Updated 2018-2019

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Please review this quick reference along with your project book and the fair book guidelines. Make sure members AND parents understand what is expected in your project, this will make your 4-H year a lot more fun!

4-H Registration and Project Requirements:

  • When enrolling in a Sheep Project you must sign up on your enrollment card in Sheep Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, or Sheep Independent Study AND Market Lamb , or Sheep Breeding.
  • December 31 is the deadline to reenroll as a 4-H member in a Ravalli County 4-H club.
  • May 1 is the drop/add deadline for all 4-H projects if you want to participate in the Ravalli County Fair as a 4-H member for your specific project. 
  • Families of 2 or more children can share 1 family market lamb but all children must keep complete records on this animal. Complete records for both lambs will need to be kept and turned into the Org-Leader to have fair entries signed. Only one child can show this animal at the fair.
  • Members are allowed to show 2 market lambs in the market class but can only sell 1 market lamb in the 4-H/FFA Livestock sale.
  • All breeding animals must be owned by May 1 of current year.
  • All market lambs must be owned by member by the spring weigh-in date.  Must have completed weigh in information sheets ready to hand in. These will be mailed to members in May with other weigh-in information.

Project Requirements (What you need to do during the 4-H Year):

Forms and Record Books:

  • As a 4-H member, you are required to complete “My 4-H Year” form each year. This form is meant to be worked on during the year, and you are required to have this form up-to-date if you are submitting entries for the Ravalli County Fair. This form is to be completed and signed by your clubleader by September 30th (end of the 4-H year).
  • In addition to “My 4-H Year”, the animal journal form is required for the sheep project. This form is used to keep track of feed costs, weight, veterinary costs, supplies, etc.
  • It is easiest if you keep a separate record of feed in close proximity to where you store the feed. You can easily create a log of how much you feed your animal each day.
  • Project requirements in regard to the level enrolled: you must complete a minimum of 7 activities and three to five learning experiences each year to complete the project for the year. Please refer to the Clover, Montana 4-H Projects.  

Additional Important Weigh-In & Mandatory Information:

Spring Weigh- in for Market Lambs is Mandatory. Market Lamb Weigh–in will be the last Wednesday in May.  If your market lamb(s) are not weighed at this time it will not be considered a 4-H Market Lamb Project that can be entered in the Ravalli County Fair as a market project and sold in the Fair Livestock sale. The age of the animal will be determined as of January 1 of the current year

  • You will need to provide breeder’s name, phone number and address as well as the lamb’s breed, date of birth, and Scrapie tag number. So make sure you obtain this information when you are purchasing your lamb(s).
  • Scrapies tags must be in the sheep’s ear. Scrapies tags should have been put in your lamb’s ear by the breeder (the person that you purchased your lamb (s) from). Scrapies tags are governed by State law and each lamb for sale must have one. If you have questions call the State Veterinary Office (406) 444-2043. FYI- it is illegal for an animal to leave its farm of origin without a scrapie tag in its ear. The whole point of the program is to be able to pinpoint where the lamb came from if the disease shows up and they need to quarantine.
  • Lambs will be tagged with required Ravalli County Fair ear tags at weigh in and may also be tattooed.
  • If your animal should lose either your fair ear tag or Scrapies tag, notify your Sheep Leader or Org. Leader immediately so that they can notify one of the Barn Superintendents. This is very important because without these tags, you will not be able to bring you lamb(s) to fair.
  • All 4-H and FFA male market lambs must be altered or banded by the day of spring weigh –in. Lambs will be checked during spring weigh –in to make sure that this has been done and be free of infection from the alteration at Fair time. If a crytorchid is found during weigh-in, a follow up inspection of those animals will take place on July 1.
  • Animal Quality Assurance Training is MANDATORY for 4-H members who have a Sheep Project. Members must become quality assurance certified once between the ages of 9-13 and once again between the ages of 14+. If you are not Quality Assurance certified at the appropriate level, you will not be allowed to sell your animal at the county fair livestock auction. Scheduling and questions concerning Quality Assurance are handled by our County Extension Agents.

