General Project 4-H Rules
General Exhibit - Exhibit Hall
4-H Department (July 19, 2023 Interview and Judging Day)
1. All entries shall consist of exhibit requirements as set forth in the 4-H Member’s Manual
including the record book.
2. Premiums in this department will be paid for all units within each class, i.e., Clothing - Unit 3,
Foods - Unit 4. Projects must be exhibited to collect premiums.
3. Classes are available for all 4-H Home Economic and General Projects enrolled by May 1, 2023. Exhibits and prizes must be picked up on Sunday, August 13th, except for those projects that are state fair qualifiers. State Fair qualifying projects may be picked up in early September after State Fair. Premium
checks will be available at the Extension Office after September 5, 2023
4. All 4-H entries must be entered by July 8, 2023, and will be judged on July 19, 2023, 8:00 am -
4:00 pm.
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Animal Science
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Creative Arts
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Family and Consumer Science
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Natural Resources
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STEM
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Personal Development
General Livestock 4-H Rules
1. All 4-H members must abide by the regulations governing 4-H projects in Grand or Summit Counties to be eligible to show. Only FFA members eligible to compete under State 4-H/FFA rules will be eligible to compete in this division.
2. Livestock entries are due to the Extension Office by 4:00 pm July 7, 2023. All entries shall be made in the fair management program online. Animals who are not entered will not be allowed to check into fair.
3. Market livestock exhibits must remain in the barns until the release time of Sunday between 3 & 4 pm.. Livestock should be removed, with stall area cleaned and torn down by 5:00 pm. Livestock may be released early with the expressed permission of their barn superintendent, a fair board member, or extension director. Horse and breeding animals are required to be in place by show time and are not required to remain on the fairgrounds except for rabbits, poultry, and fowl breeding. Animals that are sick or unsafe may be sent home at any point.
4. All 4-H poultry and fowl must be weighed and in place by 6pm on Tuesday; breeding rabbit must be in place by 8am on Tuesday. All other 4-H market animals must be in place by 12:30pm on Wednesday of fair week.
5. Should it become necessary to administer medications of any kind at the fair, the superintendent shall be notified and shall supervise the treatment.
6. All 4-H/FFA exhibitors must comply with the USDA Wholesome Meat Act and the IAFE Code of show ring ethics. The IAFE Code of show ring ethics will be read and signed by all livestock exhibitors before entering animals for fair. Icing of animals or towels immersed in ice will not be allowed. The use of hotshots is prohibited. Exhibitors will forfeit all premiums, trophies, sale monies, and awards if found in violation of these rules.
7. Exhibitors are responsible for care and feeding of livestock while on the fairgrounds. The fair board has designated a time between 6:00 am and 9:00 am as well as 3:00 pm and 6:00 pm as feeding and cleaning times for livestock. All animals on the fairground shall be cared for during these times. Alternative bedding or matting must be cleaned daily. If stalls are not cleaned daily by noon, a $25 per day fine may be withheld from premium money, at the discretion of the barn superintendent. A water container, with water must be visible
and available for watering on a regular basis in each penned/stalled area at all times.
8. Additional classes may be added to the class schedule if the superintendent deems them necessary.
9. Members must show their own animals unless they have two or more animals in the same class. In these circumstances, another Grand or Summit County 4-H/FFA member is permitted to show the extra animal(s). Exceptions to this rule for injury, illness, etc., must be made prior to the show.
10. All animals must be clean and dry before weigh-in, lambs must be shorn, and hog ear tags must be clean.
11. Any animal entered into a breeding class, of any species, may not be shown in Market classes at the Middle Park Fair & Rodeo.
12. Intact males (Beef, Sheep, Goats, and Hogs) are not eligible for MPFR Market classes.
13. A formal protest must be made in writing to the Protest Committee on the same day of the alleged infraction. Written protests must state plainly the cause of the complaint or appeal and be accompanied by a $50 fee. If a veterinary exam or other testing is required, fees incurred above $50 must be paid by the protester. Protests shall use the following protocol (after each step, if the issue is not resolved, the protester may choose to pursue the next step):
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Bring written protest to Sale Committee or Show Superintendent. $50 charge
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Bring written protest to the Protest Committee consisting of the Species Superintendent, Fair Board President, Superintendent of Area, Extension Agent, Sale Committee Representative. $50 charge.
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Bring written protest to the Fair Board Executive Committee. $50 charge
14. All livestock placing first or second in a market class shall show for champion and reserve champion with the following exception: If an entrant wishes to withdraw, they shall forfeit all prizes and monies won by that animal and others in that class shall be moved up one placing. If an animal is withdrawn, the superintendent should be notified immediately, prior to the lineup of the championship drive.
