Exhibitors must complete ALL activities for every specie!
Quality Assurance Training
GENERAL RULES
Exhibitors that are enrolled in following areas (breeding and market) are required to participate in a Quality Assurance (QA) Training: Dairy, Beef, Swine, Sheep, Dairy Goats, Meat/Market Goats, Pygmy Goats, Rabbits (not including Pet Rabbits), and Poultry.
Clubs and Chapters have the opportunity to host their own Quality Assurance Clinic. Club/Chapter QA Clinics must be taught by trained and Certified Assistant Instructors (for a complete list of Fairfield County Certified QA Assistant Instructors, contact the OSU Extension Office). Members are required to attend one Quality Assurance Clinic taught by a Certified Assistant Instructor. Clinics may be set up at the club or chapter level by the Advisor. For additional Clinic options contact the OSU Extension Office. Junior Fair Exhibitors must complete the Quality Assurance requirement by August 15th of current year (all documentation from Club/Chapter QA Clinics is due to the OSU Extension Office on June 30th). If a Junior Fair exhibitor’s club or chapter does not host a QA Clinic or they miss their Club/Chapter QA Clinic, there will be two countywide make-up dates for exhibitors held each May check 4-H calendar for dates. When an exhibitor attends one Club/Chapter QA Clinic, s/he has met the QA requirement to exhibit at the fair in all species listed above for the current year. (So, if Chris Clover is taking Beef, Dairy, and Market Goats, he only needs to attend one QA Clinic). Exhibitors will be asked to mark all species they plan to exhibit to the County Fair when completing their documentation form at the conclusion of the Club/Chapter/Countywide Make-up QA Clinic. Exhibitors also have the option of attending approved out-of-county events (see below) to meet this requirement. If exhibitors do not attend an approved QA Clinic, they will be ineligible to show at the Fairfield County Junior Fair that year.
Quality Assurance Test-Out Dates
Once again, there will be an opportunity for any Fairfield County youth who are ages 12-14 and 15-18 (as of January 1st, 2021) to test out of Quality Assurance. A youth may test-out when reaching the age of 12-14. Once 15 years old, youth may again test-out of Quality Assurance until s/he completes their 4-H/FFA career. Test dates are in May by appointment at the OSU Extension Office. If youth try to test-out and do not pass, youth must complete a QA clinic by June 30th of the current year to meet the QA requirement. Please contact the OSU Extension Office for questions and to setup an appointment.
Additional Quality Assurance Training Options
There are opportunities at different clinics, meetings, and livestock shows around the state that office approved Quality Assurance Training. Examples of these types of sessions that would fulfill an exhibitor’s Quality Assurance requirements are: The Ohio Beef Expo, OSU Junior Swine Day, Bi-State Youth Poultry Clinic and other counties countywide Quality Assurance Clinics. For a list of approved QA Training events throughout the state, contact the OSU Extension Office. If a club member chooses to attend one of these types of sessions, they need to provide the OSU Extension office with proof of attendance by June 30th so accurate records will be available for verification if necessary.
Project/Record Books
Exhibitors are required to complete a 4-H project or record book/FFA record book each year. Project/record books are to be checked by club/chapter advisors on an annual basis. If an exhibitor does not complete a project/record book and turn it into during the skillathon prior to the fair, he/she 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 the books and submit them at the skillathon.
Dog Check-In Day
All dog exhibitors (with the exception of members taking All About Dogs – 4-H Project #200) are required to attend Dog Check-In Day on Saturday, August 28th at 10:00 a.m. at the Fairgrounds (Feeder Creek Vet Show Arena). All exhibitors will complete interview judging in You and Your Dog and 4-H PetPALS (for dogs) and will complete their skillathon. Only these dog projects will be judged for grade and placement on this date. To be eligible to show at the Fairfield County Junior Fair, all exhibitors are required to bring to Mandatory Dog Check-In Day: 2021 Ohio State Fair Dog Project Identification Form and Vaccination Certificate (signed by a licensed, accredited veterinarian), License Registration Paper, 2021 Fairfield County Junior Fair Dog Show Entry Form, and dog they plan to show at the fair. This will be a day to complete interview judging (for grade and award placement), check-in all required paperwork, practice going through the show rings, an opportunity to ask questions, and submit Fair Dog Show Entry Forms. Vaccinations are to be given by July 1st of the current year. Anyone who cannot be in attendance on this date must complete the required Dog Check-In Day Waiver Form (by completing an approved activity to be eligible to exhibit a dog) AND Fairfield County Junior Fair Dog Show Entry Form. The Dog Check-In Day Waiver Form and Fairfield County Junior Fair Dog Show Entry Form can be found on the Fairfield County 4-H website: http://go.osu.edu/fairfield4h. The approved waiver options include: Showing your dog at the Ohio State Fair which includes a vet check with registration or taking your dog to the vet for a check-up during the month of August (paperwork of appointment, copy of license receipt, and tag must be submitted along with the form). Exhibitors participating in one of the alternative events/activities listed above must have the Dog Check-In Day Waiver Form and Fairfield County Junior Fair Dog Show Entry Form turned in or postmarked to the OSU Extension Office by 4:00 p.m. on Friday, August 27th, 2021. Refer to Department 118 4-H/FFA Dogs for more information.
Horse Exhibitors
GENERAL RULES
Exhibitors that are enrolled in Horse projects are required to participate in the Mandatory skillathon on September 12th at the Fairgrounds.
The approved alternative options include: State Fair Skill-a-Thon (held sometime in July/August); Demonstration Contest (on the particular specie) (held in July); Public Health & Safety Speaking contest (on the particular specie) (held in June); FFA Advisor Approved Event (held at a state or local FFA event); State Horse Hippology Contest (held in June); State Horse Bowl Contest (held in Spring), Spring Horse Clinic (held in April).
Members participating in one of the alternative events/activities listed above need to have their advisor postmark or turn in their waiver form to the OSU Extension Office by 4:00 p.m. the Friday (Sept 10th) prior to the skillathon. Note: ONLY EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES (i.e. death in the family, automobile accident, etc.) WILL BE CONSIDERED. Excuses are determined by the Junior Fair Director, Assistant Junior Fair Director, 4-H Educator, and an FFA Advisor. Anyone not meeting these requirements by September 12th will be ineligible to exhibit at the current year’s fair. For more information regarding specific dates of Skillathon alternative approved activities/events, refer to 4-H Club Advisor Resources on the OSU Extension’s website, or contact your FFA Advisor.