Section 991-2-01 - Junior livestock division competitions(A) Definitions- (1) "Unethical fitting"-means to alter or change the natural appearance, weight, musculature or conformation of an animal in an unnatural or artificial manner, including but not limited to, the removal of animal tissue or body part, to cut or tear the hide, to cover, dye or color the hair or hide, to add artificial tailheads, switches, polls, hair, or heals, or to administer, feed, give or inject any substance or drug to an animal exhibited, except when medically necessary or when the drug used has been approved for such use by the food and drug administration or United States department of agriculture. (2) "Classification"-means the eligibility requirements and qualifications for a competition of a particular breed of animal as determined by the national association for junior shows or a breeding association recognized by the agricultural director of the Ohio expositions commission. (3) "Immediate family" means a mother, father, brother, sister, grandparent, uncle or aunt of an exhibitor by marriage or by law. (B) Competition eligibility (1) Exhibitors at the Ohio state fair must be a member in good standing of Ohio state 4-H or FFA. (2) Exhibitors must be between the ages of nine and nineteen years. An exhibitor is eligible when he or she reaches the age of nine years or the third grade as of January first of the same year in which an entry is made at the Ohio state fair. Eligibility ends when an exhibitor reaches the age of nineteen years as of December thirty-first of the same year in which an entry is made in the Ohio state fair. (3) Exhibitors must present a certificate of registration from a recognized breeding association certifying that the exhibitor's entry in the Ohio state fair meets the qualifications of the animal breed classification exhibited, with the exception of steer, crossbred gilt, barrow, market lamb, poultry, dog, saddle horse and rabbit entries. Recognition of breeding associations shall be determined by the agricultural director of the Ohio expositions commission. A list of recognized breeding associations shall be published or made available to the public on or before January first of each year. A certificate of registration must be submitted no later than opening day of the Ohio state fair, with the exception of simmental junior heifer calf entries. (4) Exhibitors must present a signed statement from their Ohio state 4-H or FFA advisor certifying that they meet the eligibility requirements for exhibiting the animal in the same or a similar category, division or competition of a county or independent fair. (5) The Ohio expositions commission may limit the number of entries made by an exhibitor in a classification due to space limitations. (6) All market animals exhibited at the Ohio state fair must be fully owned by the exhibitor as evidenced by a bill of sale or registration, including all showing rights, and in the complete custody and care of the exhibitor on or before June first for market lambs and barrows, and on or before January first for market steers, of the year of the competition. Ownership of an animal shall be considered lost if the animal has been consigned or lost after the applicable date even if the animal is bought back by the exhibitor. (C) Entry Forms (1) Entry forms must be in writing and shall include the following information: (a) Name, address and telephone number of the individual, partnership, Ohio state 4-H chapter or FFA chapter making the entry; (b) Age of the animal and date of birth, purchase or acquisition of the animal; (c) Social security number of each individual making an entry; (d) Name and address of the exhibitor's Ohio state 4-H or FFA advisor; (e) Name and address of the Ohio state 4-H chapter or FFA chapter of which the exhibitor is a member; (f) Name of the animal entry; (g) Section number of the animal entry; (h) Class number of the animal entry; (i) Breed of the animal entry; (j) Registration number of the animal entry; (k) A statement from the individual, partnership, Ohio state 4-H chapter or FFA chapter making the entry that all of the information on the entry form is truthful, complete and accurate; (l) A statement from the individual, partnership, Ohio state 