4-H members who have participated in 4-H project judging or livestock interviews are eligible to participate in Hancock County Jr Fair.

Participating in the Hancock County Fair is NOT a completion of the 4-H project. The fair is an opportunity to share the accomplishments of each member/exhibitor with fair visitors. The Hancock County Agricultural Society, the Jr Fair Premium Book, the Code of Ethics, and the Code of Practices, govern the Junior Fair. All Jr Fair rules are printed in the Hancock Co. Jr Fair Premium Book.

Online Entry Instructions

Click here for JR FAIR LIVESTOCK ENTRY instructions

Entries are due last Friday of July at midnight.

Link to fair instructions & weigh-in schedule, also info on livestock exhibitor poster contest

Drug Use Notification Forms

The Ohio Department of Agriculture has mandated that Drug Use Notification Forms be required for market steers (including dairy), hogs, lambs, goats, and poultry; also veal calves, and lactating goats and dairy cattle.

Jr Fair Premiums

All livestock premiums are paid out during the fair. (1-4 pm daily, next day after the completion of all shows for that department) Premiums not picked up by fair end are considered forfeited.

Quality Assurance & Sportsmanship Requirements

Click here to obtain the most recent Quality Assurance information.

All first year Jr livestock exhibitors AND a parent/guardian must attend  a Good Sportsmanship Workshop provided by Hancock Co. Jr Fair.

All returning Jr livestock exhibitors AND a parent/guardian must indicate awareness of Jr Fair Sportsmanship as part of their online entry process.

Animal Date of Ownership Requirements (2023) - check Hancock County Junior Fairbook for updates

• Jan. 1 - Market steers (mandatory registration/tagging advertised Saturday of January at the Fairgrounds)
• First Saturday of April - Dairy Feeder Calves (registered via 4-H enrollment; tagging, vaccination & weigh-in on first Thursday in June at the Fairgrounds)
• April 30 - Pullets, Cockerels
• June 1 - Market Ducks & Geese (born no earlier than October 1 of the previous year)
• June 1 - Poultry
• June 1 - Turkeys (hatched no earlier than April 15)
• June 1 - Beef Breeding & Beef Calves
• June 1 - Dogs (paperwork due to 4-H office by June 1)
• June 1 - Goats (tagged & weighed first Thursday of June)
• June 1 - Horses & Ponies (ID cards & leases due to 4-H office by June 1); All members must submit liability waiver & sign the safety & ethics form prior to riding at a 4-H event
• June 1 - Llamas (lease agreement to 4-H office by 6/1 if applicable)
• June 1 - Market Hogs
• June 1 - Market Lambs & Breeding Sheep (weigh in & tagged first Thursday in June)
• June 1 - Rabbits other than meat pens (tattooed first Monday of August)
• 7-9 weeks prior to fair - Meat Chickens
• August 1 - Rabbit Meat Pens (tattooed first Monday of August, at the Fairgrounds)
• August 1 - Beef Feeders tagged at the fairgrounds

All 4-H livestock projects must be owned and cared for by the 4-H member with the exception of horses & llamas. (If the member prefers, horses and llamas may be leased.) All 4-H livestock projects (including horses & llamas) must be under the exclusive care of the member by June 1.

Livestock Substitution

No substitution of livestock may be made after June 1, with the exception of all steers which must be selected & on feed by January 1 each year and no changes can be made after that time.

Project Entries

Livestock project entries are due last Friday of July.

No entries are required for non-livestock projects (4-H staff will convey project grade information to Jr Fair staff). Projects are displayed in the Youth Building in the miscellaneous or the member's club booth. To receive a Jr Fair premium your project must be judged & grade submitted to 4-H office by August 1; and you must exhibit the project at the fair.

Youth who exhibit their projects will receive:

• $3 premium for Superior or Outstanding
• $2 for Good or Needs Improvement