Sheep Shows’ Times & Rules

SHEEP

Open Breeding Show Tuesday, August 13, 2024 at 4 pm in Show Barn

Junior Breeding Show to immediately follow

Junior Showmanship Show at 6 pm

Junior Market Show to immediately follow Showmanship

1. All entry fees and papers are due by July 31 to the Sheep Chairman or online.  Registration papers and entry fees are due upon the animal’s arrival to fairgrounds.  Pen Set-Up will be 6:30 pm Thursday, August 8th and is mandatory for Exhibitors.
2.  All sheep entries, market and breeding, must be in place no later than 12:00 noon Fair Sunday.
3. The Junior Sheep Show is open to only Clarke County 4-H and FFA project members by January 1 of the year of the show.  All new 4-H/FFA sheep project members must be enrolled by March 1, year of the show.  The Open Show is open to Clarke County residents and Clarke County FFA and 4-H members.  All entries must be entered under the owner’s name; premiums will be paid based upon the owner.
4. Showmanship classes will be divided into Novice, Junior, Intermediate and Senior. Novice Showmen will be those youth who have not shown beef as a 4-H or FFA project previously at the Clarke County Fair and are the age of 12 or under as of September 30, 2024. Junior Showman will be those exhibitors who will be between 9 and 12 years of age as of September 30, 2024. Intermediate showmen will be those exhibitors who will be between 13 and 15 years of age as of September 30, 2024 and Senior Showmen are those exhibitors who will be between 16 and 19 years of age as of September 30, 2024.
5. Bred and owned market lambs MUST be the offspring of a ewe flock project animal. The ewe flock project animal must be owned and cared for by the exhibitor by January 1st, year of the show. Bred and owned market lamb exhibitors must take and complete the ewe flock project or be properly recorded in the official SAE record book.
6. There may be no covers when checking sheep into the barn initially and absolutely no sheep are to be brought into the barn without being checked off the list of the sheep chairmen. 
7. Muzzles are not allowed throughout fair week.  
8. Only water from a bucket may be used to hydrate any sheep while at the fairgrounds.  No tubes, hoses, or bottles may be used at any time.  See chairman with any questions.
9. All Sheep Exhibitors must be present in the sheep barn vicinity during the sheep show, sheep ultrasound, and the sheep sale.  See the general rules for clarification.
10. All breeding sheep shown in the “Open Classes” (4-H, FFA, and adult exhibitors) are to remain in the place until 4:00 p.m. Saturday, August 17, unless being removed to another fair.  Permission of the co-chairmen must be obtained by those wishing to leave before this time.
11. BREEDING SHEEP WILL BE SHOWN BY BREEDS.
12. An entry fee of $3.00 per head will be charged for the Open Show.  The entry fee must be paid prior to the show to be eligible to show.
13. All market lambs and junior breeding sheep must be in the possession and ownership of the exhibiting 4-H or FFA member and be on feed by the June weigh-in, year of the show.  If an animal is not housed on property owned or rented by the immediate family, then the exhibitor must notify the Livestock Committee in writing and receive committee approval.  If the animal is moved at any time during the fair project, the Livestock Committee must be notified immediately.
14. All market lambs to be sold by 4-H or FFA members will be graded on Monday.
15. All lambs will be weighed on Fair Monday at 7:00 AM.  All lambs must weigh a minimum of 90 pounds. If they don’t weigh 90 pounds they must live grade blue to be eligible for the youth market lamb show and sale. The maximum weight limit is 150. lbs. All lambs must be born after December 1 of the year previous to the show to be eligible to show in the junior market lamb show and to sell at the Friday sale.  Any lambs not falling in the above weight class may be shown in the showmanship and prospect classes at the end of our junior market show.  They will not be eligible for Friday’s Sale.
16. To recognize lamb buyers, $6.00 may be retained from the proceeds of each lamb sold to purchase a newspaper advertisement and recognition banner.
17. The fitting and show preparation area is confined to the wash rack, the sheep barn and other designated areas within the livestock area which will be designated at the exhibitor meeting on the Sunday of Fair Week. 
18. Each exhibitor may weigh up to 5 lambs at the official project weigh-in, show 3 lambs, and sell only 2 market lambs.  Exhibitors must designate at June weigh-in if lamb is to be in the market lamb class or the bred and owned market lamb class.  Any lamb not designated at weigh-in will be placed in regular market division.   If more than 2 lambs are being shown; the Sale Committee must be notified by Wednesday at 12 pm which lamb will not be sold.  If a lamb is not being sold; the Sale Commitee should be notified by Wednesday at 12 pm.
19. All market lambs must be castrated (removal of testicles) by the initial project weigh-in. Any evidence of testicular tissue will be evaluated and up to the discretion of the sheep committee.
20. All market lambs must be slick shorn within a week of the fair.  All breeding sheep exhibits must have no more than one-half inch of wool, except for wool breeds, which must meet their wool breed association standards.  If a touch up is needed, you are required to clean up the area.
21. Registration papers are required for all purebred classes in the breeding show. Appendix and unregistered animals will be shown in the commercial classes.
22. The Sheep Committee and Junior Exhibitors will set-up pens on Thursday, August 8th at 6:30 p.m. and will meet again on Sunday, August 18th at 9:00 a.m. to take down sheep pens.  Before exhibitors in the barn area leave the grounds at the conclusion of the Fair, they must clean their pens.
23. The Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion of the Junior Market Lamb Show and the Bred and Owned Show must participate in the carcass and ultrasound program if available. All Champions must be sold at the livestock sale.  Any exemption will have to be approved by the Committee.
24. Market Lambs and Breed and Owned Market Lambs will be shown by weight only.
25. Exhibitors are not allowed to hit animals on any part of their body while in the show ring.  No exceptions and no warnings will be made.
26. Bred and owned market lamb exhibitors must own and care for the dam during gestation of the bred and owned market lamb prior to breeding.
27. Youth exhibitors cannot show the same lamb in the bred and owned market lamb class and the general market lamb classes.  Youth must designate at June weigh-in which lamb(s) are to be in the market lamb class and which lamb(s) are to be in the bred and owned market lamb class.  
28. Registration papers are required for all purebred classes in the breeding show and they must be turned in upon arrival at the fairgrounds to the Sheep Chairman. Appendix and unregistered animals will be shown in the commercial classes. No market animals are allowed to show in open show.,
29.  A Group will consist of any four animals of the same breed that have been shown in a previous class of the show, either purebred or commercial. An exhibitor is limited to one entry per breed.
30. The Youth Open Showmanship “Pee Wee” class is open to any youth that will not reach their 9th birthday by September 30 of the year of the show.  There will be a sign-up sheet at the announcer’s stand before the show.
31.  A dam and a lamb entry will consist of a dam and her lamb of the same breed that have been shown in a previous class of the show, either purebred or commercial.
32. Use of irritants including alcohols, sprays, and other irritants is prohibited. 
33. The use of coloring agents is prohibited. 
34. The use of adhesives and glues for the purpose of fitting hair and/or wool is prohibited. Addition of twine, wool, hair, or any substance (such as to “build” legs) is prohibited. 

Shows

Junior Sheep Show Special Awards