Jefferson County Fair

Exhibitors Rules & Regulations

 

ALL BUILDINGS WILL OFFICIALLY OPEN AT 10 A.M. AND CLOSE AT 9:00 P.M.

 

Consumption of Alcoholic Beverages will not allowed on the Fairgrounds except in designated areas

Articles not listed in this book will NOT BE ACCEPTED for entry. No premium will be paid upon any entry not made at the Entry Clerk's office. Any entry once made and entered on the entry book may not be withdrawn. Additional entries, however, may be made. Livestock entries close July 1. All other entries close as stated under separate departments.

 

Entries may be made by mail to the Jefferson County Agricultural Society, P.O. Box 8003, Watertown, N.Y., or personally, at the Fairgrounds. Make checks payable to the Jefferson County Agricultural Society.

 

Exhibits are open to Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence, Oswego, Onondaga and Franklin Counties except in 4-H, Grange, and Agricultural and Home Demonstrations Department of the Extension Services or where otherwise specified.

 

The management assumes no responsibility in case of loss or damage to stock or other exhibits from any cause; or to exhibitors and concessionaires and their personnel or help; and upon this condition only are entries received and concessions granted.

 

The Jefferson County Agricultural Society reserves the right to restrict any person from entering in any or all competitive categories on the recommendation of a Department Superintendent when such person fails to live up to the standards and rules for exhibitors or for unprofessional conduct. The decision to restrict a person may be made by the Executive Committee or by the Board of Directors upon recommendation of a Department Superintendent.

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Exhibitors must show their exhibits whenever and in such a manner as required by the Superintendent in charge of the Department. The decision of the judges shall be final in all cases, except where error, fraud, misrepresentation or collusion, not discovered at the time of the award, is proven. In such cases the Superintendent or such a referee as he may appoint may make decision, or the case may be appealed to the Executive Offices of the Society, on duty at the time, and their decision shall be final.

 

The right is reserved to withhold the prizes awarded, in every case in which it shall appear to the Management that the regulations have not been complied with, or that fraud or deception has been attempted, or where the article or animal is not worthy, and its decision shall be final and binding on all parties.

 

No person having entered anything for competition or exhibition may afterwards withdraw it; prize cards and ribbons must be displayed during the fair. Any infractions of these rules will incur the forfeiture of all prizes awarded to the exhibitor.

 

Premium ribbons or cards have no value as to payments or premiums, since premiums

 

NO EXHIBIT OR PART THEREOF SHALL BE REMOVED FROM THE FAIR UNTIL 6:30 P.M. DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME, SUNDAY, LAST DAY OF THE FAIR. THE GREATER NUMBER WHO CAN SEE THESE FINE EXHIBITS, THE GREATER THE INTEREST IN OUR FAIR.

 

Premiums will be mailed to exhibitors within two weeks following the fair. PREMIUM checks must  be presented promptly at the bank. If premium checks are not cashed with reasonable promptness, PAYMENT WILL BE STOPPED, and the amount will revert to the Society and be considered as a donation. In no case shall the Society be required to pay premiums more than it receives from the State for premiums paid.

 

Competitors for premiums must be owners of articles and animals exhibited for at least 30 days. All stock and articles must be entered in the name of the real owner, and all grains, fruits, vegetables and articles of domestic manufacture must have been made or raised by the exhibitors themselves. In case any exhibitor shows for a premium any article in violation of this section, or shows as a purebred an animal not so classed, he shall forfeit all of the premium money to which he might otherwise be entitled.

 

No animal or article of any description, except as otherwise provided, can compete for more than one premium; and in no case will premiums be paid on entries not properly classified or on unsound animals, or animals of inferior merit, although there may be no competition.

 

Unless otherwise stated, all animals or articles competing for a premium shall also be eligible to compete for such Special Awards as may be offered in their respective departments.

 

No judges may enter exhibits in competition for premiums in the department in which they are connected. The award of judges will be final except when mistake or fraud can be shown. Protest must be filed with the Secretary before the close of the Fair.

 

THE ABOVE RULES GIVE WAY TO SPECIAL RULES IN ANY DEPARTMENT IN CASE OF CONFLICT.

 

GENERAL LIVESTOCK RULES

 

The Jefferson County Fair requires proof that any mammal being exhibited (with the exception of rabbits) is actively immunized against rabies with an approved vaccine appropriate for the species which has been administered by a category 2 accredited veterinarian, per NYS Dept of Ag and Markets Health Requirements.  Jefferson County requires goats to have a rabies vaccination.

 

• All cattle and swine must be identified by USDA approved official ear tag.

• Rabies vaccination lower age limit is 4 months.

• Category 2 veterinarian accreditation is now required.

• Go Pass is now available for horse movements.

 

The same animal may not be entered in more than one class nor compete for more than one premium (except as otherwise provided). All animals will be shown in the ring except where specified, and exhibitors must be ready to bring them out when called, either for judging or parade, and upon the requests. Failure to do so entails forfeiture of prizes awarded. Additional special rules are printed at the head of each Department governing same.

