2024 Quality Assurance Trainings

The first Hartford Fair Livestock Quality Assurance (QA) Training for 2024 will take place soon! Any junior fair exhibitor that plans to show livestock at either the Hartford Fair or Ohio State Fair MUST complete an approved QA training by June 1, 2024 in order to be eligible to show in 2024. We are excited to return to holding QA trainings IN PERSON this year. Please review the Junior Fair Livestock Quality Assurance Guidelines for all requirements and a list of approved trainings. Please ensure you have a plan to either attend an in-person training or complete the online YQCA module BEFORE June 1, 2024.

Our first county-wide program will take place on Thursday, March 21, 2024 at 6:30pm at Watkins Memorial High School.

SPECIAL NOTES:

  • Photos for fair IDs will NOT be taken at QA programs in 2024. We will have a process similar to last year where members will be able to upload a photo themselves instead of having photos taken by fair staff. More details on that to come at a later date!
  • There will NOT be a Horse Safety and Ethics training option during the QA trainings. ALL horse members will be required to complete the online EquiSTEP training module. More details can be found HERE.
  • Only Licking County 4-H/FFA Quality Assurance Programs will address program changes and updated for the Hartford Fair. If you choose to attend another QA program or complete the YQCA online module, please ensure that you are watching for updates through the Licking County Extension and Hartford Fair websites and that you check in with your advisor(s) for updates and changes as well.

2024 Hartford Fair Junior Fair Livestock Sales Brochure

The 2024 Hartford Fair Junior Fair Livestock Sales Brochure is available. If you have a youth who is planning to participate in one of the livestock sales at the fair this year, please review this brochure carefully. Please pay special attention to the earlier start time for the small animal sale.

Ohio State Fair Updates

If you are planning to exhibit livestock or participate in the dog shows at the Ohio State Fair, please review the information below to ensure you are aware of changes and updates for the 2024 Ohio State Fair.

General:

  • Exhibitors MUST be enrolled in the project they want to exhibit at the state fair, even if the county doesn’t offer it at fair (i.e., swine breeding).
  • All Junior Exhibitors must enter their projects online, details available on the OSF website.
    • No late market or breeding (new 2024) entries

Ownership deadlines changed:

MARKET ANIMALS –

  • Market beef – January 1
  • Market swine – May 23
  • Market lambs – May 23
  • Market goats – May 1
  • Dairy feeders – June 1
  • Market rabbits – June 1
  • Market poultry – within 5 days of hatch

BREEDING ANIMALS –

  • Breeding Beef – May 22
  • Breeding Swine – May 22
  • Breeding Sheep – May 22
  • Breeding Goats – May 16
  • Breeding Poultry – May 31
  • Breeding rabbits – May 31
  • Dairy Cattle – May 22

BEEF Department

  • All cattle must arrive with 840 EID in place
    • 15-digit number starting with 840
    • Breeding can use tattoo as SECONDARY ID
  • BVD testing required for all cattle
    • exception of Commercial Cattle
    • One test good for lifetime
  • BEEF BREEDING
    • Crossbred breeding heifers will be required to submit a DNA packet with 840 EID tag information, reach out to Andi Hershey for packets (a.hershey@expo.ohio.gov )
    • Due Date: Postmarked by June 1st

DOG Department

  • Show starts, June 17th

SWINE Department:

  • The Jr Swine Show requires ALL hogs to have:
    • 840 tag
    • Premise ID
  • To exhibit breeding swine, must be enrolled in the project at the county level

2024 Livestock Requirements Summary

The 2024 Hartford Junior Fair Livestock Requirements Summary is now available. This document has all of the pertinent dates and information for all livestock projects. Please review it carefully to ensure you know all deadlines and requirements for your livestock project.

Photos from the Fair

We were fortunate to have several photographers who worked throughout the fair to document the Junior Fair shows and events. Check out their links below to view and purchase pictures!

Equine:

Kylee Williams was our photographer for equine events during the Hartford Fair. You can find all photos posted online HERE. Just choose the Hartford Fair link at the top of the page and then select the event in which you are interested! MANY THANKS to Don and Marcie Williams for sponsoring one digital image per equine exhibitor – exhibitors are reminded to reach out to Kylee directly to select your chosen image.

Livestock:

Halee Ann Photography was our photographers for livestock events during the Hartford Fair. You can find all of the photos she and her colleagues took posted online HERE. The galleries are organized by species and then by show/event.

Royalty:

Karen Keller Photography took photos during the King and Queen Contest, including the introduction of our Commodity Royalty and our Prince and Princess of the Day participants. You can find all of her photos posted online HERE.

 

Livestock Skillathon Contests at the Hartford Fair

Junior fair exhibitors! Please remember that there are livestock skillathon contests throughout the week at the fair. All junior fair exhibitors are encouraged to participate. You do not need to show a specific species to participate in that species skillathon; they are open to all! The skillathon competitions are a great way to show your knowledge! See the full schedule of skillathon competitions below or click HERE.

