August 24, 2023
Dear Washington County Jr Fair Steer, DFS, Goat, Lamb, Dairy Cow, and Rabbit Exhibitors:
BUYER INVITATIONS: Personally contact buyers and business people in your area. Last year’s buyers are listed in the Junior Fair Guide. For new buyers – call the Extension Office 740-376-7431 with name of business, name of contact person, and mailing address. We will send them a new buyer’s packet.
MARKET ANIMAL ARRIVAL & WEIGH IN: Animals will be weighed at the Washington County Fairgrounds on Friday, September 1. Please note the following schedule:
6:00 – 7:00 pm Market Lamb Weigh-in Multi-purpose Building
6:00 – 7:30 pm Market Rabbit & Turkey Weigh-in Rabbit & Poultry Barn
7:00–8:00 pm Market Goat, Weigh-in Multi-purpose Building
7:30–9:00 pm Market Chickens, Weigh-in Rabbit & Poultry Barn
8:00-8:30 pm Dairy Feeder, Weigh-in Multi-purpose Building
8:30-9:00 pm Market Steer, Weigh-in Multi-purpose Building
LIVESTOCK PICTURES WILL BE TAKEN AT THE FOLLOWING TIMES:
Friday, 7:00-9:00 pm Multi-purpose Building & Rabbit & Poultry Barn
Saturday, 12:00 – 2:00 pm Multi-purpose Building & Rabbit & Poultry Barn
Saturday, 3:00 – 4:00 pm Market Steers – Multi-purpose Building
The pictures will be available on Tuesday prior to the sale for you to pick-up. The steers, dairy feeder, goat and lamb pictures will be located in the small barn office in the Livestock Barn. The turkey, chicken and rabbit pictures will be sitting on the table in the Rabbit & Poultry Barn. It is recommended that you purchase a frame for the 5 X 7 photo. However, if you want to put the picture on an 8 ½ X 11 picture card, these will be available for you to pick-up during the sale at the buyer’s check-in table prior to the sale.
DRUG USE NOTIFICATION FORM (DUNF): The link is now live and must be completed by Thursday, August 31. This is required for Market Steers, Dairy Feeder Steers, Market Goats, Market Lambs, Market Chickens, and Market Turkeys (not required for market rabbits). You will complete a DUNF for each animal/pen you are bringing to the fair and you will also need your animal’s ear tag You will get an email confirmation after the DUNF is submitted. – https://go.osu.edu/washingtoncounty-dunf
EXHIBITOR DINNER ON WEIGH-IN NIGHT: Look for pizza, hamburgers, hotdogs, chips, cookies, & water donated by Smittys, Harris West Side Carryout, Mark Lang, Scott Lang, Triple I Trucking, and Marietta Dental Works. It should be available at both barns. (If not, check the Cattle Barn). Please thank these donors!!
EXHIBITOR NUMBERS: will be handed out along with safety pins when you check-in prior to weigh-in. These must be worn during showmanship and market classes.
MEMBERSHIP TICKETS & ADMISSION: $30 membership tickets or season passes will be sold at the Senior Fair Board Office and Junior Fair wristbands (includes grandstand and rides) will be sold for $5 until Friday, September 1 at the Senior Fair Board Office. Those purchasing a membership ticket can vote in the annual fair election on Monday, September 4 from 1:00-7:00 pm. Daily gate admission will be $10 per person (4 year and under free).
FAIRBOARD OFFICE HOURS:
- August 25: 1:30 – 4:30 pm
- August 26: 8 – 11 am
- August 28 & 29: 4 – 7 pm
- August 30 thru Sept 5: 9 am to 9 pm
WASH RACK: If it is not your day to show, please stay off the wash rack until the animal shows are over.
FEEDING TIMES: Get your feeding and pen cleaning done in a reasonable amount of time and keep the barns clean and your animals watered.
