SHEEP PROJECTS

There are two sheep projects: Market Lamb Project and Record Book, Pilot Sheep Breeding Project and Record Book. For all Sheep projects, complete the appropriate Project and Record Book each year. The Sheep Resource Handbook is also needed for these projects but only needs to be purchased once and can be used by multiple family members.

 

SHEEP GENERAL REGULATIONS 

• Possession Dates – All project animals must be in the possession and care of the Junior Fair participant by the following dates

  • April 1st of the current year for Market Lamb projects

  • May 1st of the current year for Breeding Sheep projects

• Registrations - All sheep projects must meet the following registration deadlines. Late or missing paperwork will make the participant ineligible to compete in the current year at the Hamilton County Community Fair.

  • 4-H Enrollment Form deadline – March 1st

  • Project Commitment Form deadline – May 7th

  • Market Animal Registration Form deadline for Market Lambs only – Within 7 days of the above possession date

  • Market Animal Registration Forms must also include four (4) photos of the animal, and current tags or scrapie number.

  • All forms will be submitted online. 

• Quality assurance - Junior Fair participants who wish to exhibit a market or dairy animal are required to attend the Livestock Quality Assurance training, along with a parent or guardian. 

• All market lambs must be properly identified and reported as such on the Market Animal Registration Form.

  • ANY sheep of ANY age on the fairgrounds MUST have a Scrapies ID # tag/microchip/tattoo on their body. This is a requirement for the Hamilton County Community Fair and supersedes any other county or state fair rule.

• All sheep brought to the fairgrounds are required to be in accordance with the current health regulations

       AND the current Scrapie Program Regulations according to the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

• Health papers must be given to the Species Superintendent by weigh-in time if the animal is transported across a state line for exhibition. Health papers must be dated within 30 days of the show.

• Animals not properly ID’d upon arrival at the fairgrounds will be immediately sent home and disqualified from showing.

• In the event of the death of a sheep project animal, the Junior Fair participant must notify the Species Superintendent immediately and the death must be verified by the Species Superintendent or a Hamilton County Community Fair Board Member. If a market lamb project animal dies before May 15th, the Junior Fair participant has 14 days to purchase a replacement animal. If a project animal dies on or after May 15th, the animal may not be replaced

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MARKET LAMBS

• Market lambs may not be on pasture after April 1st.  They must be on dry feed only. 

• Market lambs must be born on or after December 1 of the previous year.

• Market lambs must weigh a minimum of 90 pounds in order to sell in the Livestock Sale.

• Market lambs must come to fair with Scrapie Identification as required by Ohio Livestock Rules.

• Only slick shear cuts (1/4 inch or less) will be permitted on market lambs.

• Animals must be brought to the fairgrounds slick-sheared and clean.

• Wet market lambs will not be weighed.

• A total of three (3) market lambs may be exhibited/sold by a Junior Fair participant at the Hamilton County

      Community Fair.

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Breeding Sheep

• All breeding project animals must have some form of identification stage for the Project Commitment Form.

• Breeding sheep must come to the fair with Scrapie Identification as required by Ohio Livestock Rules.​​

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​SHEEP SHOW

JR. FAIR PARTICIPANT ATTIRE

• A clean, appropriately buttoned, tucked-in, collared shirt with short or long sleeves.

• Long blue or black slacks/jeans or a skirt falling at or below the knee.

• Footwear must consist of work boots or heavy shoes. Athletic-type shoes are NOT permitted.

 

SHEEP SHOWMANSHIP 

• For all species, the 4-H youth must participate in his/her respective showmanship class in order to participate in other classes in the species show.

• If there are less than 2 participants in either Senior or Junior Showmanship, these classes will be combined. The combined class will be used as the Showman of Showmen Run-Off.

• Senior Showmanship

  • Open to all sheep exhibitors 14 – 18 years old (as of January 1st of the current year)

• Junior Showmanship

  • Open to all sheep exhibitors 8 – 13 years old (as of January 1st of the current year)

• Novice Showmanship

  • Open to all Junior Fair participants in the Junior or Senior age group showing a sheep project for the FIRST TIME EVER. A participant may OPT OUT of Novice Showmanship and show in their age category but must notify the Species Superintendent.

  • If there are fewer than 3 novice participants the Species Superintendent may choose not to hold a novice class. In this case, the participants would show in their age category.

 

SHEEP SHOW CLASSES

 

Market Lambs

Single Market Lamb

Home Grown Single Market Lamb

Pair of Market Lambs

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Sheep Breeding - May be separated into classes if deemed necessary by the Species Superintendent

Ram Lamb

Ewe - under 1 year (as of July 31 of the current year)

Ewe - over 1 year and under 2 years (as of July 21 of the current year)

Ewe - 2 years and over (as of July 31 of the current year) and produced offspring

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**The Species Superintendent is not required to hold any class that has less than 3 participants. Under these circumstances, classes may be combined as the superintendent deems appropriate.

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AWARDS FOR SHEEP SHOW

• 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place ribbons will be given in each sheep class.

• Grand and Reserve Champion banners will be given for Market Lamb, Sheep Breeding, Pair of Market Lambs, and Home-Grown Lamb.

• 1st and 2nd Place winners in Showmanship will receive trophies.

• Top Exhibitor and Reserve Top Exhibitor Awards will be given for both Junior and Senior divisions. These winners will be the Junior Fair participants who have the two highest combined scores from the four project program areas: Project Judging, Skillathon, Showmanship placing, and Class placings.

• To qualify for Top Exhibitor Awards the participant must participate in EACH of the four project program areas and receive a minimum score of 80% on Project Judging and Skillathon.

• Top Exhibitors will receive a monetary award. Top Exhibitor Awards are given at the Awards Ceremony. 

• Exhibitors showing in Novice Showmanship are not eligible for Top Exhibitor Awards.