GENERAL INFORMATION
All “Open” livestock exhibitors must have their animals on the fairgrounds no later than 6 PM on Thursday, August 3, 2023. Animals will be released at 6 PM on Sunday, August 6, 2023. All livestock exhibitors, (including 4-H families and leaders) who wish to park a camper, or set up a tent, in livestock area, must pay the rental fee determined by the fair. The President will designate a member of the board to assign campsites and collect campsite rental. All campers must be parked in fair designated campsite lots, and must follow all rules established by the fair, and also rules established by D.H.H.S. for campgrounds at agricultural fairs. Cruelty to animals will not be tolerated! Any Exhibitor furnishing liquor to minors will be dismissed from the fairgrounds and all premiums will be forfeited!
GENERAL
A. All Livestock Exhibitors must complete an official Entry Form and turn it in to the Superintendent at time of arrival. Forms will be kept by the Fair Secretary.
B. ALL OPEN & 4-H LIVESTOCK EXHIBITORS WILL BE RELEASED AT 6:00 PM ON Sunday, August 6TH 2023. (An exception will be granted by the Animals Committee only for open exhibitors who are registered at other fairs beginning the following day.) Leaving early will result in forfeit of premiums. This includes rabbits.
C. 4-H & FFA members may enter an open livestock exhibit. Non 4-H and FFA exhibitors will be given first priority for invitations.
D. All Open Exhibitors must perform a 30 minute demonstration each day of the fair. The Superintendent will prepare this
schedule.
E. Livestock exhibitors are encouraged to bring an extra animal for display in the Animal Experience. Please help support this
exhibit. If interested, please call the Livestock Superintendent.
F. Open livestock exhibitors will be selected only by the invitation of the Animals Committee. To request an invitation, please
contact a member of the committee. PRIORITY WILL BE GIVEN TO LOCAL HERDS!
G. Open BEEF, DAIRY, GOAT, and SHEEP are open to both grade and registered female animals. State law requires that all
male animals over 6 months old shown at agricultural fairs be registered, and papers will be checked.
H. The Animals Committee reserves the right to limit entries to more or less entries than are published in this Premium Book.
I. Livestock and 4-H Exhibitors will get their Fair Passes from the Gate Superintendent.
LIABILITY INSURANCE
Livestock owners must have a certificate of general liability insurance on any animal you bring on the fairgrounds, or be covered by membership in the Maine Livestock Exhibitors Association.
SPECIAL NOTICES:
The Animals Committee has full authority over the entire livestock area, and their decision will be final and binding on all livestock exhibitors. Livestock are: all cattle, sheep, swine, rabbits, poultry, and/or any other animals brought into the livestock area as defined in this section.
All livestock exhibitors must obey the Rules of Governing the Prevention and Control of Certain Diseases of Domestic Animals and Poultry established by the Commissioner of Agriculture and regulated by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources, Division of Animal Health and Industry. (For a copy of these rules, contact the livestock superintendent. A copy will be on file in the livestock superintendent’s office.)
Scrapie tags are required for all sheep and goats that are exhibiting at the fair. Please contact DACF or USDA with questions.
BEDDING – HAY
Shavings will be provided for all 4-H and open livestock exhibitors only! All livestock exhibitors will be expected to have their
livestock exhibits neat and tidy for ALL fair hours!
ALL OPEN LIVESTOCK EXHIBIT CRITERIA
The purpose of this contest format will be to create a more attractive, more educational, and more interactive exhibit for fairgoers, and therefore the entrants will be judged accordingly. Entries in each category will be judged for their overall exhibit, and premiums will be paid accordingly. Judging will be ongoing throughout the fair week by a team of judges appointed by the livestock committee. They will use the following criteria to make their selection:
1) GENERAL APPEARANCE 30%
a) daily appearance of animals and stalls
b) daily appearance of exhibitors
c) neatness of equipment and tack 2) EDUCATIONAL VALUE 45%
a) signs, name cards, etc.
b) level of representation of the animals and industry represented c) cooperation with 4-H and FFA judging contests
d) demonstrating the preparation of animals for show
3) INTERACTION WITH FAIRGOERS 25%
a) time spent with the exhibit during fair hours
b) level of willingness to talk with fairgoers about the animals and industry represented c)
Division 1 – OPEN BEEF CATTLE
Open Beef Cattle exhibitors are required to display a herd of no less than 8 cattle consisting of a minimum of 2 calves, 2 heifers, and 2 cows. The remaining may be of any age. Exhibitors will be limited to one male animal that is less than 6 months old. All exhibitors are required to make their animals available for 4-H and FFA judging contests. Three entries by invitation in this class.
