Local FFA and 4-H livestock exhibitors will be able to compete at both the Stanislaus County Fair and the California State Fair this year — something that was uncertain when the fairs’ new run dates created a conflicting schedule.
In light of the scheduling difficulties presented when both the state and county fairs changed their traditional running dates — the Stanislaus County Fair dates are now July 16 through July 25 and the state fair will run from July 14 through Aug. 1 — new rules for showing livestock have been allowed.
Junior Livestock exhibitors can compete at the state level before the county fair begins and the state fair officials are allowing competitors to leave one day early to compete at the county level, said John Mendes, Livestock Superintendent for the Stanislaus County Fair. The county fair is also allowing dairy exhibitors to leave a day early to compete at the state fair.
“It is a nice opportunity for kids to regroup before the state fair,” he said.
There have been over a dozen changes that affect the Stanislaus County Fair’s Livestock Department — all of them made to benefit exhibitors and made with the cooperation of the state and county fairs.
Along with allowing state exhibitors to leave the county fair a day early, the dates of the livestock auctions have been changed and the open livestock division was discontinued.
Last year, the majority of the auctions were held on the Saturday before the end of the county fair and the auction day lasted about 12 hours, Mendes said. This year, the auctions will be spread out to prevent a long auction day from happening again.
The Junior Livestock Auction is typically held on a Saturday but this year it will be held on Thursday, July 22 at 5 p.m. The Replacement Heifer Sale will still be held on Friday like it usually is, but the Small Animal Auction will be held before the Replacement Heifer Sale this year on Friday, July 23 at 5 p.m. The Junior Livestock Auction will be held on Saturday, July 24 starting at 8 a.m.
In the past, the county fair has held the Awards Assembly on Saturday but it will be held on Sunday, July 24 at 11 a.m. this year.
“We are spreading everything out,” Mendes said.
Typically, there has been an open livestock division as well where adults can show their livestock before the fair begins, but it will no longer be offered this year, he said.
Another change allows exhibitors to set up their 4-H and FFA displays up to two days prior to the fair beginning to help with traffic control the first day of the fair when livestock arrives to the fairgrounds.
For more information about Stanislaus County Fair Livestock changes, visit www.stancofair.com.
To contact Maegan Martens, e-mail mmartens@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2015.
In light of the scheduling difficulties presented when both the state and county fairs changed their traditional running dates — the Stanislaus County Fair dates are now July 16 through July 25 and the state fair will run from July 14 through Aug. 1 — new rules for showing livestock have been allowed.
Junior Livestock exhibitors can compete at the state level before the county fair begins and the state fair officials are allowing competitors to leave one day early to compete at the county level, said John Mendes, Livestock Superintendent for the Stanislaus County Fair. The county fair is also allowing dairy exhibitors to leave a day early to compete at the state fair.
“It is a nice opportunity for kids to regroup before the state fair,” he said.
There have been over a dozen changes that affect the Stanislaus County Fair’s Livestock Department — all of them made to benefit exhibitors and made with the cooperation of the state and county fairs.
Along with allowing state exhibitors to leave the county fair a day early, the dates of the livestock auctions have been changed and the open livestock division was discontinued.
Last year, the majority of the auctions were held on the Saturday before the end of the county fair and the auction day lasted about 12 hours, Mendes said. This year, the auctions will be spread out to prevent a long auction day from happening again.
The Junior Livestock Auction is typically held on a Saturday but this year it will be held on Thursday, July 22 at 5 p.m. The Replacement Heifer Sale will still be held on Friday like it usually is, but the Small Animal Auction will be held before the Replacement Heifer Sale this year on Friday, July 23 at 5 p.m. The Junior Livestock Auction will be held on Saturday, July 24 starting at 8 a.m.
In the past, the county fair has held the Awards Assembly on Saturday but it will be held on Sunday, July 24 at 11 a.m. this year.
“We are spreading everything out,” Mendes said.
Typically, there has been an open livestock division as well where adults can show their livestock before the fair begins, but it will no longer be offered this year, he said.
Another change allows exhibitors to set up their 4-H and FFA displays up to two days prior to the fair beginning to help with traffic control the first day of the fair when livestock arrives to the fairgrounds.
For more information about Stanislaus County Fair Livestock changes, visit www.stancofair.com.
To contact Maegan Martens, e-mail mmartens@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2015.
