2024
Dairy Cattle – Department B
Rachel Smith Fink & Tim Liskey, Department Superintendents
(Revised March 2024)
Rules and Regulations
1. The Dairy Show will be held on Tuesday of fair week following the Dairy Steer show and after Dairy Showmanship. The Show order for this year is as follows: Holstein, Jersey, Milking Shorthorn, Red and White, Ayrshire, Brown Swiss, and Guernsey.
2. Open competition is open to out-of-county herds. Youth competition is restricted to youth exhibitors who are bona fide Rockingham 4-H Club and/or FFA members.
3. Entries close the 3rd Sunday of July at 7:00PM. Stall assignments will be based on pre-entries. NO additions except VA Sale of Stars purchases. (copy of purchase receipt must accompany addition and due to Mr. Tim Liskey by Monday following the Sale of Stars).
4. All entry fees must be paid via the Fair Entry Website. Refunds will be made only with a veterinarian’s signed statement.
5. All cattle must be the property of the individual exhibiting them.
6. Registration certificates will be required on all open show exhibits. All dairy animals, original registration papers, and health papers must be at the fairgrounds by Monday Noon of fair week. Grade animals must also have DHIA paper for the Junior Show.
7. No exhibitor shall win more than two premiums in any one class.
8. $5.00 entry fee per animal. Tack space will be assigned 1 per exhibitor at no cost and any extra will be based on barn availability.
9. The storage of excessive amounts of hay, feed and straw will not be permitted in the barns and only if space is available after stall assignments have been made. This shall be at the discretion of the barn chairman. Area storing hay/feed/straw cannot be more than three tie rings/stalls and not stacked above the wooden tie walls.
10. Champion awards will not be made unless five or more individual animals are exhibited in each breed.
11. Point system for determining the Premier Awards is as follows:
Placing - 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10
Points – Senior Females – 20,18,16,14,12,10,8,6,4,2
Points – Junior Females – 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1
12. Milkout at the discretion of the Judge.
13. All exhibits in this department are subject to the general rules of the Rockingham County Fair. See General Rules and Regulations for Health Requirements and Barn Area Rules.
14. Family Unit Defined: If a herd is registered in the names of the immediate members of a family, those persons may combine their entries as a "Family Unit", and be considered as one exhibitor for Premier Breeder and/or Premier Exhibitor points or all individual family members may choose to be considered as individuals. Individual exhibitors must notify show management of their choice prior to the show.
15. Any cattle that are shown must be shown in the breed in which they are registered. In case an animal is dual registered, the animal must be shown in one breed or another, not in both.
16. Milk cows may leave at 12:00PM on Friday of fair week. Display areas and Heifers/calves must remain until 9:00PM Saturday of fair week.
17. To obtain an armband, passes or parking pass, you must have a dairy animal that is entered in the Dairy Show which is held on Tuesday of fair week.
18. No head/clipping shoots allowed in the dairy barn – must be kept in the grassy area between beef/dairy barns.
19. All advertising/sponsor signs cannot be larger than 22" X 28" in size and must be displayed in tack area.
20. No watering troughs allowed inside of the dairy barn.They must remain on the wash rack.
Show Ring Code of Ethics
Believing it is in the best interest of all breeders of registered cattle to maintain a reputation of integrity and to present a wholesome and progressive image in the show ring the following lists those practices which are considered unacceptable in presenting registered animals in the show ring. The use of such practices or procedures is therefore considered unethical in the showing of registered cattle.
1. Misrepresenting the age and/or milking status of the animal for the class in which it is shown.
2. Balancing the udder by any means other than leaving naturally produced milk any or all quarters.
3. Setting the teats with mechanical contrivance or with the use of chemical preparation.
4. Treating or massaging any part of the animal’s body, particularly the udder, internally or externally with an irritant, counter-irritant or other substance to temporarily improve conformation or produce unnatural animation.
5. Minimizing the effects of crampiness by feeding or injecting drug depressants or applying packs or using an artificial contrivance or therapeutic treatment except normal exercises.
6. Blocking the nerves to the foot to prevent limping by injecting drugs.
7. Striking the animal to cause swelling in a depressed area.
8. Surgery of any kind performed to change the natural contour or appearance of the animal’s body, hide or hair. Not included is the removal of warts, teats and horns, clipping and dressing of hair and trimming of hooves.