Premiums:
1st place overall beef exhibit......................................$600.00
2nd place overall beef exhibit.....................................$550.00
3rd place overall beef exhibit .....................................$500.00
Single entry worthy exhibitor (each) ............................$75.00
Division 2 – DAIRY CATTLE
Open Dairy Cattle exhibitors are required to display a herd of no less than 8 cattle consisting of a minimum of 2 calves, 2 heifers, and 2 cows (one of which must be milking and made available for the milking demonstration). The remaining may be of any age. Exhibitors will be limited to one male animal that is less than 6 months old. All exhibitors are required to make their animals available for 4-H and FFA judging contests. Three entries by invitation in this class.
Premiums:
1st place overall dairy exhibit.....................................$600.00
2nd place overall diary exhibit....................................$550.00
3rd place overall diary exhibit.....................................$500.00
Single entry worthy exhibitor (each) ............................$75.00
Division 3 – SHEEP
Open Sheep exhibitors are required to display a flock of no less than 8 sheep consisting of a minimum of 2 female lambs under 1 year old, and 2 yearling lambs over one year of age. The remaining may be of any age. All exhibitors are required to make their animals available for 4-H and FFA judging contests. Four entries by invitation in this class. Scrapie tags are required for all sheep and goats that are exhibiting at the fair. Please contact DACF or USDA with questions. Three entries by invitation in this class.
Premiums:
1st place overall sheep exhibit..................................... $500.00
2nd place overall sheep exhibit.................................... $475.00
3rd place overall sheep exhibit..................................... $450.00
4th place overall sheep exhibit..................................... $425.00
Single entry worthy exhibitor (each)................................$50.00
Division 4 – OPEN GOAT
Open Goat exhibitors are required to display a herd of no less than 6 goats, consisting of a minimum of 2 male or female goats less than 6 months of age, and 2 female goats over one year age. The remaining may be of any age. All exhibitors are required to make their animals available for 4-H and FFA judging contests and demonstrations. Four entries by invitation in this class. Scrapie tags are required for all sheep and goats that are exhibiting at the fair. Please contact DACF or USDA with questions. Three entries by invitation in this class.
Premiums:
1st place overall goat exhibit........................................ $500.00
2nd place overall goat exhibit....................................... $475.00
3rd place overall goat exhibit........................................ $450.00
4th place overall goat exhibit ....................................... $425.00
Single entry worthy exhibitor (each)................................$50.00
Division 5 – OPEN LARGE ANIMAL EXHIBIT
The open large animal contest is open to draft horses, oxen, llamas, buffalo, beefalo, exotic breeds of cattle and other animals approved by the livestock superintendent. Open Large animal exhibitors are required to display a herd/flock of no less than 6 animals, of which, at least 2 must be mature. The remaining may be of any age. Contact the superintendent for special barn/pen/cage requirements. Three entries by invitation in this class.
Premiums:
1st place overall large animal exhibit.......................$600.00
2nd place overall large animal exhibit .....................$550.00
3rd place overall large animal exhibit ......................$500.00
Single entry worthy exhibitor (each) ..........................$75.00
Division 6 – OPEN SMALL ANIMAL EXHIBIT
The open small animal contests is open to miniature horses, draft ponies, mules, donkeys, exotic sheep or goats, fallow or red deer, pigs, ostriches, emus, and other animals approved by the livestock superintendent. Open small animal exhibitors are required to display a herd/flock of no less than 6 animals, of which, at least 2 must be mature. The remaining may be of any age. Contact the superintendent for special barn/pen/cage requirements. Three entries by invitation in this class.