4-H chapter or FFA chapter making the entry that all of the rules and regulations of the Ohio exposition commission have been complied with in making the entry; (m) A statement from the individual, partnership, Ohio state 4-H chapter or FFA chapter making the entry that the exhibitor has had sole custody and control of the animal since the animal's birth or the date the animal was purchased or acquired by the exhibitor; (n) A statement from the individual, partnership, Ohio state 4-H chapter or FFA chapter making the entry that the animal has not been tampered with or fitted in an unethical manner; (2) Entry forms shall be published no later than May first of each year. (3) Entry forms and all required attachments shall be submitted to the Ohio state fair no later than June twentieth of each year, with the exception of rabbit and poultry entries which shall be submitted no later than July first of each year. (4) Partnerships may submit entries at the Ohio state fair if the partnership was formed no later than June first of the same year in which an entry is made at the Ohio state fair. (5) FFA chapters may submit entries to compete in the junior livestock division of the Ohio state fair if a certificate accompanies the application from the FFA advisor which certifies that the chapter has cared for the animal since June first of the same year in which an entry is made in the Ohio state fair, or an earlier deadline for an exhibitor participating at a county or independent fair during the same year in which an entry is made in the Ohio state fair. (D) Prohibited conduct (1) No exhibitor shall enter an animal in a competition in the junior livestock division of the Ohio state fair that has not been fully owned, cared for or in the custody of the exhibitor since the date of the animal's birth or the date on which the animal was purchased or acquired by the exhibitor. (2) No exhibitor shall enter an animal in a competition in the junior livestock division of the Ohio state fair that has been handled, fitted, groomed, showed, or exhibited by another person, except a member of the exhibitor's immediate family or another junior exhibitor. Each exhibitor showing a market animal shall register with the agricultural director of the Ohio expositions commission or his designee on the first day for registration of the Ohio state fair, the name of the person from the immediate family or another junior exhibitor that may assist the exhibitor in the preparation or grooming of the animal entered in a competition. (3) No exhibitor shall enter an animal in a junior livestock division competition of the Ohio state fair that has been unethically fitted in any way. (4) No exhibitor shall enter an animal in a junior livestock competition that is ineligible as to age for the particular classification. (5) No exhibitor shall falsify any information included in an entry form submitted to the Ohio state fair. (6) No exhibitor shall engage in unsportsmanlike or disorderly conduct. (7) No participant shall unethically fit or alter another exhibitor's animal entry. (E) Prizes (1) Prizes for each animal classification shall be determined by the agricultural director of the Ohio expositions commission and shall be published no later than May first of each year. (2) Prizes are subject to forfeiture by an exhibitor for violations of the junior livestock division rules and regulations upon a final determination of a violation pursuant to paragraph (h) of this rule. (F) Exhibitor responsibility. The exhibitor shall be the absolute insurer of and shall be responsible for the condition of an animal exhibited at the Ohio state fair junior livestock competition, regardless of the acts of third parties. Should the testing and inspection procedures used by the Ohio expositions commission evidence for the presence of a foreign substance or any drug not medically necessary or not approved for such use by the food and drug administration or United States department of agriculture, the exhibitor, a member of the exhibitor's immediate family or any other person shown to have had care, custody or attendance of the animal way, in the discretion of the Ohio expositions commission, may be subjected to the penalties provided for in paragraph (i) of this rule.