9. Insertion of foreign materials under the skin.
10. Changing the color of hair at any point, spot or area on the animal’s body including the blackening of a gray spot.
11. The use of alcoholic beverages in the feed or administered as a drench.
12. Administration of a drug or any kind of prescription internally or externally prior to entering the show ring except for treating a recognized disease or injury and for tranquilizing bulls that may otherwise be dangerous to females in heat. For the purpose of this Code the term "drug"; shall mean any substance, the sale possession or use of which is controlled by license under
Federal, State or local laws or regulations and any substance commonly used by medical or veterinary professions which affect the circulatory or central nervous system of a cow.
13. Criticizing or interfering with the judge, show management or other exhibitors while in the show ring or conduct detrimental to the breed or show.
Section I – Type Classes
Show Order: Holstein, Jersey, Milking Shorthorn, Red and White Ayrshire, Brown Swiss, and Guernsey.
Heifer Classes
1st-$15, 2nd-$12, 3rd-$9, 4th-$6, 5th-$3 (open premiums)
(unless otherwise stated ex. Rosette only receives a ribbon and no cash award)
B-1. Spring Heifer Calf born March 1 through April 30, 2024
B-2. Winter Heifer Calf Calf born Dec. 1, 2023 through Feb. 28, 2024
B-3. Fall Heifer Calf born Sept. 1 through Nov. 30, 2023
B-4. Summer Heifer Calf born June 1 through August 31, 2023
B-5. Spring Yearling Heifer born March 1 through May 31, 2023
B-6. Winter Yearling Heifer born Dec. 1, 2022 through Feb. 28, 2023
B-7. Fall Yearling Heifer (not in milk) born Sept. 1 through Nov. 30, 2022
B-8. Junior Champion (Youth Show) – Rosette
B-9. Reserve Junior Champion (Youth Show) – Rosette
B-10. Junior Champion (Open Show) – Rosette
B-11. Reserve Junior Champion (Open Show) – Rosette
B-12. Junior Best of 3 females to consist of three animals all shown in the junior age classes, bred by exhibitor regardless of ownership.
Cow Classes
1st-$25, 2nd-$20, 3rd-$15, 4th-$10, 5th-$5 (open premiums)
(unless otherwise stated ex. Rosette only receives a ribbon and no cash award)
B-13. Junior two year old cow (not necessarily in milk) born March 1 through August 31, 2022
B-14. Senior two year old cow born Sept. 1, 2021 through Feb. 29, 2022
B-15. Three year old cow born Sept. 1, 2020 through August 31, 2021
B-16. Four year old cow born Sept. 1, 2019 through August 31, 2020
B-17. Aged cow born before Sept. 1, 2018
B-18. Dry cow – any age freshened at least once
B-19. Senior Champion (Youth Show) – Rosette
B-20. Reserve Senior Champion (Youth Show) – Rosette
B-21. Grand Champion (Youth Show) – Rosette
B-22. Reserve Grand Champion (Youth Show) – Rosette
B-23. Senior Champion (Open Show)– Rosette
B-24. Reserve Senior Champion (Open Show) – Rosette
B-25. Grand Champion(Open Show) – Rosette
B-26. Reserve Grand Champion (Open Show) - Rosette
Other Classes
1st-$15, 2nd-$12, 3rd-$9, 4th-$6, 5th-$3 (open premiums)
(unless otherwise stated ex. Rosette only receives a ribbon and no cash award)
B-27. Best Udder of Show (In milk)
B-28. Dam and Daughter – two females, one to be the offspring of the other, may be owned by two exhibitors
B-29. Produce of Dam to consist of two animals, any age, the produce of one cow. May be owned by two exhibitors
B-30. Best of three females to consist of three females, any age, all bred by one breeder, one animal may be owned by another exhibitor
Premier Awards
Placing - 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10
Points – Senior Females – 20,18,16,14,12,10,8,6,4,2
Points – Junior Females – 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1
B-31. Premier Exhibitor Award – Shall be made to the exhibitor credited with most points on no more than six (6) animals owned and exhibited. In case of multiple ownership, all points awarded for Premium exhibitor will be credited to the individual, partnership, syndicate or family unit who is exhibiting the animal – Banner
B-32. Premier Breeder Award – Shall be made to the breeder of animals credited with the most points on no more than six (6) animals, exhibited by the breeder or other exhibitors. In determining the Premier Breeder, the breeder of the animal shall be the name of the person, partnership or syndicate as it appears on the registration certificate. There will be no splitting of Premier Breeder and/or Premier
Exhibitor points – Banner
Supreme Champion Awards
Youth Supreme Champion Heifer- Banner
Open Supreme Champion Heifer- Banner
Youth Supreme Champion Cow- Banner
Open Supreme Champion Cow- Banner
Section II – Dairy Pee Wee Class
Sponsored by Farm Credit of the Virginias
1. Ages 8 and younger as of September 30th of the current year.
2. Any dairy breed may be shown.
3. Any animal shown must have also been shown in the open or junior dairy show on Tuesday.
4. All participants will receive a ribbon – no premiums awarded.
5. Class starts at 7:00PM Thursday.
Section lll- Dress A Calf
Sponsored by Greenmount Grain Roasting
- Will be held Thursday following the Pee Wee Class
Section IV- Youth Dairy Show
Rules & Regulations
- All youth exhibitors must be bona fide Rockingham 4-H Club and/or FFA members meeting the following criteria:
- Youth entries may be exhibited by all bonafide Rockingham 4-H & FFA members who are 9 years old by September 30th of the current year.