Prior to the County Fair:

  • Submit your completed fair entry form by the first Friday in August.
  • Prior to the fair, the barn sheep superintendents will make pen assignments. Contact the superintendent if you need your pen assignment prior to weigh-in (if you want to decorate your pen area, etc.). No changing of pens is allowed once you are at the fair, unless approved by the barn superintendents.
  • Please come in and decorate your barn area. You can use whatever you want, just remember: NO balloons and keep the decorations high enough that your lamb(s) can’t reach them and eat them-yes, they do this. This goes for your ribbons, too. For some reason lambs LOVE ribbons, particularly Blue ones!
  • About 1 week before the fair, you may want to pick up your fair entry tags at the fairgrounds Premium Office. It is located south of the Ravalli County Fair Office.  In addition to the fair entry tags, you will receive an exhibitor number on an index card which will be displayed on your upper arm during showmanship and the market lamb show.  Please be certain to have this number with you during the fair.
  • Wash your animal before bringing it to the fair.
  • Must slick shear your market lamb(s) within ten days of the Fair

Arriving at the Fair:

  • Pick up your exhibit tags form the Premium Office (directly South of the Fair office in white building), Not the Fair Office), if you haven’t picked them up prior to this time.
  • You will bring your lamb(s) to be weigh-in at the county fair on Monday of fair week from 4pm -7:45. At fair lambs will be weighed as you off load them. Sheep will be weighed in 1 pound increments only!
  • You will have assigned pens. Fill out stall card. Help is available if you don’t know how.
  • Market Lambs have a 90 day feeding period.
  • If your lamb does not make weight (less than 100 lbs) you may reenter in the feeder lamb class. You must let the barn superintendents know when you weigh in. The weight range for market lambs is 100-150 pounds. Lambs over 150 pounds will be sold at the 4-H/FFA sale, but the 4-H member will be paid for no more than 150 pounds. Feeder lambs will not be sold at the market sale.
  • 8 p.m. Mandatory Barn Meeting on Monday of Fair Week at Iman Arena – be there!
  • Educational posters are to be turned in to the Superintendents at weigh-in. Breeding posters are to be hung over your sheep pens.
  • Check the sheep barn at fair for listing of weight classes for market lambs, show times, interview schedules, rules and regulations.
  • Bedding for your lamb pen: a limited supply of animal bedding is available during the fair. You should change the bedding in your animal’s pen as it becomes wet or dirty.  Please make a note of the “Clean Bedding” and the “Dirty Bedding” locations.  Dispose of the used bedding in the proper location.
  • All animals not entered in a class must be removed from the Fairgrounds immediately after the Weigh-In.
  • Milk from Dairy Goat or Dairy Barn is NOT to be fed to lambs. This is unethical and does not follow Quality Assurance guidelines. This could result in being dismissed from the market class.
  • Wednesday of fair is a not a show day for sheep members, but the Breeding Interviews will take place Wednesday morning. Feed your animal(s), keep all of your pens clean. Herdsmanship is being judged in each barn each day.
  • Herdsmanship Contest is a club contest and more information is under the 4-H/ FFA Livestock and Small Animal General Rules and Regulations.

Equipment you will need at the fair:

You will need very specific items for caring for your lamb (s) and the pen area at the fair.  Because storage space is often limited during the fair, if several members in the same 4-H club are showing lambs at the fair, you may want to determine what equipment you need as a group.  You can then assign members to bring specific items, so there is not an excess of tools in the storage areas.