 

Except as otherwise mentioned herein, all animals must be entered in the name of the bonafide owner, and owned as such not less than 30 days previous to the holding of the Fair.

 

All horses and cattle exhibited on the Fair Grounds must be provided with ropes and halters sufficient to tie them securely to posts or in stalls provided for that purpose.

 

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CONCESSIONAIRES

 

Concessionaires must keep their spaces in a neat and sanitary condition by removing any filth or refuge.

 

Under no circumstances will any person or firm be allowed to distribute advertising matter outside the place assigned to them. No exhibitor or concessionaire will be permitted to sublet or share any portion of the space allotted him, except by prior approval of the Fair Society. Any structure erected by concessionaires and not removed within 5 days after the close of the fair shall become the property of the management. Management reserves the right to refuse any entry.

 

Space will be allotted strictly on a first come-first serve basis. Every person or group allowed on the fairgrounds, whether having paid for space or booth or not, and whether or not they paid gate admission, is prohibited from roving solicitation of any kind on the fairgrounds and thoroughfares. This sort of activity could prove detrimental to the health, the safety and the welfare of fair patrons on our already-crowded thoroughfares and is hereby prohibited regardless of one's right in the exercising of free speech.

 

All concessionaires must display at their booth ORIGINAL N.Y. State Vendors Certificate. No one will be allowed to open their booth unless this certificate is displayed.

 

Permits and Privileges - The management reserves the right of cancellation at any time or reason satisfactory to it, of all contracts made with concessionaires. Each concessionaire must confine himself to the space assigned to him. Failure to do so will result in cancellation of contract. Under no circumstances will any freight or express charge be paid by the management. Concessionaires receiving articles must make arrangements for delivery trucks to enter or pick up articles at the gate.

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The Jefferson County Agricultural Society reserves the right to limit the sale of any product by any fair vendor that the Executive Committee of the Society deems inappropriate. This is handled on a case by case basis during the fair.

 

No supply truck will be admitted to the grounds any day of the fair after 10 a.m. Sale or distribution of any merchandise, including printed or written matter, except under a license issued by the Jefferson County Agricultural Society and/or from a duly licensed location shall be prohibited. The distribution and posting of hand bills, posters, banners or other dvertisements is prohibited.

 

The management assumes no responsibility in case of loss or damage to stock or other exhibits from any cause; or to exhibitors and concessionaires and their personnel or help; and upon this condition only are entries received and concessions granted.

 

All drinking and eating concessions must furnish themselves with proper and sanitary equipment that will comply with the rules and regulations of the State Health Department. This rule will be strictly enforced.  ALL GARBAGE MUST BE PLACED IN PLASTIC TRASH BAGS READY FOR THE COLLECTOR.

 

INQUIRIES & PROTESTS

 

Prior to the opening of the Fair, inquiries should be addressed to the Jefferson County Fair, P.O. Box 8003, Watertown, NY. During the Fair inquiries should be made at the Fair Administration Building. Phone 782-8612. Any protest must be in writing, accompanied by a fee of $5.00, signed by the person aggrieved or by his authorized agent, and must state plainly the cause of the complaint. Such protest must be delivered to one of the Executive Officers of the Society, then on duty, within two hours after the alleged cause of protest. The burden of proof shall rest upon the party protest to sustain the same. Failure to sustain any protest and the person or persons making such protest shall pay all expenses caused the Society by making such protest.

 

JUDGES

 

Judges are requested to report and have their names registered at the treasurer’s office upon arrival at the fairgrounds. Judges will apply to the superintendent in charge of the department in which they are to act in all cases of doubt or difficulty and will hand to him their reports when completed.

 

Judges in no case shall award a prize where there is no merit and in case there is no competition in a class, they will award a premium according to the merit of the article or animal exhibited. Judges will hand their list of awards to the Superintendent in charge as soon as possible and make their more extended report afterwards. They are requested to report fully upon all objects of merit and to make such recommendations as circumstances may suggest, but must not award extra points. Judging of livestock will be required to explain, orally, reasons for awarding prizes, at the time awards are made.

 

SECURITY

The Society and management will endeavor to provide precautions for the safety of patrons while

in attendance and for the safekeeping of all articles of exhibitors, but neither THE SOCIETY NOR MANAGEMENT ASSUMES ANY RESPONSIBILITY IN CASE OF LOSS OR DAMAGE TO EITHER PERSON OR PROPERTY. EVERY PERSON ENTERING THE GROUNDS DURING THE FAIR DOES SO SUBJECT TO THESE REQUIREMENTS. ALL ENTRIES OF GOODS AND ARTICLES FOR PREMIUMS ARE MADE AND RECEIVED SUBJECT TO THIS REGULATION.

 

Police protection is under the supervision of the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department. Any complaints should be promptly brought to the attention of the Executive Officers of the Society then on duty, who will immediately prosecute the same before the City Court of the City of Watertown.

 

All persons caught entering the grounds during the days or nights of the Fair by stealth then, over or under the fence or presenting at the gate a false ticket shall be prosecuted.