showmanship & Auction  rules

Monongalia County Fair Livestock Show and Auction Rules

Updated 10/16/2017

1.  All exhibitors must be at least 8 years old and in the 3rd grade as of January 1 of the current year and they must not be older than 21 as of January 1 of the current year. All exhibitors must be active members and enrolled by January 1 of current year in good standing (dues paid if applicable) in a Monongalia County 4-H Club or FFA Chapter.

2.  Exhibition of all animals will be restricted to 4-H and FFA youth members only.

3.  All livestock (Swine, Dairy, Beef, Sheep, Horse, Rabbits, Goats and Poultry) shows; 4-H and FFA will show together.

4.   All West Virginia livestock project’s must complete a mandatory Quality Assurance Training to exhibit or sell animals at County or State Fair. This is a rule established by the WV 4-H Program and FFA Organization. Training should be completed by July 1 of the current year.

5.  All 4-H & FFA Livestock Projects (Market, Feeder & Breeding) must have completed a project and/or record book/supplement for project completion. Refer to your project book for your specific record requirements. Advisors will require completed record books be turned in to them to receive credit for the project.

6.   ALL Livestock Exhibitors must adhere to the following dress code for show and auction. 1. Wear nice jeans or dark slacks; no low-rise, no holes or tears 2. Wear a collared shirt, blouse or polo without slogans or advertisements (4-h Club/ FFA member name is acceptable). No cleavage showing. 3. Rabbit, guinea pig and poultry exhibitors may wear a white lab coat in addition to #1 and # 2 and which should also be without slogans or advertisements. 4. Wear closed-toe shoes; no sandals or flip flops permitted in show arena; for safety, a hard-soled and toed shoe should be considered for the larger livestock projects. **The exceptions to this dress code are: • If wearing jeans/slacks goes against religious beliefs, a long skirt (knee length) is acceptable instead of jeans/slacks.

7.   No FFA or 4-H member can exhibit more than two animals in the same species of any market/feeder animal. Examples that would be allowed are two market lambs, one feeder steer and one market steer.

8.   ALL animals must be a Monongalia County 4-H or FFA member’s project.

9.   The same project may not be carried in both 4-H and FFA within or among counties. Example: Market Steer carried as a 4-H project in Monongalia County cannot be carried as a FFA project in any other County.
10. All breeding animals must be in members’ possession no later than March 1 of current year. All market/feeder animals must be in members’ possession or proof of ownership by May 1 of current year. Rabbit and poultry must be in owners’ possession by May 30 of current year.

11.   All market/feeder animals must follow WVDA and USDA identification procedures. If an animal's ear tag is lost, contact the Monongalia Co. Extension Office immediately

12.   All identification procedures must be supervised by the Fair Officials or their approved representatives.

13.   Livestock health requirements shall conform to State Health Regulations and those of the appointed committee. If care does not meet the standards of the appointed committee, exhibitor will be dismissed & market/feeder animals will not be allowed to auction. Exhibitor will not be allowed to exhibit any animals the following year. (See Livestock and Health Requirements.)

14.   All West Virginia Departments of Agriculture (WVDA) animal exhibition health requirements must be followed. Contact the WVDA State Veterinarian at 304-558-2214 for a copy of the current requirements. Fair market beef, market hog, market sheep, market poultry, dairy cow, dairy and market goat, turkey, duck, rabbit and geese exhibitors must complete and turn in an animal health form at the fair weigh-in. If at any time after the Animal Health Form is filed the information on the form regarding drug use changes or if a drug is subsequently administered, an updated Animal Health Form shall promptly be filed with the records official.

15.   All livestock entering the fairgrounds must first go through a WVDA animal health check at designated locations. Animals should be displayed in a way that they can easily be seen. Blankets and other coverings should be removed prior to the check. Additional checks by the designated fair vets or WVDA animal health personnel may occur daily and at any time through-out the fair.

16.   No outside scales may be brought onto the fairgrounds. "Official" fairground scales may only be used by designated officials.

17.   All animals are to be in place by time and date set by the fair board. Each animal will be weighed one time. There will be no re-weighs for any animals.

18.   Pens/Stalls will be assigned by appointed committee. Therefore, exhibitors are not permitted to decorate pens until stall/pen assignments have been made no additions (plywood, paints, etc.) will be permitted to stalls/pens. NO stall/pen changes will be permitted unless special permission is granted from the respective appointed committee. *Livestock pen bedding: All goats and breeding sheep may use sawdust, straw or shavings for bedding. All other livestock must use sawdust or shavings.

19.   All pens/stalls must be cleaned by time set by the Fair Board.

​20.  To ensure the opportunity for junior/senior show exhibitors to finish fitting their project animals on their own, and adult hand-over-hand policy the week of the fair and on show days will be followed. Adults assisting will be limited to hand-over-hand assistance and verbal instruction therefore involving the exhibitor in the animal preparation in a “learn-by-doing” experience.
     a. Exhibitor must be present for complete grooming process.
     b. Animals must be groomed to the best of the exhibitors’ ability 
         prior to entering the show ring.
     c. Exhibitors not following these guidelines; project animal will be 
         deemed exhibit only and not permitted into the show ring for               
         grading, showmanship, or auction.