                Tools you will want for cleaning your area and caring for your lamb:

  • Wheelbarrow
  • Bedding rake/pitchfork
  • Shovel- flat or square point
  • 5 gallon bucket
  • Broom and dustpan
  • Feed pan          

You will also want to have your own “Tack Box” in which to keep your personal items.  Please keep your tack box locked to protect your items. Suggestions items to include in your tack box are:

 

  • Soap or Shampoo to wash your lamb
  • Baby oil to clean their ears
  • Rags/old towels
  • Scissors
  • Scrub brush
  • Muck boots
  • Spray bottle
  • Thank you note for “your” buyer at the livestock auction
  • Sharpie/felt-marker and pen
  • Extra safety pins
  • Extra 3” x 5” cards

During the County Fair:

  • If you are exhibiting two market lambs in the market lamb show, immediately following the market lamb show, you must let the sheep superintendents know which lamb you plan to sell.
  • If a member is showing more than one species of market animal, he or she must let the Barn Superintendents know which animal they will be selling immediately after the last market show they are involved in.
  • You are responsible for the care of your animal during the fair. This includes, but is not limited to, feeding, watering, cleaning pens and walkways in your club area. All feed must be kept in a sealed container (for example: a garbage can with a lid) or at your camp area (if you camp at fair). Please do not help yourself to someone else’s animal feed. You are responsible for your own feed supply.
  • Please take the time to visit with fair attendees about your animals and projects. This is part of the reason people attend the fair. Many people who walk through the animal barns would love to know specific facts about your animal and what is involved in its care.  They especially like to hear information from youth about raising livestock.
  • A limited supply of animal bedding is available during the fair. You should change the bedding in your animal’s pen as it becomes wet or dirty.  Please make a note of the “Clean Bedding” and the “Dirty Bedding” locations.  Dispose of the used bedding in the proper location.

The Day of the Market Sheep Show and Sheep Showmanship:

  • Arrive early to make sure your animal is fed and clean.
  • Check the sheep barn at the fair for listing of weight classes, show times, interview schedules, rules and regulations.
  • Market & Breeding Lambs will be judged by a single judge.
  • Animals presented in the show ring will not be decorated with artificial markings, ribbons, glitter or other foreign items. This includes during judging events and the livestock sale.
  • ALL ANIMAL EXHIBITOR’S DRESS CODE (applies to all species; all classes, except showmanship classes; and the livestock sale).
  1. Dress code: Clean, collared, long sleeved, long tailed shirt tucked into dark pants or jeans, and dark boots or leather footwear (no tennis shoes, rubber boots or sandals) must be worn by livestock exhibitors during livestock Official dress is mandatory for FFA members. Western style or cowboy hats will be allowed.
  2. Animals presented in the show ring will not be decorated with artificial markings, ribbons, glitter or other foreign items. This includes during judging events and livestock sale.                                    
  3. If a member does not comply with these rules they will not be allowed to show or                          sell their animal.
  4. MANDATORYDRESS for all Showmanship classes: White long sleeved, long-tailed shirts with collar, buttoned up and tucked into black or dark blue pants; dark footwear (no tennis shoes, rubber boots or sandals). FFA official dress is mandatory. Hats are not allowed in dairy, sheep, swine, goats, and dogs.

Selling an animal at Auction:

  • Arrive early to make sure your animal is fed and clean.
  • Members may show two lambs but will only be allowed to sell one animal. The Grand and Reserve market sheep must sell, but in the event that both lambs are owned by the same exhibitor, only one will sell.
  • With the exception of Grand and Reserve champions and the final ring, the sale order will be determined by random draw. The sheep sale order will be Champions, purple, blue and red ribbon sheep.

 

After the County Fair:

  • After the livestock auction you must continue to feed and water your animal daily, until the buyer has removed the livestock from the barn. 
  • Keep pens clean and fresh too.
  • You must clean the pen used to house your animal during the county fair. There will be a $20.00 fee charged for any unclean pens. Pens must be cleaned by 2 PM on Sunday of fair week. This fee will be deducted from any sale check or you will be billed and the fee paid to the sheep committee. It must be paid before you will be allowed to show at the fair again.
  • Animals Release Time: 9 am – 2 pm Sunday, after the Fair. Enter and exit through the North Gate only!   
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Montana State University and Montana State University Extension prohibit discrimination in all of their programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital and family status. Issued in furtherance of cooperative extension work in agriculture and home economics, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cody Stone, Director of Extension, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717.

