It’s that time of year again, time to enjoy the corn dogs, funnel cakes, rides, and animals!

Getting ready for the fair can be stressful!

This checklist can help you get ready and feel more prepared for the fair.

1. Be enrolled for the 4-H year. To be able to show an animal at the Baker County Fair with 4-H ALL youth must be enrolled in 4HOnline and have the $20 enrollment fee paid. Youth who do not complete these requirements will NOT be admissible to show.
2. Healthy and clean animals. When we are taking animals to the fair for exhibition or show we need to make sure that they are in good health, and look nice. Many people who are not familiar with the livestock industry come to the fair to see all of the “farm animals”. Our fair is the only opportunity some people get to see livestock animals. We should make sure that the animals look nice and the public can see that they are being well cared for. This also means you should keep the pens, food, and water dishes clean.
3. 4-H attire. The proper clothing to wear when showing your animal (show and sale) is a white collared button down shirt with the 4-H logo on the upper left side, black pants, but dark jeans can be acceptable, black shoes/boots, and a positive attitude. There is an option to order green corduroy jackets and vests (you can also borrow one from 4-H) from the Universal Lettering Company as well.
4. Label all belongings. When you are at the fair with your show animal, you may have a show stick, brushes, feed buckets, etc. these items tend to grow legs and walk off if they aren’t marked to be someone’s property. This is an unfortunate thing that happens, and the best thing to do is label everything and put them in a locked box.
5. Buyers’ letters. Buyers’ letters are sent out prior to the fair to invite business owners, community members, and anyone who would like to support the youth of the community. You should include information about yourself as well as a picture of you with you project animal(s) and don’t forget to invite them to the show, buyers’ dinner, and sale.
6. Buyers’ gift. Typically on the night of the sale, youth selling their projects put together some sort of gift basket, wreath, goody bag, etc. as an immediate for their buyer.
7. Night of the sale. You’ve done everything above and it’s the moment you’ve been waiting for! You sell your animal, shake hands with the buyer(s) and see that they get their gift. You still have to take care of your project until all of the market animals are taken to be harvested on the Sunday of the end of the fair.
8. Buyers’ letters. It’s been a month since the fair, and you accomplished the job of raising an animal for multiple months, and selling it. Once you get notification of whom your buyer(s) was and whom gave add-ons (an amount of money given as an addition to your project by various businesses and individuals) it is time to write thank you letters. Per the Baker County Fair Association Livestock Committee, rules state that all thank you notes are to be sent out by November 30, 2017. If not, the exhibitor will forfeit $50 of check amount; January 10, 2018, exhibitor will forfeit $100 of check amount; January 31, 2018, exhibitor will forfeit $200 of check amount. Forfeited funds will be used for a scholarship fund for graduating seniors.

Details for the 2017 Baker County Fair

Small Animals (Poultry & Rabbits)

Check-In: Friday, September 29, 2017, 3:00pm-6:00pm
Exhibitors/Parents meeting: Friday, September 29, 2017, 6:30pm
Poultry Judging: Monday, October 2, 2017, at 4:00pm
Poultry Showmanship: Monday, October 2, 2017, at 6:00PM
Rabbit Show: Immediately following poultry showmanship.
Check-out: Saturday, October 7, 2017, after 10:00pm

Goats, Beef Breeding, and Market Steer Animals

Check-In: Friday, September 29, 2017, 3:00pm-6:00pm
Exhibitors/Parents meeting: Friday, September 29, 2017, 6:30pm
Goat Show: Tuesday, October 3, 2017, 6:00pm
Registered Beef Show: Immediately following goat show
Commercial Heifer Show: Immediately following registered beef show
Market Steer Show: Immediately following beef shows
Record Book Deadline: Monday, October 2, 2017, 7:00 PM
Non-market animals may check out on Saturday after 10:00pm

Market Swine Animals

Final Weigh-in: Sunday, October 1, 2017, 2:00 PM – 6:00PM
Exhibitors/Parents meeting: Sunday, October 1, 2017, 6:30PM
Record Book Deadline: Monday, October 2, 2017, 7:00 PM
Swine Show: Wednesday, October 4, 2017, 7:00 PM

Youth Market Steer & Swine Sale

Buyers’ Dinner: Thursday, October, 5, 2017, 5:00pm
Auction: Thursday, October, 5, 2017, 6:30pm

Good luck! If you have any questions, please contact Shaina Spann, 4-H Youth Development Agent at 904-259-3520 or slbennett@ufl.edu

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