Youth Exhibitors

The Berkeley County Youth Fair reserves to its Executive Board for the final and absolute right to interpret these rules and regulations and arbitrate, settle, and determine all matters in regard to and to add or amend them as they may deem advisable.

1. 1. All non-market animals must be pre-registered online by June 15, 2025. Entries to be registered on-line at www.berkeleycountyyouthfair.org.
   2. Exhibitors will be able to register market animals on-line prior to check-in. All market animals MUST be brought to fairgrounds on designated check in day and ear tagged to be shown and sold at the 2025 fair. An exhibitor may tag two animals per species. Market steers will be ear tagged on December 14, 2024, between 8:00 am and 10:00 am. Market goats, market lambs and market hogs will be ear tagged on April 26, 2025. Market hogs between 7:00 am and 10:00 am. Market goats and market lambs between 10:00 am and 12:00 pm. All non-required tags must be removed prior to check in.
   3. NEW: All market animals will be tagged with a RFID tag and a visual tag. If at the time of weigh in of a specific species a concern regarding identification arises, the situation will be handled by the 3rd VP, Livestock Chair, and species chairperson. .
   4. All poultry must be blood tested on July 19, 2025, from 9 am – 12pm. Other Fowl (pigeons, doves, turkeys, quail, pheasants etc. must be banded at this time at the Berkeley County Youth Fair Grounds to show at the 2025 fair.
   5. It is mandatory that all livestock exhibitors or parent/guardian attend one fair sponsored workshop prior to the fair. 1st and 2nd year livestock exhibitors will be required to attend one of the 1st and 2nd year livestock workshops as their mandatory workshop. If the exhibitor or parent/guardian are not present, the exhibitor does not show or sell at the 2025 fair. Workshop dates will be determined by the fair and posted to the fair Facebook page and website.
   6. It is mandatory that all livestock exhibitors attend individual species meetings on Saturday, August 2, 2025. Times will be posted at registration on August 2, 2025, at 8:00 am.
   7. Exhibitors may only bring one market animal per species to fair registration on Saturday, August 2, 2025. The market animal that is to be shown must be determined prior to the arrival on the fairgrounds.
   8. No animals shall be unloaded until health papers are checked and approved by a state official designated by the fair. Fair officials reserve the right to reject any animal which is designated or otherwise undesirable. All animals arriving on a truck with contaminated animals will be sent home. The final disposition of all entries shall be made by WVDA Animal Health Inspector or in their absence, a local fair official.
   9. Breeds will show separate for breeding classes as indicated in species section for 2025. All market animals will be shown by weight divisions.
   10. In order to show in a registered breeding class, animal must be registered, and registration papers submitted to the species chairperson by July 16, 2025. Registration papers can be uploaded during registration via the registration portal, sent via email to li*******@be*********************.org or mailed to Berkeley County Youth Fair, Attn: Livestock, P.O. Box 1302, Martinsburg, WV, 25402. If registration papers are not in exhibitor’s name, a lease form must be completed for each animal. Acceptable lease forms can be found on the Berkeley County Youth Fair website at www.berkeleycountyyouthfair.org. (Excludes rabbits and poultry
   11. Exhibitors must keep area clean and properly care for animals throughout the fair week. Animal pens must be cleaned regularly. Repeat offenders will be required to remove all animals from the fair.
   12. Closed-toe shoes must be worn whenever handling any animal.
   13. It is recommended that market steers be born in 2024. It is recommended that market hogs, market lambs and market goats be born January 1, 2025, or later.
   14. Underweight or overweight market animals will be shown in own class and will receive a green participation ribbon. They will not be eligible for grand or reserve champion, rate of gain contest or market animal sale.
   15. All market animals must be dry and uncovered before crossing scale at weigh in on Saturday, August 2, 2025. Make sure ear tags are readable.
   16. The Berkeley County Youth Fair will follow the West Virginia Department of Agriculture Fair & Festival Regulations and Recommendations regarding health requirements. All animals which require health certification shall be certified as specified by the State Department of Agriculture.
   17. Tents will be allowed in livestock and horse barn areas only for the purpose of grooming an animal. Tents must be lowered and secured upon completion of grooming. Tent size is to be no larger than 12×12. Please get prior approval from species chair.