The following is a copy of the current Ravalli County Fair Book Rules for the Sheep Projects

DEPARTMENT 46

4-H & FFA Sheep

Co-Superintendents

vacancy

Cheri Hartless • 360-3041

All Market Lambs must be weighed in on Monday of fair week from 4 pm – 7:45 pm. Breeding Sheep can also be brought in on Monday during this time. All Breeding Sheep must be in the barn by 8 pm on Tuesday of fair week. Superintendents must be notified when these sheep come to the barn so that they can be checked in. Scrapie tags will be checked.

Mandatory Sheep Barn Meeting Monday night at 8 pm

Senior Showmanship - Age 14 & over

Intermediate Showmanship - Ages 12-13

Junior Showmanship - Ages 8-11

Novice Showmanship - 1st year sheep member, regardless of age

RULES AND REGULATIONS

  1. Refer to General, 4-H, FFA and Livestock Rules for more information.
  2. The Barn Superintendent, prior to the Fair, will make the sheep pen assignments.
  3. Scrapie tags must be in the sheep’s ear before the sheep enter the Fairgrounds.
  4. All 4-H and FFA male market lambs must be altered or banded by the day of spring weigh in. Lambs will be checked during the spring weigh-in to make sure that this has been done and be free of infection from the alteration at Fair time. If a crytorchid is found during weigh-in, a follow up inspection of those animals will take place by July 1.
  5. Cryptorchid or buck lambs will be given white ribbons in the lamb lots and not sold in the Market Sale.
  6. Lambs must be slick shorn within 10 days prior to the fair. Lambs not slick shorn within the indicated time will not be allowed to be shown or sold.
  7. Lambs must have been weighed at the Spring Weigh-In to be entered in the Market Lamb Show and Sale. The weight obtained at the Spring Weigh-In will establish the initial weight for Average Daily Gain. There is a special premium for Average Daily Gain. Criteria for this award: lamb must weigh between 120-150 pounds, and have gained the most weight per day.
  8. Market lambs will be weighed only once right off the truck/trailer. Members and parents can watch the weighing. Any concerns about the weight must be resolved before the animal leaves the scale area.
  9. The weight range for market lambs is 100-150 pounds. Lambs over 150 pounds can be sold at the 4-H/FFA sale, but owners will be paid for no more than 150 lbs.
  10. A ewe lamb, if tagged as market, cannot be shown as a breeding project.
  11. Exhibitors will be allowed to exhibit two market lambs in the Market Lamb Show. Immediately following the show the Exhibitor must let the Superintendents know which animal they plan to sell. The Grand and Reserve market lambs must sell, but in the event that both lambs are owned by the same Exhibitor, only one will sell.
  12. At the discretion of the Judge, the top lambs in each market weight group will come back to compete for Grand and Reserve Champion.
  13. With the exception of Grand and Reserve champions and the final ring, the sale order will be determined by a random draw. The Sheep Sale order will be champions, purple, blue, and red ribbon lambs. The sale order will be posted as soon as possible.
  14. Lambs weighing less than 100 pounds can be entered in the feeder lamb class. Feeder lambs will not be sold at the Market Sale.
  15. In order to exhibit breeding sheep, the Exhibitor must be enrolled in the 4-H/FFA sheep breeding project.
  16. Members who are entering breeding sheep in the Fair must enter Lot #7 Mandatory Sheep Breeding Project interview.
  17. A member in breeding classes can exhibit up to two sheep per lot. See General Livestock rules.
  18. All animals to be shown in lots of pairs must have been shown individually.
  19. Sheep entered in breeding lots will be judged upon breed type and characteristics, quality, and development for age.
  20. Rams must be registered and Exhibitors must present registration paper to the Superintendent upon request. Crossbreds are an exception to this rule.
  21. Milk from Dairy Goats or Dairy Barns is NOT to be fed to lambs.
  22. All animals must be entered and shown in the Ravalli County Fair. NO COMPANION ANIMALS!
  23. Wool card or comb in pockets prohibited during all classes of sheep showing!
  24. First year sheep members may show their sheep with a halter or head harness.
  25. There will be a $20.00 fee charged for any unclean pens. Pens must be cleaned by 2 pm on Sunday of Fair week. This fee will be deducted from the sale check or you will be billed and the fee paid to the Sheep Committee. It must be paid before you will be allowed to show at the Fair again.
  26. Animal Release Time: 9 am - 2 pm Sunday, after the Fair. Enter through North Gate only.