(G) Testing and inspection of animals (1) The general manager of the Ohioexpositions commission or his designated agent may conduct testing or inspection of any and all animals entered in a junior livestock division competition before, during or after the competition to carry out the following purposes: (a) To determine whether an animal qualifies for competition in a particular breed classification; (b) To determine whether the animal has been unethically fitted in any manner; (c) To determine whether any false information or representation was made in a competition entry. (2) All animals entered in the junior livestock division are subject to inspection or testing by the Ohio department of agriculture pursuant to Title IX of the Revised Code, or any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder. (H) Rule violations (1) Upon receiving a report or evidence of a violation of these rules, the general manager of the Ohio expositions commission shall notify the affected person in writing of a suspected rule violation and the nature of the suspected violation prior to the initiation of any proceedings to disqualify the person or entry under paragraph (H)(3) of this rule. (2) The general manager of the Ohio expositions commission shall report a suspected rule violation to the Ohio expositions commission or a committee of the commission appointed to hear such matters within fifteen days of receiving a report or evidence of a violation(s) of these rules, or within five days of the completion of a preliminary inquiry of the matter by the general manager of the Ohio expositions commission, whichever is later. (3) Upon receiving a report or recommendation from the general manager of the Ohio expositions commission to initiate proceedings against a person or entry for a violation(s) of these rules, the Ohio expositions commission or a committee appointed by the commission to hear such matters may issue notice of its intention to disqualify an entry made in the junior livestock competition, the exhibitor or a member of his immediate family, or any other person shown to have had care, custody or attendance of the animal. The notice shall be in writing and state the grounds for such disqualification, including a statement of the evidence of any rule violation, a statement of the rules violated, and a statement of the penalties to be imposed. The notice shall inform the affected person of the right to a hearing before the Ohio expositions commission and the right to review the evidence of any rule violation, the right to present evidence in support of the person's case, the right to present any arguments, contentions or other objections to the commission, and the right to be represented by counsel at the hearing. The commission shall maintain a record of the hearing. (4) Any request for a hearing shall be in writing, and shall be filed with the Ohio expositions commission within thirty days from the date on which the exhibitor or person was issued a notice of intention to disqualify the entry, exhibitor or other person. Upon receiving a request for a hearing, a hearing shall be held at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the commission. The hearing may be continued upon motion of the affected person or the commission, at the discretion of the commission. (5) Upon hearing all the evidence and arguments in the case of disqualification, the commission shall render its final decision in writing to the affected person. The decision shall set forth the basis for the decision and the penalties imposed by the commission as provided for in paragraph (I) of this rule. (I) Penalties (1) An exhibitor determined to have violated these rules pursuant to the procedure set forth in paragraph (h) of this rule may be subject to the following penalties at the discretion of the Ohio expositions commission; (a) Forfeiture of prize money; (b) Forfeiture of sale money; (c) A person proven to have violated any rule may be barred from competing at future competitions at the Ohio state fair for a minimum of three years. (2) A person proven to have violated these rules pursuant to the procedure set forth in paragraph (h) of this rule, and subsequently barred from competition, may request in writing a review of the Ohio expositions commission's decision after three years from the date on which the Ohio expositions commission entered a decision to bar the person. (J) Show (1) Exhibitors must show their own animals, except in the following circumstances: (a) The exhibitor is impaired; (b) The exhibitor has two entries in the same class; (c) The exhibitor presents a copy of the entry form or other documentation establishing the need for an early release or late arrival to the agricultural director of the Ohio expositions commission or his designee in advance of the show date. (d) The exhibitor shall be granted only one early release or late arrival; (K) Protests (1) Protests regarding any junior livestock competition shall be in writing and signed by the party making the protest. (2) Protests regarding any junior livestock competition shall be submitted to the general manager of the Ohio expositions commission no later than twelve noon of the day following the competition. (3) Any party making a protest shall submit a fee of one hundred dollars to the Ohio expositions commission. The fee shall be refunded only if the protest is sustained by the general manager. (4) The general manager of the Ohio expositions commission shall hold a meeting regarding the protest at which time the party making the protest may present evidence or argument in support of the protest. (5) The written decision of the general manager shall be final and shall be served by mail on the party making the protest within ten days of the date on which the protest was heard. (L) Terminal show All market animals that win their division as champion or reserve grand champion shall be slaughtered upon their sale. The exhibitor shall release the animal to the care and custody of the agricultural director of the Ohio expositions commission or his designee for delivery of the animal on the date and time designated by the agricultural director. The exhibitor shall maintain absolute responsibility and care or custody of the animal until such time as it is released to the agricultural director.
Ohio Admin. Code 991-2-01
R.C. 119.032 review dates: 09/11/2012 and 09/11/2017
Promulgated Under: 111.15
Statutory Authority: 991.01 -03, 121.22(f)
Rule Amplifies: 991.02, 991.05
Prior Effective Dates: 6/30/2000, 7/13/1995