21.   TAMPERING AND/OR MISREPRESENTATION as to breeding, age, ownership, custody and any other irregularity in showing will be considered fraud and deception. To maintain a high degree of confidence and integrity in the livestock show, the appointed committee reserves the right to disqualify any animal fitted in an unethical manner and disqualify the exhibitor and the exhibitor's assistants who fitted the animal involved. Unethical fitting shall include any cutting or tearing of the hide, cutting or tearing the underneath of the hide or removal of tissue in any attempt to alter the shape or appearance. It shall also include attempts to disrupt or change normal dental development, dying or coloring hair, adding artificial tail heads, switches, polls, hair and heels as well as any attempt to change the conformation and degree of firmness, by administration of fluids or air internally or externally in a liquid, solid or gaseous state, or application of a topical product. There shall be NO APPLICATION OF PRODUCTS NOT APPROVED FOR ANIMAL USE. No Paint. All animals giving evidence of such treatment will be barred from competition. THE USE OF CLENBUTEROL AND OTHER UNAPPROVED DRUGS IS PROHIBITED. All exhibitors, their immediate family and other parties involved in the unethical fitting and showing of an animal will be barred from exhibiting or showing at this fair and will forfeit all awards. Should fair fraud or deception, and proof, as determined by the appointed committee, be discovered after the animal or animals have shown and prior to the auction, such animal(s) shall not be permitted to sell. The animals placing next in line at the show shall move up. Should violation be discovered after the sale, all sale money shall be returned to the buyer. Any carcass suspected of being tampered with or suspected of containing drugs will be detained until the investigation is complete. If the carcass is condemned at the packing plant for any reason, it shall be grounds for disqualification. Additionally, sale money shall be forfeited and the loss of the animal be incurred by the exhibitor.

22.   RULE VIOLATIONS: In the question of a rule violation, the following due process will be used. The exhibitor and/or parties involved will be questioned by appointed committee. Upon hearing the case, the appointed committee will make a ruling. When satisfactory evidence has been obtained by the appointed committee that any of the livestock rules have been violated, the exhibitor and/or exhibitor's family may be barred from showing in any future agricultural fairs. The minimum number of years for disbarment is three (3) years before the right to a review. In case any premium shall have been awarded to animals shown in violation of this rule, the appointed committee will require the exhibitor to refund all premiums, trophies, awards, ribbons and sale money under each violation, unless fraud and/or deception are involved, all championship placing stand. No person shall be allowed to exhibit in the Monongalia County Fair that has been banned for disciplinary or other similar reasons from other county, independent or state fairs for a period commensurate with the ban.

23.   Showmanship participation is required by 4-H for project completion, exhibitors will choose only one animal for each division and may not change animals during the competition.

24.   Market Chicken and Market Turkey are classified as Market Poultry for showmanship awards.

25.   Market Steer, Market Heifer, Feeder Steer and Feeder Heifer are classified as beef cattle for showmanship awards. Exhibitors may choose which beef cattle they participate with in showmanship.

26.   Exhibitors who receive Junior Grand Showmanship two years consecutively will advance to Senior Showmanship Division in the following year.

27.   Ribbons will be awarded for Junior and Senior Showmanship categories. Fewer than three exhibitors in Junior and/or Senior Showmanship categories will combine to have a Species Showmanship category for premium and awards.

28.   All exhibiting animals will receive ribbon placed awards to third place, participation to all others.

29.   When an exhibitor has two or more animals showing at the same time, he/she may ask other Monongalia County 4-H or FFA Members to assist with the showing of their animals. In no case will anyone other than Monongalia County 4-H or FFA members be permitted to show animals in a class. Exhibitors must be present to show his or her livestock while it is being judged at the designated time and place, unless otherwise excused by the County Extension Office or FFA Advisor.

30.   All judges’ decisions are final.

31.   NO cell phones are permitted on exhibitors in the show arena! Failure of Livestock Exhibitors to comply with the dress code and cell phone rule will prohibit them from showing their livestock, hence not being able to participate in the auction of their livestock.

32.   Fair Market Livestock exhibitors must be present for the auction of their respective projects. If an extenuating circumstance exists, a 4-H or FFA member may have another member sell their project, but they will not be placed later in the sale to accommodate them. Any animal not having appropriate exhibitor present to sell that animal, will be loaded on the packer truck and the exhibitor will receive packer price. Exhibitors dismissed from the fair due to disciplinary reasons will not be permitted to show or auction their animal. Another exhibitor may not show or sell their animal.

33.   All Market Animals designated as Grand or Reserve Champions must participate in Monongalia County Fair Livestock Auction.

34.   Exhibitors are required to participate in livestock area cleanup at close of the fair. Exhibitors or representative who fail to actively participate with entire tear down will be assessed a $25.00 service fee.

35.   Livestock Fair Officials may, on their professional judgment, investigate any situation that so merits.

36.   Monongalia County Fair President/FFA Advisor/4-H Extension Agent in accordance with the appointed committee, have the right to enforce all rules at all times. Steps to enforce rules may include immediate ejection from a show.

37.   All protests regarding rules must be written, accompanied by a protest fee of $50.00 and filed with a respective barn committee member. An appointed committee will hear the protest. The protest fee will be retained by the committee if the protest is not sustained.

​38.   The Monongalia County Fair will operate under the provisions of West Virginia Livestock Show Reform Act and under all applicable West Virginia Department of Agricultural Fairs and Festivals Rules. This law and the amended rules may be viewed and/or secured at the Monongalia Co. Extension Office or the ODA website.