2011

GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS

FOR ALL JR. LIVESTOCK SHOWS

WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE TEXAS ANIMAL HEALTH COMMISSION RULES AND REGULATIONS. FOR A COPY OF THESE RULES CONTACT THE FAIR OFFICE.

NOTICE: All exhibitors are cautioned to read carefully the following rules and regulations as same will be strictly enforced without deviation of any kind.

GENERAL PROVISIONS

THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY FAIR ASSOCIATION RESERVES TO ITS OFFICERS AND/OR BOARD OF DIRECTORS THE FINAL AND ABSOLUTE RIGHT TO INTERPRET THESE RULES AND REGULATIONS AS SET FORTH FROM PAGE TO PAGE AND ARBITRARILY SETTLE AND DETERMINE ALL MATTERS, QUESTIONS AND DIFFERENCES IN REGARD THERETO OR OTHERWISE ARISING OUT OF CONNECTION WITH, OR INCIDENT TO THE SHOW.

The Officers and/or Board of Directors reserves the right to amend or add to these rules as it, in its judgment, may deem advisable.

In consideration for the opportunity to participate in the Show, each Exhibitor, and his or her immediate family member(s), parent(s), guardian(s) and/or representative(s), committeemen and volunteers agree to be bound by the General Rules and Special Rules as published herein. Any exhibitor and his or her immediate family member(s), parent(s), guardian(s) and/or representative(s), committeemen or volunteer who violates and/or refuses to follow any of the General Rules and/or Special Rules as published in these rules shall not be allowed to enter, tag-in and/or participate in the Montgomery County Fair, Show and/or Auction, and/or will forfeit all privileges and/or premiums won, and/or may forfeit all rights and privileges to enter, participate and/or exhibit in the future at the Montgomery County Fair.

In order to participate in the Montgomery County Fair, each exhibitor, and his or her immediate family member(s), parent(s), guardian(s) and/or representative(s), committeemen and volunteers shall be in good standing with the Montgomery County Fair Association. In the event any exhibitor, exhibitor’s immediate family member(s), parent(s), guardian(s) and/or representative(s), committeemen or volunteers (whether any of the above individually, or by, through and/or on behalf of any entity) owe money to the Montgomery County Fair Association for any reason whatsoever, said exhibitor, his or her immediate family member(s), parent(s), guardian(s) and/or representative(s), committeemen and volunteers shall not be allowed to enter, tag-in and/or participate in the Montgomery County Fair, Show and/or Auction.

THE FOLLOWING RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR ALL JR. LIVESTOCK SHOWS HAVE BEEN ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

1. The Show will open April 8, 2011 unless postponed by the Officers and/or Board of Directors which they hereby claim the right to do, either in part or whole, from any cause whatsoever, for the general good of all concerned.

2. The Montgomery County Fair Association, its Board of Directors, Officers, Officers-in-Charge, Division Chairmen, Committeemen, etc. will not be liable for any personal injuries, damages, fire, theft, accident and/or any matters resulting from or relating to the actions of any exhibitor, exhibitor’s immediate family member(s), parent(s), guardian(s), and/or representative(s), committeemen, volunteers, spectators, visitors, exhibits, animals, animal clinics, forfeiture of all awards and/or sale proceeds, non-payment of sale proceeds by an auction buyer(s), etc.

NOTE: In the event it is determined that the Montgomery County Fair Association is held liable with regard to an exhibitor’s animal, whether directly or indirectly relating to same, which liability is specifically denied by the Association, then in that event the limit of the Montgomery County Fair Association’s liability will not exceed the market value of the exhibitor’s animal (in its market class and weight) or the animal’s tankage price on the date of the Fair Auction Sale, which is hereby acknowledged and agreed to by each exhibitor as a condition of participating in the show.

3. Entrants and Exhibitors must be members in good standing of one of the following:

1) FFA – must have attended 50% of local Montgomery County FFA Chapter meetings from September through February.

2) 4-H enrolled members must have attended a minimum of three (3) local Montgomery County 4-H Club Meetings from September through February. This does not include project meetings.

3) Home Educated Student – must be a member of a Montgomery County 4-H Club and subject to Rule 3. 2) above. Only Home Educated Students, whom would have attended a private, public or parochial school within Montgomery County, are eligible to show.

Except as provided in GENERAL EXCEPTION (A), (B) or (C) below, all Entrants and Exhibitors must reside in Montgomery County (Residence to mean student who lives with parents, parent or legal guardian and sleeps in Montgomery County Five or more nights each week) and must be enrolled and attending classes in private, public, parochial school or be a home educated student in elementary or secondary schools in Montgomery County at the time of entry, registration and during the entire feeding period and subject to Rule 3. 1) or 2) referenced above.