15. The second-place animal in a class from which the champion was selected is eligible to show for reserve champion.
16. All 4-H and FFA members must show their own project animals in showmanship and Round Robin classes.
17. 4-H members will be required to sign, review, practice, and place on file at the Extension office a copy of the livestock rules to participate in the Middle Park Fair & Rodeo.
18. 4-H and FFA livestock, horse, and dog record books are due the first Friday in September. If a member does not complete a record book after exhibiting the project, the member cannot enroll in the same project the following year. A complete record book is determined by scoring 70% or better and turned in on or before the due date.
19. Unmanageable Animals: The Superintendent and/or judge may disqualify any animal deemed unmanageable, with the Executive Fair Board member’s approvals.
20. Horns: Horns must be tipped, blunt, or removed on all goats before arrival on the grounds. Removal of horns on grounds is NOT permitted. All market beef must be dehorned. Any re-growth of horns should be rasped and made presentable for the show.
21. Enrollment Deadlines: To participate in the Middle Park Fair & Rodeo a 4-H/FFA member must be enrolled by May 1st of the current year. Other deadlines for participation in projects may exist (i.e., Market Beef tag in dates are earlier).
22. 4-H and FFA members must be in good standing with their respective association, this shall be determined by the CSU Extension Office or FFA Advisor, to be eligible to show at the Middle Park Fair & Rodeo in 4-H/FFA events.
23. 4-H youth exhibitors will identify market livestock at their perspective winter or spring market animal tag-in. There is no limit to the number of animals identified in the spring or winter tag-in; although each family may only declare one “family” animal per species at their perspective spring or winter market animal tag-in. There is no limit to the number of animals an exhibitor may own and/or identify, however, the following limits apply to the number of animals exhibited at the fair. A youth may only bring 3 market swine and two pens of market poultry, fowl, and/or game birds to exhibit at the Middle Park Fair & Rodeo. If youth tag-in a “family animal” for beef, they must have brand papers on the family animal (only) written in all the 4-H member’s names who will share the animal. Youth must have brand papers on all their 4-H market beef written in their names and available at tag-in day in January. The declaration of ownership at fair time of the family animal must be done at the weigh-in at fair or earlier. The 4-H/FFA member who takes ownership of the animal must include the “family animal” in their respective record book as their animal.
24. Middle Park Fair & Rodeo has set a minimum and maximum show weights for market livestock projects. Exhibitors will weigh-in their animals at the designated time for their species. If the animal does not meet the minimum weight or exceeds the maximum weight limit, they will be given one weigh back immediately following the other animals in the species.
Turkey Weights: hens must be 13-30 lbs., and toms must be 19-30 lbs., and neither may be more than 20 weeks old.
Goat weights: Minimum weight will be 55lbs with no maximum, and a maximum of 4 market pens per member.
Lamb weights: Minimum weight will be 100lbs with no maximum. 4 market pens maximum per member.
Swine weights: Minimum weight will be 225lbs and maximum weight of 295lbs.
Beef weights: Minimum weight will be 950lbs and no maximum.
Rabbit weights: Minimum weight will be 3.5lbs with a maximum weight of 5.5lbs for all market classes and a maximum of 3 market pens per member.
25. Replacement Animals: In the event an exhibitor’s only animal in a species dies prior to the fair, the youth may replace that animal before the given deadlines with the approval of the Extension Director, Fair Board and Species Superintendent. The deadline for replacing an animal due to mortality are 60 days before show for sheep, goats, and pigs; and 120 days for market beef.
26. Awards, premiums, and sale checks will be available for pick up at the Extension Office when the Sale Committee determines that enough funds have been collected to cover payments. It is the responsibility of the contestant to know if they have received an award. No payments will be released to exhibitor until proof of thank you card has been sent.
Junior Livestock Sale Rules
27. All species will be sold by the head.
28. Sale animals must be ready by 4:00pm on Saturday.
29. The Sifting Committee is the Sale Committee plus the judge for each show. They will decide the number of animals to be sold and have the right to bar any animal from the sale. NO SALE SLOTS ARE GUARANTEED. The maximum number of animal permitted in the sale are as follows: 25 beef, 20 lambs, 40 swine, and 20 goats. There are 10 available sale slots for poultry and rabbits, these slots shall be split between market poultry/fowl and market rabbit.
30. An exhibitor may sell one steer or heifer, one lamb, one swine, one goat, and one pen of rabbits or one pen of poultry/fowl with the following exceptions: Should the species champion and reserve champion be owned by one exhibitor, both animals must be sold at the Junior Livestock Sale.