   18. All livestock must stay in the barn area.
   19. There will be no movement in the barn area from 5 pm to 9 pm. Unless prior approval of the Livestock Chair.
   20. Grooming chutes or tack/show boxes can be unloaded in designated grooming area until after weigh-in on Saturday, August 2, 2025.
   21. Only Berkeley County Youth Fair issued awards (banners, trophies, ribbons, etc) are allowed to be hung or displayed in the barn, show ring and sale ring.
   22. Exhibitors of all market animals will not be permitted to apply and/or use any type of adhesives, glue, dyes, or paint products during the market animal sale.
   23. Livestock chairpersons will select judge for herdsman’s awards in his or her division.
   24. Exhibitors of livestock shall be required to show their animals in confirmation classes this includes underweight and overweight market animals. Horses must show in showmanship classes.
   25. All animals must be brought into the ring by the exhibitor or eligible substitute. Animals that cannot be shown properly and safely by the exhibitor may be disqualified and awarded a green ribbon. Market animals not brought into the ring will not be sold and will not receive any ribbon premiums. Decision will be made by the Executive Youth Fair Board and/or Livestock Committee.
   26. Only youth exhibitors may show their animals in the judging ring: except in championship classes where an exhibitor may have two or more animals qualified, another youth, eligible for participation in the Youth Fair, may show the other animals(s). No other person may be in ring except those designated by the persons in charge of the event.
   27. Exhibitors or eligible substitutes must be present during judging. If an exhibitor is unable to show an animal because of health or other unforeseen reasons, another participating exhibitor may show the animal with special permission from Executive Board and Livestock Committee. Request must be in written form and given to appropriate chairperson by Saturday, August 2, 2025, if time permits.
   28. No drenching is allowed on any animals unless performed or directed by a veterinarian.
   29. Exhibitors should be actively fitting their own animal while adults and/or other exhibitors should serve as mentors.
   30. Animals should be cared for by the exhibitor with adults acting as mentors and only assisting the exhibitor when the need arises.
   31. No person or exhibitor will be permitted to stay overnight on the Youth Fair grounds without special permission from the Executive Committee.
   32. Exhibitors must get approval from the Livestock Chairperson or Fair Board Third Vice-President before securely hanging fans. Livestock Chairperson or Fair Board Third Vice-President will specify air flow direction. Only one fan per animal is permitted. Exhibitors are not allowed to bring generators to the fair without prior approval from the Livestock Chairperson or Fair Board Third Vice-President.
   33. Livestock may be released early to attend another 4-H or FFA sanctioned event only. Requests must be submitted via email with a copy of the completed entry form and event confirmation of the event attending. Requests must be received by the Recording Secretary and Livestock chairperson by July 16,2025. A decision confirmation will be emailed to the exhibitor within a week. Once the animal is released it may not return to the 2025 fair.
   34. Upon release of animals at designated times, each exhibitor shall be required to clean out pen refuse as directed by fair officials and subject to chairperson inspection. If pen is not cleaned, exhibitor will not exhibit that species at the 2026 fair. Repeat offenders are subject to further disciplinary actions.
   35. Only animals that are to be shown at the 2025 fair can be housed at the fairgrounds during the current fair week (No companion animals are allowed).
   36. All market animals are subject to having a blood sample drawn during the 2025 fair. Samples may be sent to an independent lab for drug screening. Award checks and sale checks will not be released until the test results are returned to the Berkeley County Youth Fair. If test results are returned unfavorable, the exhibitor will not receive award money or their sale check. The sale check will be returned to the buyer. The exhibitor is then prohibited from exhibiting any future indoor or outdoor exhibits for the remainder of their eligibility.
   37. At any time after an animal arrives on the fair or livestock show premises, all treatments involving the use of drugs and/or medications for the sole purpose of protecting the health of the animal shall be administered or as directed by a licensed veterinarian. This practice is to ensure that we always provide the highest quality product available.
   38. Exhibitors shall be allowed to share a family backup market animal. Sharing is limited to siblings, stepsiblings for the 2025 fair. The family backup market animal must be the same species that the exhibitor tagged in on check-in day.
   39. Additional livestock rules that are species specific are found in each species section of the fair book.
   40. All trailers will need to park at the top of the hill in the general parking area after unloading – do not park in the barn parking area. You may bring trailer or vehicle back to barn area after weigh-in to unload tack. Trailers may be left at the fairgrounds for the week and parked in the designated area.
   41. Announcements made prior to the day of show and day of show takes precedence over printed material.