GENERAL EXCEPTION (A): Any Entrant or Exhibitor who resides in Montgomery County (Residence to mean student who lives with parents, parent or legal guardian and sleeps in Montgomery County five or more nights each week), but because of school district boundaries, student is required to attend public school outside Montgomery County, or if a student attends a private or specialized school outside the county but resides in Montgomery County (see above), student must be a member in good standing and attended a minimum of 50% of club meetings of a Montgomery County 4-H Club or FFA.

GENERAL EXCEPTION (B): Any Entrant or Exhibitor who resides outside Montgomery County (Residence to mean student who lives with parents, parent or legal guardian and sleeps outside Montgomery County five or more nights each week), but because of school district boundaries, student is required to attend public school inside Montgomery County, student must be a member in good standing and attended a minimum of 50% of club meetings of a Montgomery County 4-H Club or FFA.

GENERAL EXCEPTION (C): Any Entrant or Exhibitor who resides outside Montgomery County (Residence to mean student who lives with parents, parent or legal guardian and sleeps outside Montgomery County five or more nights each week), but because parents, parent or legal guardian is employed by a private, public or parochial school district or system in Montgomery County and the Entrant or Exhibitor is enrolled and attending classes in the same private, public or parochial school district or system in Montgomery County, student must be a member in good standing and attending a minimum of 50% of club meetings of a Montgomery County 4-H Club or FFA.

Any Entrant or Exhibitor who qualified under GENERAL EXCEPTION (A), (B) or (C) above, may be allowed to participate by completing a Special General Exception Form, but only after official acceptance, which requires approval by the Montgomery County Fair Association. All General Exception Forms are due on the date/time of tag-in of animal exhibitor is showing or a specified date in each division rules.

4. If a student is ineligible to show his/her project or show animal the following procedure MUST be followed:

A student planning to show Livestock and/or poultry in the Montgomery County Fair may request, from the Officer-in-Charge of the Livestock Division and/or Division Chairman, that a substitute exhibitor be allowed to show (show meaning judging and sale of animal) his animal. The request will be considered by the Officer-in-Charge and/or Division Chairman only if the VAT/CEA, parent or leader presents a written document from the appropriate school. The document must state that the owner of the animal in question is failing a course and will not be allowed to show his animal. It must be prepared and signed by an individual in the school authorized to make such a statement (principal, superintendent, assistant superintendent, etc.) THIS DOCUMENT MUST BE TURNED IN WITH DRUG FORM.

The Officer-in-Charge and/or Division Chairman may use his own discretion as to whether a substitute showman will be allowed. If a positive decision is rendered, the substitute showman may be the brother or sister of the exhibitor or must be enrolled in the same FFA Chapter or 4-H Club as the original exhibitor requesting the substitution. However, if there is no eligible substitute showman pursuant to the above, then the appointment of a substitute showman will be at the discretion of the Officer-in-Charge and/or Division Chairman. An exhibitor cannot show more than one (1) animal in a division. (Example: If an exhibitor is showing a Lamb, he cannot be a substitute showman in that division). If an exhibitor had the Grand animal and sold the animal the prior year in the Auction, he cannot show as a substitute showman in that division. The substitute must also meet all requirements of a junior livestock show exhibitor in the Montgomery County Fair Association. Under no circumstances will substitutions of this nature be considered or permitted unless the request is accompanied by the written statement from the appropriate school official or VAT/CEA. No substitute showman will be allowed to participate in the showmanship portion of the show.

5. Entries must be the bonafide property of the exhibitor.

6. There will be a $20.00 entry fee on Market Steers, Market Lambs, Market Barrows, Colts, Replacement Heifers, Market Rabbits, Breeding Beef, Poultry and Goats. Exhibitors will receive an armband that entitles them to free entry to the fairgrounds, April 8th – April 10th. No entries will be accepted by fax.

NO REFUNDS FOR ENTRIES. SHOULD AN EXHIBITOR, CEA/VAT OR 4-H MANAGER FAIL TO GET AN ENTRY CARD IN BY THE ENTRY DUE DATE, A LATE FEE OF $250.00 MAY BE ASSESSED. THE ANIMAL MUST ALREADY HAVE BEEN VALIDATED ON THE ORIGINAL TAG-IN DATE AND HAIR MAY BE PULLED FOR POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION. ALL OTHER RULES MUST HAVE BEEN FOLLOWED.

