” may designate the same back-up lamb. All sheep projects must be in the exhibitor’s possession by July 1st of the current year.
WEIGH-IN: Summer Weigh-in and Tag-In is the second Saturday in July, 8:00 – 10:30 a.m. at the Fairfield County Fairgrounds. All lambs must be tagged. All prospective MQP lambs must be weighed. No tagging will be done outside of the time except as listed in rule 23 of the General Rules. Fair Weigh-in is Saturday, October 9, 4:30 – 6:00 p.m. An Exhibitor Meeting will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday prior to fair. There will be no reweighs per General Rule #27.
HOUSING FORMS: Junior Fair Exhibitors housing animal(s) in a location other than the property on which they reside must report that during the DNA/tagging process as detailed here. If later the animal must be moved to a place other than the location indicated during July tagging, the exhibitor must obtain and file a Livestock Housing Form with the Senior Fair Office. For more specifications, refer to the General Rules.
QUALITY ASSURANCE: As mandated by the Ohio Department of Agriculture, each exhibitor must have attended an educational experience by August 15, 2021. Club/Chapter Quality Assurance Clinics taught by a Trained and Certified Assistant Instructor, or the Countywide Make-up Clinics are required for exhibitors to meet this requirement. The 4-H Youth Development Educators at OSU Extension can provide locations of workshops provided in our county.
SKILLATHON: Each exhibitor must participate in a Skillathon. You are encouraged to attend the species you are exhibiting. If you plan to be involved in premier exhibitor for sheep, you must complete the Sheep Skillathon at the Fairfield County Fairgrounds on September 12th to be eligible.
HEALTH PAPERS are not required except for a current and valid Drug Use Notification Form (DUNF). All animals must be free from any/all drugs in their system on fair weigh-in day. DUNF forms are to be submitted online prior to the fair.
ENTRIES: Limited to two finished market lambs, one MQP/carcass lamb, and one entry per each listed breeding class. An exhibitor may show up to 5 breeding animals.
SHOWMANSHIP SIGN-UP: Entries are submitted through Department 200, Book 106 – Sheep Showmanship (Breeding and Market); be sure to include your Showmanship Class number that can be found in 4-H/FFA Livestock Showmanship; Department 200.
ARRIVAL TIME at the Fair: Before 4:00 p.m. Saturday.
MARKET CLASSES: This is a Partial Terminal show.
MARKET LAMB SALE: 10:00 a.m. on Friday in the Feeder Creek Vet Show Arena. See the new sale participation rule adopted by the Sr. Fair Board for the 2021 sale that can be found linked here.
RELEASE TIME: Market Lambs after the Sale on Friday until 9:00 a.m. Saturday; All Breeding Sheep – 4:00 p.m. Friday. for those going through the sale. ‘Keep’ lambs must be removed on the show day beginning at 7:30 p.m. and must be off the grounds by 10 p.m. All lambs kept must be checked out with the sheep superintendent before leaving for inventory control. If you leave and do not check out, you will lose your show privileges for one year. No animals will be removed from the fairgrounds prior to the stated release time without approval from the Junior Fair Director or Senior Fair Board. Any exhibitor violating this rule will be barred from exhibiting that specie the following year.
PREMIUM: Project Books are to be checked during the skillathon. If an exhibitor does not complete a project book and turn it at the skillathon, s/he will be ineligible to receive a premium for that specie at the county fair for that year. It is the exhibitor’s responsibility to complete project books for their exhibit.
SCRAPIE REGULATIONS
Junior Fair Sheep Exhibitors in NON-MARKET classes
- The 4-H/FFA exhibitors can buy an ewe/wether/breeding ram (intact) that has the required official USDA tag or tattoo. This is legal to show at the Fairfield County Fair. The doe/wether/ewe/ram must have USDA tag/tattoo before weigh-in. Either the buyer or seller must make sure the animal has official ID, best if it is the seller.
- The 4-H/FFA exhibitors must be sure that the animal has an official ID. They may get their own tags or tattooing or have their veterinarian do it. (For more information call the Ohio APHIS Dept. at 614-856-4735).
