Amador County Fair Information

Amador County 4-H Youth Development Program
Requirements for Participation at County Fair

Youth may enroll in a project at anytime during the year, however the minimum requirements for successfully completing a Home Arts or Animal Science project, which qualifies the youth to participate in the County Fair are:

Requirements

1. All youth members, must complete enrollment before attending any 4-H meetings/activities.
2. Youth members must attend 80% of all project meetings held from September 1st to the Monday of Fair in the current program year.
   Note: If a youth member fails to satisfy this attendance requirement by the Monday of fair week, their fair eligibility will be revoked, they will not be allowed to participate in the fair as a 4-H member, and they will not be allowed to bring that exhibit to the fair.
3. Youth members must have a written 4-H record, Annual Project Report for each project, to provide proof of supervision, the length of project, attendance at meetings, and work completed in the project. 4-H Annual Project Reports must be submitted to the respective project leader and community club leader. Leaders will review the record and sign to signify satisfactory completion of the project.
4. Youth members represent the 4-H program while at fair and are expected to abide by the California 4-H YDP Youth Code of Conduct. Infractions of the 4-H Code of Conduct must be reported promptly by anyone observing them to the adult volunteer or staff in charge, who will bear final responsibility for disciplinary action.
5. Youth members must abide by the rules governing participation at the Amador County Fair and/or other qualifying fairs are as stated in the respective premium books, the current year State Rules for California Fairs, and CDFA’s Agreement Between 4-H Youth Development Program, Future Farmers of America, Grange and Independent Exhibitors.
6. Paper fair entry forms with required club and/or project leader signatures and online entries must be submitted by the youth member to the fair office by the deadline stated in the fair premium book.

Animal Science & Home Arts Project Policies

1. 4-H project animals are to be under the immediate control of the 4-H owner. If the animal is kept at a place other than the 4-H owner’s home or property, a letter with full explanation of facts will be written to the Amador County 4-H Ext. Office within 10 days.
2. Any abuse of an animal, unethical treatment or violations of these regulations by an exhibitor shall be referred to the County Director for disciplinary action and possible expulsion from the project.
3. State 4-H policy outlines age requirements for membership in the large livestock projects. Primary members (under the age of 9 as of January 1) will not be allowed to enroll in any project that requires large animal ownership, handling or exhibition. Primary members may not enroll in large animal projects such as: beef, dairy goat, market goat, horse, sheep, or swine projects. Primary members may enroll in the following small animal projects: rabbits, cavies, poultry, Pygmy, and Nigerian Dwarf goats.
4. Livestock ownership requirements for large/small animals will be as stated in the Amador County Fair Premium Book. In case of an emergency or excused absence at the time of fair contact the fair for current policy on allowing another member to show your animal for conformation. All Horse Lease Agreements must be turned into the Amador County 4-H Ext. Office within 120 days before fair.
5. At the beginning of the year youths must choose in which organization they will carry their ownership/entrepreneurial project (i.e., project animal). 4-H, FFA and Grange members may transfer projects between organizations once in a calendar year. Transfers must take place not less than sixty (60) days (or the number of days required for the ownership and supervision of respective species - whichever is greater) prior to the exhibit or award recognition of the project. Transfers between organizations should be documented using the Livestock Project Transfer Form. Youth who transfer their animal project from 4-H to another organization may continue to stay involved in a 4-H leadership capacity within the same project.
6. All Home Arts work must be created and/or owned by the 4-H exhibitor enrolled in a home arts project.

This information can be downloaded here ( Requirements for Participation at County Fair v.2021 ).

Amador County Fair

Amador County 4-H youth members may enter into the Junior Livestock, the Horse Show, Jr. Feature Exhibits and 4-H, Grange & FFA Department, if they meet the previous requirements.

California 4-H Uniform for Fair         

While a uniform is not required for participation in any 4-H sponsored activity, event, meeting or occasion. Fairs do not fall under the jurisdiction of the 4-H program and may require their own clothing for showing.  The CDFA Fairs and Exposition Rule Book and the 4-H Youth Development Organization do not mandate a uniform or attire for judging.

Uniform Information

California 4-H hats, ties, and scarves can be purchased at Leslie Carman 4-H Supplies.

This company is listed as a resource only and does not imply endorsement by the 4-H Youth Development Program.

Directions For Livestock Photo Upload Fair Declaration and Entry Forms and Other Documentation

Pre-Weigh Slip & Declaration of Ownership for Swine, Sheep, Replacement Heifers, Beef & Goats - DUE May 21st

Declaration of Ownership for Rabbit & Poultry - DUE May 21st

Junior Livestock - Junior Livestock Entry System (online only, Available May 2nd)

Amador County Fair Declaration of Medication Form

Amador County Fair Locally Bred Form

Horse Show - Horse Show Entry Form

Equine Lease Agreement Due to 4-H Office 3/23/2022

4-H, FFA, Grange & Open Junior Department  - Amador County Fair Entry Form

Junior Special Competitions  -   Junior Special Competition Entry Form

Junior Feature Exhibits

Annual Project Reports must be up-to-date and signed by your project leader. Please turn your A.P.R. into your project leader for fair by July 23.

Pre-Weigh-In

Amador County Quality Assurance and Ethics Awareness Requirement

All Amador County Fair Junior Livestock Exhibitors, excluding primary members and Horse, are required to have current Quality Assurance and Ethics Awareness training certification by March 24th for beef cattle and May 18th for all other market animals.

YQCA site: https://yqcaprogram.org/

California Department of Food and Agriculture

CDFA Fairs & Expositions

State Rules for California Fairs

4-H FFA Grange CDFA Agreement

CDFA Animal Health

Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship (VCPR) Practice Model – Youth Agriculture-CDFA Informational Brochure

Livestock Project Transfer

At the beginning of the year youths must choose in which organization they will carry their ownership/entrepreneurial project (i.e., project animal).

The Livestock Project Transfer Form that should be used when project animal transfers are taking place between organizations; 4-H, FFA, Grange, or Independent.

The form and policy regarding project transfers is outlined in the 4-H Policy Handbook Chapter 7, IV, E Animal Ownership.

Youth who transfer their animal project from 4-H to another organization may continue to stay involved in a 4-H leadership capacity within the same project.

Amador County Fair Dates

Heifer Replacement pregnancy check date of Saturday, March 26th (8 a.m. – 11 a.m.)

Beef Pre-weigh – Sunday, March 26th (9 a.m. – 10 a.m.)

4-H Equine Lease Agreement – due March 23 (to the 4-H OFFICE)

Sheep, Swine, Goats Pre-Weigh(optional for 2022) – Saturday, May 21st (7 a.m. – 11 a.m.)

Rabbits & Birds Exhibitors must declare by Saturday, May 21st

Register tattoo #’s for meat rabbits and pick up bands for meat birds 
Paperwork due May 21

Fair Clean-Up and Workday June TBA (9 a.m. – 1 p.m.)

Livestock ENTRY FORMS– Due Friday, June 3rd

Pen Set Up Sunday, TBA (8 a.m. – 1 p.m.)

Static Exhibits in place July 23 (10 a.m. – 4 p.m.) 

MANDATORY Livestock Exhibitor's Meeting – Tuesday, July 26th (3:00 p.m.)

Livestock Weigh-In – Tuesday, July 26th (Swine after vet check, Beef, Sheep, and Goats after Livestock Exhibitor's Meeting)

Heifer Replacement (2) color photographs due Tuesday at Fair weigh-in (July 26)

Junior Livestock Auction Sunday, July 31 (10:30 a.m.)

Still Exhibits pick-up Monday, August 1 (10 a.m. – 4 p.m.)