7. Classification will be done by a classifier(s) selected by the Judges Committee and approved by the Rules Committee.

8. Entry fees and entries must be submitted to the Fair Office by 5:00 p.m., Friday, February 25, 2011 by respective FFA Advisors, County Agents or 4-H Club Managers. 4-H Club summaries are due in the 4-H Office on Tuesday, February 15, 2011. NO LATE ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED.

9. All animals must stay in the barn from 8:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. each night after they are checked in, with the exception of animals checking out immediately following their respective shows. Any exercising or walking of animals will be done in the arena or in the designated exercising area.

10. No Fans will be allowed in the Aisles (they can be hanging or placed in feed aisles). No Generators in the Barn.

11. Check out must be approved by the Division Chairman or his representative. All animals must have releases, obtained from Division Chairman or his representative.

a. Livestock Release forms will require the following information: Exhibitor’s Name, Club, Vehicle License Number, Person Picking up Animal, Slaughter Plant Name (if applies), Tag Number of Animal and Parent or Exhibitor’s Signature.

12. Division Chairmen have the right to combine classes if insufficient in number and create a class or classes if deemed necessary.

13. Any animal that is to be exhibited in the Junior Livestock Show must be cared for in Montgomery County (EXCEPTION: See General Exception Rule, Page ). They must be under the daily care of and trained, fitted or dressed for show by the Junior Exhibitor under the direction and assistance from parents, siblings, grandparents or legal guardians; CEA’s or VAT’s from Montgomery County; or other feeders or leaders from Montgomery County. Each Exhibitor and his or her immediate family member(s), parent(s), guardian(s) and/or representative agree that in exchange for participation in the Junior Livestock Show they will allow Montgomery County Fair Association representative(s) permission to enter unannounced onto the property where the Exhibitor’s project is located for purposes of inspection.

14. DECISIONS OF CLASSIFIERS AND/OR SIFTERS IN ALL DIVISIONS WILL BE FINAL AT THE TIME OF SUCH CLASSIFICATION AND/OR SIFT, AND PROTESTS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED BY THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY FAIR ASSOCIATION, AND ALL SIFTED ANIMALS MUST BE REMOVED FROM THE GROUNDS.

15. Committees to inspect/sift livestock may be appointed in such divisions as the Officer-in-Charge and/or Division Chairman deems advisable. It is the duty of the inspection/sifting committee to pass upon the eligibility of animal(s) for show purposes before judging begins. These committees shall be empowered and required to eliminate from entry, tag-in, participation and/or the Show any animal which, in their judgment, is not qualified for competition, and upon the recommendation of the committee, the Officer-in-Charge and/or Division Chairman may require such animal(s) not to be allowed to enter, tag-in and/or participate in the Montgomery County Fair, Show and/or Auction, and/or to be removed from the show grounds.

16. The Officer-in-Charge and/or Division Chairman reserve the right not to allow entry, tag-in, participation, and/or to remove from the grounds any exhibit, animal, stand or show they deem unsuitable or objectionable. No wild or unruly animals will be accepted. The Officers and/or Executive Committee also reserve the right to return any entry money already paid. Officer-in-Charge and/or Division Chairman will not be required to furnish reasons for such actions, the return of the exhibitor’s and/or purchaser’s money exonerates the association from any claim by the exhibitor or purchaser.

17. Each exhibitor and his/her immediate family member(s), exhibitor’s guardian(s), parent(s) and/or representative(s), committeemen, volunteers, spectators and/or visitors, violating and/or not cooperating with security personnel, officers, Officer-in-Charge, Division Chairmen, committeemen and/or officials of the Fair in all matters, policy, these rules and regulations, parking, laws of the State of Texas, etc., may not be allowed to enter, tag-in, and/or participate, may have their entries cancelled, and/or may be ordered to exit and/or remove their exhibit(s) from the grounds immediately, and/or may forfeit all rights and privileges to enter, participate and/or exhibit in the future at the Montgomery County Fair.

18. Animal/Exhibitor Disqualification: To foster fair competition, to provide a level playing field, and to protect the safety of food, the showing of unethically fitted livestock, livestock of any ineligible age for exhibition in the class entered or animals being administered unapproved drugs is strictly prohibited.

A. Unethical Fitting: Unethical fitting means any attempt to alter the natural appearance, conformation, musculature or weight of an animal by any unnatural means. Unethical fitting includes the use of injections or feeding of material not conducive to the health of the animal, safety of food or marketability of its carcass. Unethical fitting also includes, but is not limited to, airing injections and bruising. Animals showing signs of having been unethically fitted may be disqualified.