- Remember that Federal law prohibits removing the official ID from any animal, but any animal can have more than one official ID tag.
SHEEP THAT NEED OFFICIAL IDENTIFICATION TO COMPLY WITH STATE AND/OR FEDERAL LAW AND BE SHOWN AT THE FAIRFIELD COUNTY JUNIOR FAIR:
- Market Ewes – Must have official USDA Scrapie Tag/Tattoo in Place
- Market Wethers – Must have official USDA Scrapie Tag/Tattoo in Place
- All Breeding Animals – Must have official USDA Scrapie Tag/Tattoo in Place
Sheep; Department 106 Breeding Sheep
PREMIUMS: “A” = $4.50 “B” = $3.50 “C” = $2.50
Book 1 – Cheviot, Book 2 – Horned Dorset, Book 3 – Katahdin, Book 4 – Polled Dorset, Book 5 – Oxford, Book 6 – Hampshire, Book 7 – Suffolk, Book 8 – Southdown, Book 9 – Naturals, Book 10 – Ramboullets, Book 11 – Shropshire, Book 12 – Crossbred, Book 13 – All Other Breeds (List Breeds).
Breeding Sheep classes:
- Ewe Lamb
- Ram Lamb
- Ewe, 1 year and under 2
- Ram, 1 year and under 2
- Ewe, 2 years and over
Sheep; Department 107 Market Lambs, Book 1
PREMIUMS: “A” = $8.00 “B” = $7.00 “C” = $5.00
Market Lamb classes:
- Single Market Lamb
- MQP Carcass Lamb
READ THE GENERAL RULES AND HEALTH REGULATIONS
Special Rules
- Exhibitors will be allowed to show two single market lambs, but only sell one market lamb individually.
- If two lambs from the same exhibitor naturally become eligible for the sale, only the highest placing lamb of the two will sell individually. If both lambs place the same such as 3rd in both classes, then the heaviest one (at weigh in) will be the one that sells individually.
- The only time an exhibitor can sell both lambs individually is if they are selected for both Grand and Reserve Champions.
- If an exhibitor has both of their lambs in the same class, another qualified Junior Fair exhibitor will be used to help show their lamb.
- Registered ewes and grade ewes will show in separate classes.
- All sheep exhibited must have been completely and fully owned (as evidenced by a bill of sale or registration papers) and in the complete possession and continual care of the exhibitor on and after July 1st of the current year for both breeding sheep and market lambs.
- All market lambs must be born after January 1st of the current year.
- All market lambs must be slick shorn within 7 days of the show date.
- All eligible market lambs may be sold in accordance with ODA Rule 901-19-02 D.
- No Rams in the market classes. Market lambs showing any evidence of testicular tissue are not eligible to be shown or sold.
- Lambs weighing less than 75 pounds will not show in the market class or sell in the Livestock Sale. These animals will be removed from the fairgrounds following weigh-in.
- To be eligible to sell individually or in a group, lambs must receive an “A” grade and weigh from 100 to 150 pounds.
- Those lambs over 150 pounds, and lambs 75 pounds to 99 pounds, will sell direct to the packer.
- The judge will give guidance determining the lambs in the sale. A higher proportion of lambs at the desirable market weight with acceptable finish will be given more consideration.
- All sheep must be free of sore mouth, foot rot and warts.
- All exhibitors showing purebred sheep must present registration papers when requested.
- If the exhibitor’s name does not appear on the papers, then a letter from that breed association or a notarized letter stating names of the family members associated with the animal in question must be submitted to the OSU Extension Office or the FFA Advisory Committee by July 1st of the current year.
- Registered animals without papers will show as grade animals.
- Grade livestock must have the characteristics of the sire.
- Only registered animals may be shown for Grand or Reserve Champion Female.
- All rams must be registered.
- Straw and shavings may be used for bedding. The use of rubber mats and carpet is also approved.
- The Grand and Reserve Grand Champion market animals will be slaughtered, inspected, and evaluated by Ohio Department of Agriculture Officials.