Premiums: $3.00; $2.00; $1.00

Class A-O

A.  Showmanship, Lots 1-4 Only

B.  Market Lamb, Lot 5 Only

C.  Feeder Lamb, Lot 6 Only

D.  Non-Animal, Lots 7-8 Only

E.  Columbia

F.  Dorset

G.  Hampshire

H.  Montadale

I.  Romney

J.  Shropshire

K.  Southdown

L.  Suffolk

M.  Targhee

N.  Crossbreed

O.  Other Purebred

P.  All Wool Breeds

Lot No.

  1. Novice Showmanship - 1st year members only
  2. Junior Showmanship - Ages 8-11
  3. Intermediate Showmanship - Ages 12-13
  4. Senior Showmanship - Age 14 & over
  5. Market Lamb at least 100 lbs. and the age of the animal will be determined as of January 1 of the current year.

GRAND CHAMPION MARKET LAMB – ROSETTE

RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION MARKET LAMB - ROSETTE

  1. Feeder Lamb under 100 lbs
  2. Mandatory Breeding Project Interviews and Display - make a wall display, usually one or two 14” x 22” posters depicting some part of the project. Interview will take place Wednesday at 8 am
  1. Educational Poster must be made during the current 4-H year by the Exhibitor entering this lot.
  2. Fall Ewe Lamb - Oct. through Dec. 31, 2018
  3. Spring Ewe Lamb born Jan. through April 2019
  4. Pair Ewe Lambs (must have been shown individually in Lot 9 or 10)
  5. Yearling Ewe - 1 yr. and under 2 yrs.
  6. Pair Yearling Ewes (must have been shown individually in Lot 12)
  7. Ewe - 2 yrs. and over

Champion Ewe - Rosette

Reserve Champion Ewe - Rosette

GRAND CHAMPION OVERALL EWE - ROSETTE

RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION OVERALL EWE – ROSETTE

GRAND CHAMPION OVERALL WOOL BREED EWE – ROSETTE

RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION OVERALL WOOL BREED EWE - ROSETTE

  1. Fall Ram Lamb - Oct. through Dec. 31, 2018
  2. Spring Ram Lamb - Jan. through April 2019
  3. Pair Ram Lambs (must have been shown individually in Lots 15 or 16)
  4. Yearling Ram - 1 yr. and under 2 yrs.
  5. Pair Yearling Rams (must have been shown individually in Lot 18)
  6. Ram - 2 yrs. old & over

Champion Ram - Rosette

Reserve Champion Ram - Rosette

GRAND CHAMPION OVERALL RAM - ROSETTE

RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION OVERALL RAM – ROSETTE

GRAND CHAMPION OVERALL WOOL BREED RAM – ROSETTE

RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION OVERALL WOOL BREED RAM - ROSETTE

21.  Young Flock - 1 ram lamb, and 2 ewe lambs, bred and owned by the ExhibitorGet-of-Sire - 4 animals under 2 yrs. of age, both sexes represented all sired by the same ram, bred and owned by the Exhibitor

22.  Flock - 1 ram, under 2 yrs. 2 yearling ewes, and 2 ewe lambs, owned by the Exhibitor

23.  Best Pair - 1 ram, 1 ewe, bred and owned by the Exhibitor (One Entry Only)