31. The champion and reserve champion market beef, swine, goats, poultry, rabbits, and lambs at the fair must be sold at the Junior Livestock Sale.
32. Orphan lambs, feeder market beef, feeder lambs, feeder pigs, feeder goats, breeding animals and overweight hogs are not eligible for the sale.
33. An animal may not be pulled out of the sale line up once entered.
34. All youth must designate which animal will go to the sale within one hour of the end of their respective species show. No changes will be made to the sale line up after this deadline. When the animal is sold, this is the point of ownership change. The sale committee assumes NO responsibility for any animal NOT designated for slaughter.
35. Up to five percent of the sale price of each animal, or minimum of $15, will be subtracted to defray any cost for advertising, transportation, pictures, frames, or other expenses as authorized by the Junior Livestock Sale Committee.
36. All sales are final at the Middle Park Junior Livestock Sale. Once the animal is sold there is to be no contact with the buyer regarding the trade or replacement of the sale animal by the exhibitor or family members.
37. Only Grand and Reserve Grand animals are allowed to have bows, flowers excreta on them. Decorations must be removed directly after the sale, as well as any adhesive used to attach it. Glitter and melting adhesives are not allowed.
Beef Rules
Market Beef: No animal born before January 1st of the previous year will be eligible to show.
38. The champion Middle Park Raised Market Beef must be a calf that was born and raised from a ranch or individual in Grand or Summit County.
39. All market beef sold at the fair must have a brand inspection.
40. Members will not be allowed to sell both a market heifer and a steer at the sale unless they are champion and reserve champion.
Hog Rules
Hogs: All market hogs must be born during current year of fair.
Swine weights: Minimum weight is 225lbs with a maximum weight of 295lbs.
Sheep / Goats
Goat weights: Minimum weight is 55lbs with no maximum, and a maximum of 3 market animals per member.
Lamb weights: Minimum weight is 100lbs with no maximum, and a maximum of 3 market animals per member.
41. Scrapie’s Tags: All intact males and female sheep and goats must have a Scrapie’s tag to be eligible for show at the Middle Park Fair. The Scrapie’s Tag must be in place from tag in date through attendance at fair.
42. Lambs: All market lambs must have their milk teeth in normal positions at time of check-in. Any lamb having lost one or both of their milk teeth will be disqualified. Dentition determines age of the animal and may be examined at weigh-in or tag-in. All animals must have both temporary central incisors (baby teeth) in place. Any evidence of tampering with tooth development will be cause for disqualification. The dentition’s decision will be final. Superintendents, Extension Director, or veterinarian all may be the dentition examiner.
43, Lambs must be slick shorn with no belly or flank wool for weigh-in. Wool foretops and boots may be left on lambs.
- The champion Middle Park Raised sheep and goat must be an animal that was born and raised from a ranch or individual in Grand or Summit county
Rabbits / Poultry
Turkey Weights: hens must be 13-30 lbs., and toms must be 19-30 lbs., and neither may be more than 20 weeks old.
Rabbit weights: Minimum weight is 3.5lbs with a maximum weight of 5.5lbs for all market classes and a maximum of 3 market pens per member.
Animal Identification
44. Horse, llama, alpaca, cat, and dog identification: All 4-H/FFA horse, llama/alpaca and dog members must identify their 4-H/FFA project horses and dog before May 1st of the current year. A current year’s horse or dog ID Certificate must be on file to be a 4-H/FFA member in good standing to participate in the Middle Park Fair & Rodeo 4-H/FFA horse and dog events.
Horse Rules
45. Protective Headgear Policy: A hunt cap (preferably SE1 or ASTM approved) with the safety harness fastened in place is required in over-fence classes and gymkhana events and activities. It is the responsibility of the parent or guardian of the 4-H/FFA member to see that the headgear worn complies with such standards and is in good condition. The state 4-H office encourages the use of safety helmets in all equine events.
46. To show in regular riding events at fair, a member must pass the Level One test of the Colorado Horse Levels Testing Program. If a member does not pass the Level One test, they will have the option to take the Safety Test and participate in the Walk/Trot category.
Round Robin Rules
47. The Round Robin competition is limited to the following species: beef, sheep, swine, horses, and goats. Any exhibitor that places Grand or Reserve Champion in showmanship in more than one species must identify their chosen species to exhibit in this event to the species superintendent no more than 30 minutes after the species show is completed. If additional exhibitors are needed to fulfill the needs of the competition, exhibitors may be selected for each age division beginning with the 3rd place winners and moving down the ranking until each species is well represented in the competition. This selection process is at the discretion of the Round Robin superintendent. The class schedule and its participants will be posted.