B. Over Age Animals: Over age animals will be disqualified.

C. Illegal Use of Unapproved Drugs: The showing of any animal that has been administered during its life any quantity of any unapproved drug, chemical or medication is strictly prohibited. Such drugs include, but are not limited to, any diuretic, unapproved growth stimulant or other unapproved medication. Unapproved means not approved by the Food Drug Administration (FDA) and/or the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for slaughter animals including animals that may be destined for human consumption. Use of unapproved drugs is illegal by violation of federal law.

D. Legal Use of Approved Drugs: If any approved drug has been administered to the animal, sufficient time must have passed so that the animal does not test positive for any drugs or chemicals at weigh in.

E. Animal inspection: As condition for participation in the Show, exhibitor must agree to submit any animal entered by the exhibitor for inspection. Exhibitor agrees to have such animal submitted to any tests requested by the Show. Exhibitor also agrees that the opinion reached by the Show or its officials as to whether such animal is unethically fitted or over age shall be final and binding without recourse against the Show or any of its officers. Further, the Show specifically reserves the right to have tissue, blood or urine laboratory analysis made on any animal entered for competition. The conclusions reached by the laboratory as to whether such animal has been administered a diuretic, unapproved growth stimulant or other unapproved medication, or has not been properly withdrawn from approved drugs shall be final and binding without recourse against the Show or any of its officers. An exhibitor of an animal testing positive for any drug or medication or unapproved chemical may forfeit all rights and privileges to exhibit livestock in the future at the Show.

F. Extra-Label Use of Drugs: The use by non-veterinarians of animal drugs or other substances in any manner other than in accord with the labeling approved by FDA is extra-label drug use and is illegal by violation of federal law. Exhibitor and exhibitor’s parents and/or guardians agree that: (1) they are absolutely responsible persons for the care and custody of their animals (2) the Montgomery County Fair Association shall be entitled to disqualify an exhibitor whose animal tests positive for any drug, even if the exhibitor and the exhibitor’s parents or guardians are innocent of any wrongdoing and did not administer the drug, and (3) the drug test results of the testing laboratories are final and binding upon the exhibitor and exhibitor’s parents and/or guardians. Even if the source of the drug is unknown, the Montgomery County Fair Association shall be entitled to disqualify the exhibitor.

*Abuse of the extra-label drug use privilege or non-compliance of FDA extra-label drug use policy by veterinarians is illegal by violation of federal law and is subject to serious consequences such as license revocation by the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners.

19. All Junior Market Animals will be required to have a drug certification form signed by the following:

1) JUNIOR EXHIBIT OR
2) PARENT OR GUARDIAN; AND
3) CEA OR VAT

This form MUST be brought to the Show and given to the Show Officials by the exhibitor at the time that the market animals are checked-in. NO junior market animal will be allowed to show without this drug certification form properly filled out.

20. All protests to any ruling and/or to any provision of these rules and regulations set forth from Page to Page must be in writing and be accompanied by a deposit of $50.00 which will be forfeited if protest is not sustained. Such protest must state plainly the cause of complaint or appeal, and must be delivered to the Fair Office and notice given to the Officer-in-Charge and/or Division Chairman immediately after occasion for such protest. Protests will be accepted prior to judging. Judging procedures will not be interrupted for protest investigation. Depending on the basis of the protest, a decision may be withheld until complete investigation is done. All protests will be determined by a special committee made up of five members consisting of the Officer-in-Charge, Division Chairman, and three other members from the rules committee and/or Board of Directors. Every exhibitor, in consideration of his entry being accepted by the Montgomery County Fair Association, agrees that the conclusion reached by the protest special committee shall be final, without recourse against the Montgomery County Fair Association, its Board of Directors, Officer-in-Charge, Division Chairmen, Committeemen, etc. (See General Provisions set forth on Page ).

21. Exhibitors from the same immediate family will be able to tag in their animals without specifying which animal belongs to which exhibitor in the immediate family, however, each child’s name must be listed on each tag-in card. THERE MUST BE AS MANY ANIMALS AS THERE ARE EXHIBITORS (EX. THREE CHILDREN IN THE FAMILY – THERE MUST BE AT LEAST THREE ANIMALS TAGGED IN). The tag number of the animal they will show will be determined at the time of weigh-in. If two animals of the same division are tagged in, the first animal weighed will be the animal that is shown.

22. No scales except the official scales will be permitted on the grounds. No trailer parking will be permitted on the grounds.

23. Ages for Showmanship will be Junior - 13 and under and Senior - 14 and over. Ages will be based on age the day of the show.