DUNF and United Producer’s Feeder Forms Due

2023 Hartford Fair exhibitors are asked to make note of the following REQUIRED forms and their deadline. Just like last year, all Drug Use Notification Forms (DUNF) and United Producer’s Feeding Forms must be completed online by the deadline. Please review which form(s) are due for your species and the deadline for those forms HERE or by viewing the list below. Once you have confirmed which form(s) are needed, please complete them through the following links:

DUNF Form: go.osu.edu/2023HartfordDUNF

United Producer’s Feeding Form: go.osu.edu/ProducerForm2023

 

Market Poultry Banding and Rabbit Tattooing and Registration

All Market Rabbits and Market Poultry (except Turkeys which were banded on May 6th) must attend the Poultry and Rabbit Banding/Tattooing/Registration that will take place on Saturday, July 8th from 10:00am to 2:00pm in the Beef Barn at the Hartford Fairgrounds. Cost for rabbit is $1/animal. Please bring your completed Rabbit Registration Form with you to tattooing. For poultry, the cost is $1/entry. This process will be done in a two-line drive-thru process. Please enter through Gate D, proceed through the parking lot and enter the appropriate line at the north end of the Beef Barn. Once complete, please exit out of the south end of the Beef Barn and then exit the fairgrounds through Gate C.

REMINDER: Hartford Fair Entry Information

All Hartford Fair entries must be completed through the FairEntry portal this year. Please follow the Hartford Fair Entry Instructions when making your entries. Entry deadline is Monday, June 26, 2023.

Please note:

  • The Hartford Fair Entry Portal can be found by visiting: http://hartfordfair.fairentry.com

  • Please be sure to review the Hartford Fair Premium Book to ensure you know which Classes and Lots you will be making entries for before you start that process.
  • All 4-H families must use their 4-HOnline Credentials to log into FairEntry. If a member creates a new account in FairEntry, they will be unable to make entries in Junior Fair Departments as those departments require them to be enrolled in the appropriate 4-H project in order to make entries.

  • All FFA members will make their entries through their FFA advisor.

  • Please make sure that you add all entries to each exhibitor in your family before you submit the entries and continue to the payment portal.

  • The process for submitting a photo for an exhibitor fair ID as well as exhibitor gate admission will be sent out once entries close. You will not submit an exhibitor photo when making entries, that will be a separate process.
  • This is a new process and we know that there will be errors or glitches that will need solved. Please reach out to us if you run into an issue, and please have patience as we work through any glitches.

STILL PROJECT MEMBERS:

  • When you make your entries, you will need to know whether your club has decided to do a club booth in the 4-H Center. If you are unsure, please ask your advisor before completing entries.
  • You will need to select JR CLUBS SCHOOLS. You will then select 118.JB: 4-H INDIVIDUAL. If your club is having a club booth, you will select 01: INDVIDUAL EXHIBITS (CLUB BOOTH). If your club is not having a club booth, you will need to display your project in the Miscellaneous Booth. If that is the case, you will need to select 02: INDVIDUAL EXHIBITS (MISC BOOTH). Repeat these steps to add additional entries for still projects until you have the number of still projects entries that matches the number of still projects you plan to display in the booth.
  • If your club is doing a group project, please be sure to include that project in your number of entries. For example, if you are doing 409 Sew Fun, 492 Cake Decorating, and 091G Discover 4-H Group Project, you would make three Individual Still Project entries. You will NOT list your specific project names anywhere.

REMINDER: Animal Adventures!

We’re still looking for both Exhibitors and Mentors for our new Animal Adventures program at the Hartford Fair. Please be sure register by June 30th if you are interested in participating!

Animal Adventures is part of a statewide, 4-H initiative to connect young people with disabilities, who also have a love for animals, with opportunities to get involved with local 4-H programs.

Through Animal Adventures, participants with disabilities will be paired with 4 H and FFA mentors to learn about an animal of their choice. After a meet and greet, they will work together to exhibit or “show” the animal at the 2023 Hartford Independent Fair. The show will be held at 6:30 p m on Sunday, August 6th at the B Carr Pavillion on the Hartford Fairgrounds.

Animal Adventures welcomes youth between the ages of 8 and 19. Participants do not have to be supported by the Licking County Board of Developmental Disabilities, but must reside within the Hartford Fair District: Licking County, Knox County (Hilliar, Milford, Miller Townships), or Delaware County (Berkshire, Harlem, Porter, Trenton Townships).

To register an EXHIBITOR (youth ages 8-19) (link will go live at 8:00am on Monday, May 8, 2023)
•Complete registration by June 30th at https://go.osu.edu/AdventureExhibitor

To register a MENTOR (Junior Fair Exhibitor Dairy Feeder / Goat / Poultry / Rabbit / Sheep) (link will go live at 8:00am on Monday, May 8, 2023)
•Complete registration by June 30th at https://go.osu.edu/AdventureMentor

Want to be an ADULT VOLUNTEER?
•Email Lisa McCutcheon (mccutcheon.46@osu.edu) to be placed on a contact list!