- No shearing of sheep is permitting on the fairgrounds. Only minimal trimming is permitted.
- The exhibitors of the Grand and Reserve Champion will provide continual care through Saturday and will leave feed for the Senior Fair Board through Monday. Additionally, they will assist with the load out of the animals on Saturday concluding the fair. Premiums, prize money, and sale proceeds will be forfeited if the exhibitor fails to provide continual care.
Muscle Quality & Performance (MQP) Lamb Contest Special Rules
- Junior exhibitors only.
- Carcass lamb weigh-in and tagging will be on the second Saturday in July, weigh-in from 8:00 – 10:30 a.m., the same date and time that the market lambs are tagged. Carcass lambs will come to the fairgrounds for the final weigh-in preceding harvesting prior to the fair (October 3, 2021) at 1:00 p.m.
- Exhibitors currently may tag in a total of four lambs: two for the live market lamb show, one for the carcass show, and one back-up.
- Fairfield County Junior Fair Sheep Committee will supervise at all weighing and tagging procedures at the July date. If an animal loses an ear tag, the exhibitor must contact the Senior Fair Office as soon as possible. If possible, save the tag that came out.
- Wethers or ewes are acceptable. It will be required for both to have the official USDA scrapie tag, regardless of age, just as the ewe lambs, wethers, and rams entered in the live show.
- There is no minimum or maximum weight at the July weigh-in. However, it is suggested the lambs not exceed 75 pounds at this time.
- The lambs should be slick shorn for the October weigh-in.
- Lambs weighing less than 100 pounds at the October weigh-in will go home.
- At the October date, carcass lambs will be brought to the Fairfield County Fairgrounds to be evaluated and weighed. Average daily gain will be calculated at this time. An official will be on hand to discuss his/her choices for best lamb “on-the-hoof.” Exhibitors will be invited to handle and assess the lambs. The lambs will then be transported to the facility to be harvested.
- Results of the contest, with all data evaluated, will be collected prior to the fair. Exhibitors will be invited to the harvesting facility to observe their projects and see how the carcass data was collected.
- Calculations for carcass merit will include loin eye measurement, back fat, KPH fat percentage, leg score, quality grade and percent retail cuts. Formulaic equations using the above data will determine carcass placings. Points will be awarded/removed for the various criteria as it applies to the desirable carcass merits.
- Lambs are subject to rules of Quality Assurance, i.e., substance withdrawal. DUNF forms are required.
- The Grand and Reserve Champion Carcass Lambs will sell in the 3rd and 4th sale slots, respectively, at the Junior Fair Lamb Sale. Place’s 3rd-10th will be dispersed throughout the remaining sale order.
- Final placings based 30% on Rate of Gain and 70% on Adjust Quality Carcass Percentage.
Sheep Showmanship
The contest will be conducted in the following divisions: (I – Senior, Ages 16 – 18), (II – Ages 14-15), (III – Age 12-13), (IV – Age 10-11), (V – Ages 8-9).
- Showmanship sign up is to be completed with your fair entries for each species you plan to participate in. Please look for the Department, Book and Class number in each species and include it as a Fair entry by the August 27 deadline. Everyone is encouraged to sign up for showmanship along with your Jr Fair entries.
- Rules and conditions apply to all divisions.
- All ages are as of January 1 of the current year.
- Each contestant must show their own animal, but during the contest may be asked to show another animal.
- All sheep projects are eligible to be shown in this class.
- The senior showmanship winner will participate in the Super Showmanship Contest. An exhibitor can compete only once in the Super Showmanship Contest representing sheep. If the senior showmanship winner has already participated in the Super Showmanship Contest, the highest placing senior showmanship winner who has not competed in Super Showmanship representing sheep will compete in the contest.
- New for 2021, the winner of each showmanship division will compete for overall sheep Showman of Showmen.
Sheep Premier Exhibitor Award
Sheep exhibitors can participate in the Sheep Premier Exhibitor Award and should check the Premier exhibit rules on this site to be posted September 1st.