OFFICIAL RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE GRAYS HARBOR COUNTY FAIR

(applicable to all departments)


1. The general supervision of the entire Fair, including all exhibits, entertainment, and concessions has been vested in the Officers and Directors of the Fair Board. “FAIR” includes members of the Fair Board, Manager, and employees of the Fair Department and Grays Harbor County. Additional or special requirements may be written into any exhibitor’s or concessionaire’s contract with the Fair. The management reserves the final and absolute right to alter, interpret, or change these rules and regulations as may become necessary and to determine all matters, questions, and differences that may arise incidental to the fair.
2. No animal or article may be allowed to compete for more than one premium, nor shall be entered in more than one class, except as Champion, or in group classes, or as otherwise specified under department rules. Each exhibitor is responsible for damage or personal injury caused by his/her animal, and it is necessary that the exhibitor have liability insurance to cover same.
3. Entries will be accepted on a space available basis with preference given to: #1 - County Residents; #2 - Adjoining County Residents; and #3 - Other Areas.
4. No animal shall be withdrawn from the Fair before 7p.m. Sunday, closing day of the fair, except by written permission of the Manager. No article shall be withdrawn from the Fair before Sunday 7 p.m., following closing of the fair, except by written permission of the Manager. The violation of this rule will result in the forfeiture of all prizes and other possible recourses.
5. First place will be designated by blue tags or ribbons, second place by red tags or ribbons, and third place by white tags or ribbons.
6. Every animal or article must be entered in the name of the owners, maker, or grower whose name must be endorsed on the entry card that will specify the section and class, and such card will be attached to the article or pen. Anyone trying to deceive the fair in regard to ownership, manufacture, or production, shall forfeit all claims as an exhibitor. Only one article may be entered by an individual in any one class, except as otherwise specified under department rules.
7. Cash premiums will be awarded by the point system as indicated in the exhibitor guide. Premiums will not be awarded to any article or animals of inferior merit. When there is no competition, or where there are fewer articles in a class than the number of premiums offered, judges may at their discretion, award premium or premiums of such grade that the exhibit deserves. Special premiums may be offered by interested parties if they conform to the general classification of the fair. The Fair Board expects to pay all premiums in full, however, since the fair must be self sustaining, the Fair Board reserves the right to make whatever reduction in premiums that is necessary to avoid deficit. Premium money will be paid by check and will be mailed 30 to 60 days after the closing of the fair. No premium checks will be issued for any amount under $5.00. Checks must be cashed within 30 days of the date of issue, otherwise it will be forfeited back to the fair. The Fair Office must be notified of any errors on the check within 30 days of issue. Checks with errors will be reissued and will be given an additional 15 days for the date of issue.
8. Any person interfering with the judge during the adjudication of awards will forfeit the right of premiums, and all officers or judges are requested to report any violation of this rule to the Fair Manager.
9. Cash premiums will be paid to winners only in classed designated in the premium list. If entries in unlisted classes are accepted for judging, awards will be limited to ribbons or tags. No cash premiums will be paid in unlisted classes.
10. Under no circumstances will any person or firm be allowed to place any advertising matter upon buildings or trees, or any place in the Fairgrounds, either during the fair or at any time before commencement of the fair, outside of the space assigned to them.
11. No person shall be allowed to sell or give away articles upon the Fairgrounds, either during the fair or at any time before commencement of the fair, outside of the space assigned to them, and not until the license for the privilege has been paid and a receipt therefore issued. This includes balloons and other novelties for which the fair contracts sale privileges.
12. The initial bedding for animals will be provided by the fair. Any additional bedding, after the initial bedding, is the responsibility of the exhibitor. Animal exhibitors are required to clean their stall space immediately following the closing of the fair. Failure to clean the area within two (2) days will result in the forfeiture of premiums.
13. In the livestock departments, all exhibits must be clean, the stall constantly kept clean, and no trash or supplies of any kind will be permitted to accumulate in or about the stalls. FFA and 4-H members showing livestock at the fair must house their stock in the area designated for their own group. A small attractive sign may be placed on the wall behind the stock indicating the owner, breed, or production. All livestock must be kept unblanketed from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. each day of the fair, except on the day of judging until judging is completed. An exception may be made by the Department Superintendent for animals under a veterinarian’s care. Any animal deemed unruly by the Fair Board and department superintendent will be removed from the fairgrounds.
14. The management has the final decision on the location and display of exhibits. Any recommendations will be given complete review and consideration.
15. All concession space will be sold by the management and application must be made in writing. Under no circumstances will anyone be permitted to operate a concession without a signed contract.
16. Under no circumstances will articles that are offensive by reason of their explosive or combustible character be accepted or admitted, and if any such item is allowed admission through misrepresentation or acceptance, or otherwise, they may be removed by order of the Manager. No monstrosities will be allowed, nor begging or soliciting for private charity.
17. All protests must be in writing and accompanied by $25.00, which will be forfeited if the protest is found trivial. The protest must be filed in the fair office within 24 hours of the time in which the incident occurred. The protest will be investigated by the Superintendent in charge of the department in which the exhibit protested is entered, and his decision shall be reported to the Fair Board for their consideration, and action of the Board shall be conclusive and binding upon the parties involved.
18. The Fair Board reserves the right to bar any exhibitor from exhibiting an entry, and upon such action, or in the event of any entry being disqualified from winning a prize by the decision of the committee, such decision shall be final and binding upon the exhibitor.
19. Exhibitor must provide for the delivery of their articles upon the exhibition ground. The fair will not, in any case, make provisions for their transportation or be subjected to any expense thereof either on their delivery or return from the fairgrounds. All expenses connected therewith must be provided for by the exhibitors themselves, and all freight, express, and carriage must be prepaid.
20. All exhibitors shall guard their exhibits and protect public for coming in contact therewith and every such exhibitor shall indemnify the fair from such claims, demands, costs, damages, charges, and expenses which it may occur, suffer to be put to, by reason of any accident, or of any such exhibit not being properly guarded or the public not being protected or failure to use reasonable care in any act or omission by exhibitor.
21. Use of intoxicants, narcotics, illegal drugs (except drugs used in strict compliance with a doctor’s prescription), vulgarity, and other undesirable behavior by anyone attending a concession or exhibit will result in immediate closure of the concession and removal of exhibit in such violation.
22. No pets or other animals, except those on exhibit or assisting a physically impaired person, are allowed on the fairgrounds during the fair.
23. The fair will take reasonable precautions to insure the safety of exhibits but the owners themselves must take the risk of exhibiting them, and should any exhibit or portion thereof be injured, burned, lost, or stolen, the fair will give assistance toward recovery of same, but will not be liable or make payment for the value thereof. Small or valuable articles should be exhibited in showcases which may be securely locked.
24. The exhibitor must remove his exhibit by 6:00 p.m. Monday, following closing of the fair. Any article or equipment left in a building or on the grounds after this date will be at the risk of the owner, and will become the property of the fair after three days.
25. Exhibitors must supply their own tools for the set up of their exhibit or display. The fair will not loan any tools.
26. NO PERSON SHALL INCUR ANY OBLIGATION WHATSOEVER AGAINST THE FAIR WITHOUT FIRST OBTAINING A REQUISITION FROM THE MANAGER. ANY PERSON CONTRACTING ANY OBLIGATION AGAINST THE FAIR WITHOUT FIRST OBTAINING A REQUISITION FROM THE MANAGER WILL BE HELD PERSONALLY LIABLE FOR SAME.
27. If any disrespect is shown to any award or to any judge by the exhibitor or his agent, he shall forfeit all awards made to him.
28. Should a premium be found to have been obtained by false evidence or misrepresentation or a violation of any of the rules, the money will be withheld by the fair.
29. Only flameproof crepe paper shall be used in all decorations. If flameproof crepe paper is not used, the Management or Fair Board shall have the right to remove it from the exhibit.
30. There will no moving of cars or trucks upon the fairgrounds between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. This will be strictly enforced.
31. 4-H and FFA members who sleep on the fairgrounds must be accompanied by either their advisor, parent, or leader, before the fair will grant permission for their overnight stay on the fairgrounds. Members will be assigned sleeping quarters by the Manager. Curfew time is 11:00 p.m. Anyone disobeying these rules will be sent home and premium money forfeited. Please refer to specific camping rules.
32. All large displays, such as tractors, trailers, etc., must be in place 48 hours prior to the fair opening, except where the manager permits later entry.