- Final participation in the youth show is the show immediately following graduation from High School.
- 4-H & FFA exhibitors who participated in the previous year’s fair must turn in a project book for species they exhibited in order to be eligible to show this year.
- Pre-entry and health requirements are the same as those for the Open Dairy Show.
- Youth exhibitors may not show in the Open Show with non-registered (grade) stock.
- Open competition is open to Rockingham County AND out-of-county herds.However, to show in the open competition the animal must be registered.
- Cattle do not have to be registered to receive Junior Show premiums; grade animals are not allowed in the Open Show and will not receive Open Show premiums.
- The Youth Dairy Show will be held simultaneously with the Open Show.After all animals have been placed, junior animals will be advanced and awarded Junior Show Premiums and Ribbons.
- All cattle must be owned by the exhibitor.Ownership defined:
- Animals must be registered in the name of the Youth member, or a partnership of Youth members, throughout the year exhibiting in order to qualify for Youth recognition.Adult-Youth and family or farm partnerships are NOT acceptable.
- For an animal (cow or heifer) being transferred to a Youth, or a partnership of Youth, the transfer application must be included with the fair entries (due the 3rd Sunday in July).
- The following actions will disqualify an animal from Youth recognition:
- Transferring an animal in or out of a Youth’s name after the deadline
- Adding or dropping any adult or Youth member as owner after the deadline
- There is also a 4-H/FFA Dairy Lease Agreement for youth that are interested in showing dairy animals without ownership.Contact the Dairy Barn Chairman or the Rockingham County Extension Office to receive a copy or explanation of the program.The Lease agreement is due to the Dairy Barn Chairman or the Rockingham County Extension office on the THIRD Friday of July.
- Championship awards will not be made unless five (5) or more individual animals are exhibited in each breed.
- Breed shows will be on Tuesday of fair week and will follow in the order stated in Open Dairy Show class listings.
- Youth Fitting and Showmanship classes and CloverBud Showmanshipwill be heldTuesday of fair week, following the Dairy Steer Show and before type classes.
- Youth Fitting and Showing is mandatory.If a youth does not participate in Youth Fitting and Showing they cannot receive Youth Premiums from Monday’s show.The youth would only be eligible to collect open premiums from Monday’s show.
- Permission for exception from Youth Fitting and Showing can be requested in writing to the Dairy Department Chairman.Chairman must receive a written request 4 days prior to the Youth Fitting and Showing Class.If there is a medical reason, a Doctor’s note must accompany a written request to be excused.The Chairman and Dairy Barn Committee will have the final decision and give a written response one day prior to the Youth Fitting and Showing class.
- All animals shown in Fitting and Showing classes must be owned by the exhibitor.
- Classes will be formed for Youth Fitting and Showing based on age as of September 30th
- Ages 9-12 (Junior Division); 13-15 (Intermediate Division); 16-19 (Senior Division).
- Dress a Calf on Wednesday night is sponsored by C & C Farm Supply.
Type Classes
- Class listings are the same as listed above for the open show.
- Youth will receive premiums as follows for placing in youth competition, in addition to any premium won in the open placings:1st - $152nd - $123rd - $10
- All youth entries will receive a $10 participating premium for 3rd place and below in youth competition.
Showing & Fitting Classes
CloverBud Showmanship- For those younger than a Junior 4-H member and enrolled as a current Cloverbud.Those participating in Cloverbud Showmanship Tuesday are not eligible for the PeeWee class held Thursday night of fair week,
Dairy Fitting & Showmanship ages 9-12 as of September 30th
1st-$15, 2nd-$12, 3rd-$9, 4th-$6, 5th-$3
Dairy Fitting & Showmanship ages 13-15 as of September 30th
1st-$15, 2nd-$12, 3rd-$9, 4th-$6, 5th-$3
Dairy Fitting & Showmanship ages 16-19 as of September 30th
1st-$15, 2nd-$12, 3rd-$9, 4th-$6, 5th-$3