Premiums:
1st place overall small animal exhibit........................ $500.00
2nd place overall small animal exhibit....................... $475.00
3rd place overall small animal exhibit........................ $450.00
Single entry worthy exhibitor (each).............................$50.00
Division 7 – CATTLE BIRTHING EXHIBIT
The superintendent will invite exhibitors to display six cows that are scheduled to give birth during the fair dates. The fair will pay a premium of $100.00 for each cow that gives birth during the fair. Please contact the livestock superintendent if you have a cow you would like to enter in this exhibit.
Division 8 – MOTHER & BABY NURSERY DISPLAY
Mother and Baby Nursery Display exhibitors are required to display a mother and baby animal, cow/calf, ewe/lamb, pig/piglets, goat/kid, mare/foal, etc... Baby(s) must not be over 2 months of age at start of fair. Number of entries will be limited to five, and will be invited at the invitation of the Animals Committee. Please contact us if you are interested in being an exhibitor in this class. The five entries in each category will be judged for their overall exhibit, and premiums will be paid for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th place. Judging will be
ongoing throughout the fair week by a team of judges appointed by the Animals Committee.
Premiums:
1st place overall Mother/Baby exhibit ..................... $200.00
2nd place overall Mother/Baby exhibit..................... $190.00
3rd place overall Mother/Baby exhibit...................... $180.00
4th place overall Mother/Baby exhibit...................... $170.00
5th place overall Mother/Baby exhibit...................... $160.00
Five entries by invitation in this class.
DIVISION 9 - CHILD LIVESTOCK CONTESTS • Livestock Show Ring
The purpose of this contest is to create an opportunity for children ages 4-10 to participate in a livestock show contest at the Northern Maine Agricultural Fair. It is our hope that this contest will encourage kids to continue to participate for years to come as 4-H members, or Open livestock exhibitors.
Eligible animals for these contests are: Calves (under 6 months), donkeys, ponies, sheep, goats, alpacas, or piglets (under 35 lbs). Child must be able to control animal or may be asked to leave and forfeit premiums. Animals over six months old must be castrated.
These contests will be judged or timed solely at the discretion of the appointed judge and will be final. The judge may create additional “ribbon only” classes at his/her discretion.
Participants must be between the ages of 4 and 10 years old at time of fair. They may NOT be entered in any other Livestock or 4-H Livestock contest. Participants must follow all other rules of the Livestock Department, including insurance coverage (see page 5).
Each child may enter up to one animal per class as described below: Animal may be leased or borrowed as long as it has been in their possession for at least 30 days prior to the fair. Animals borrowed less than 30 days will be eligible for ribbon only.
Class #1 Showmanship - Children will show together in one group in a show ring format. They will be judged based on their ability to hand le the animal, pay attention to the judge, cleanliness of animal, and their overall ability to present their animal
Class #2 Obstacle Course - Children and the animal will be timed through a simple obstacle course designed by the judge.
Class #3 Costume Class - Children will show together in one group in a show ring format. Child and animal shall be dressed in costumes they have created. They will be judged based on the novelty, creativity, and quality of their costumes.
Premiums:
1st place in each class ........................................................$10.00
2nd place in each class......................................................... $7.00
3rd place in each class.......................................................... $6.00
4th place in each class ......................................................... $5.00
Every entry will receive a Ribbon for participation!
Division 10 - LIVESTOCK EDUCATIONAL EXHIBIT
The three entries in this category will be judged for their overall exhibit, and premiums will be paid for 1st, 2nd, & 3rd place. Judging will be ongoing throughout the fair week by a team of judges appointed by the Ag Education & Livestock Committee. They will use the following criteria to make their selection: Three entries by invitation in this class.
1) GENERAL APPEARANCE 30%
a) daily appearance of animals/display/ and or display area b) daily appearance of exhibitors
c) neatness of equipment/materials
2) EDUCATIONAL VALUE 45%
a) signage, educational content, etc.
b) level of representation of livestock and the industry represented 3) INTERACTION WITH THE FAIRGOERS 25%
a) time spent with the exhibit/exhibit during fair hours
b) level of willingness to talk with fairgoers about the animals and industry represented
Premiums:
1st place Livestock Educational exhibit ..................... $200.00
2nd place Livestock Educational exhibit .................... $150.00
3rd place Livestock Educational exhibit ..................... $100.00