ANIMAL HEALTH REQUIREMENTS

The fair will have an official veterinarian on call. The fair office will call the veterinarian in the case of emergencies or in special situations. Service call charges are the responsibility of the exhibitor.

All sheeps and goats, except castrated males and those moving directly into slaughter channels, must have official USDA National Scrapie Eradication assigned flock identification.

Individual health certificates on Washington animals are not required for entry into the fair. The fair veterinarian may issue a blanket health certificate covering all in-state entries to the fair.

No animal from a quarantined area or premise may be permitted to enter the fair or show.

All out-of-state animal entries must comply with State of Washington import requirements. No exceptions unless exempted by rule. Please call the fair office for more information on out-of-state animal entries.

Fair veterinarians will inspect all classes of livestock and poultry (including horses, pet animals, rabbits, fur-bearing animals, pigeons, ducks, geese, and turkeys) before they are exhibited to determine that the livestock and poultry show no clinical indications of contagious, infectious diseases and ectoparasites.

Fair veterinarians will reject any animal with infectious or contagious diseases or ectoparaistes. Exhibitors should be aware that ringworm, warts, pinkeye, strangles, contagious ecthyma, scabies, lice, mites, ticks, and fleas fall into these categories.

Animals exhibiting disease symptoms during the course of the fair will be rejected by the fair veterinarian and removed from the exhibit area.

It is strongly recommended, but not required, that cattle be vaccinated in the current show year against respiratory diseases.

The fair veterinarian’s professional decision as to the health status of an animal is final and will be upheld by the fair board.


EXHIBIT/DISPLAY POLICY
The Grays Harbor County Fair wishes to promote a wholesome and educational event for the entire family. All exhibits and displays (4-H, FFA, Open Class, and Commercial) are subject to review by the Grays Harbor County Fair Board and Staff. Any items or material that are deemed inappropriate for display must be removed by the exhibitor upon the request of fair management. The following list of items are included in the above ban:
-weapons (death stars, butterfly knives, etc.)
-sexually explicit or pornographic materials
-vulgar or profane materials
-drug paraphernalia

Exhibits and displays are meant to be enjoyed by all fair goers. Please help us make the Grays Harbor County Fair a pleasant experience for people of all ages.