ANIMALS ON THE FAIRGROUNDS: Animals must remain in their appropriate barn from time of weigh-in until sale time. This means they cannot be walked or carried around the fairgrounds.
BUYERS GIFTS: Rather than providing gifts to buyers, we encourage you visit the buyer’s place of business or mail them a thank you card after the sale. Buyers appreciate your thoughtfulness, but they can be overwhelmed with gifts during the sale and trying to transport them home.
ANIMAL NUMBERING: (for goats, lambs, DFS, & steers) – These animals will be marked with a sale order number on Tuesday morning. All goat and lamb blankets must be removed by 8:00 am Tuesday morning. Let the paint fully dry before washing your animal.
SALE: The sale will be held on Tuesday, September 5 at 4:00 pm in the Multi-purpose Building. Exhibitors will be taking their animals into the ring during the auction. Sale Order: Dairy Feeder Steers, Rabbits, Market Steers, Goats, Turkeys, Lambs, Chickens.
SMALL ANIMAL SALE & CHECK-OUT:
- The rabbit and poultry barn will be locked/closed during the sale. Please get all your personal items out of the barn prior to the barn being closed. Leave feed and water in your pens for your animals.
- All kids must be in the barn to pick up their animals during the group prior to their turn to sell. For example, when goats are selling, turkey exhibitors should be at the rabbit/poultry barn picking up their animals and going to the livestock barn to be ready to sell. Once you have sold your animals, please take the animal back to the rabbit/poultry barn. Any animal being removed from the rabbit/poultry barn will be signed out and signed back in once the sale is complete.
- Approximately 30 minutes after the sale of each small animal group, the animals will be released in this order – packers, buyers and then kids. No one will be in the barn unless it is their turn to pick up the animals.
PEN TEAR DOWN: will be Sunday, September 10 at 3:00. You must attend either attend setup or tear down. Any exhibitor not signing out will forfeit 20% of their total sales.
SALE CHECKS: Checks can be picked up October 7 & 8, 2023 between 9:00 am and 2:00 pm at the Senior Fair Board Office, 922 Front St, Marietta. A W-9 must be completed and on file at the Sr Fairboard Office when the sale check is picked up. Printed forms are available at the Sr Fairboard Office for new exhibitors. If exhibitors already completed a form in 2022, then another form is not needed. New exhibitors can pick up, complete, and turn in a W-9 at the Sr Fairboard Office.
THANK YOU POSTER CONTEST: Posters will be judged at the fair and must be in place by Friday evening of the fair. Judging is based on originality, neatness & creativity on relaying a “Thank You” message to the buyers. Awards will be 1st $15; 2nd $10; & 3rd $5. Please list exhibitor’s name & age on front of poster. All market project exhibitors are required to display a poster.
BOOTHS:
- Setup – Wednesday, Aug 31 from 2:00 am to 9:00 pm
- Setup – Thursday, Sept 1 from 2:00 to 9:00 pm
- Tear Down – Tuesday, Sept 6 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm or Wed, Sept 7 from 9:00 am to Noon
JR FAIR BUILDING: In addition to 4-H & FFA Booths there will be the following events.
- Corn Hole – Open Play – Saturday at 5:00 – 8:00 pm
- Face Painting – Sunday 2 – 4
- Pancake Flippin’ Breakfast – Monday 8 – 10 am
- Make & Take Craft Activities – Monday at 10 – noon
- Cloverbud Activities – Monday 1 – 3 pm
- Bouncy Horse Relay – 2:00 pm
HORSE SHOW: Move-In Friday 3:30 to 7:00 pm and Move-Out Tuesday 4:00 pm
It is your responsibility to read and practice the rules for the fair. The Junior Fair Activities Guide and the County Fair Book have this information. Junior Fair Activity Guides are available at the Ohio State University Extension Office.
Sincerely,
Fred Boyd – President, Washington County Fair board
Curt Welch – President, Livestock Committee
Bruce Zimmer – Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development