Putnam County 4-H       

                                               

General Animal Project/Exhibition Rules

  1. 4-H members must be properly enrolled for each animal project and also enroll the animals they intend to enter in the Putnam County Fair by the annual May 15 deadline. When this deadline falls on a weekend, typically the deadline will be the following Monday. There are no exceptions to animal enrollment deadlines for county/state fair. All livestock enrollment (except poultry and rabbit meat pen), must be completed using v2.4honline.com to enroll. Any Putnam County  4-H member who plans to enroll in and exhibit an animal at the Putnam County Fair must actually own/have in their possession the animal by the stated species deadline, complete the animal identification and online process by the stated species deadline, provide the primary care of the animal until after the show season, and follow all other rules and guidelines that relate to the 4-H project and exhibit. Animal project experience should provide the 4-H member with another opportunity to expand knowledge of caring for animals as well as assuming responsibility of complying with program expectations.
  2. All animal/livestock exhibits need to be entered  into FairEntry by midnight, July 6th
  3. * NEW *-  Exhibitors shall be responsible for the continuous care, grooming, and preparation of their own animals entered into the Indiana State Fair/ Putnam County Fair.  An exhibitor may receive assistance in the care, grooming, and preparation of the livestock entered in the Indiana State Fair/Putnam County Fair, provided that the assistance shall be limited to explanation or demonstration and that the exhibitor is involved in the preparation.
  4. Individuals including 4-Hers or volunteers, with a disability and who would like to request reasonable accommodation(s) under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) are encouraged to contact Purdue Extension Putnam County staff to provide the name, contact info and nature of request to begin processing the request. It is best to make such requests ASAP. In most cases at least two weeks in advance. 
  5. Many species additionally have stall/pen forms that must be filled out correctly, completely, signed by appropriated members and parents/guardians, and submitted by the due dates. Some species may have a pen fee for county fair and forms are at the end of this handbook.
  6. RFID (840 tags) are required by Indiana BOAH for all beef & dairy cattle and swine for both county and Indiana State Fair eligibility. Meat goat wethers, market goat does and all sheep eligible for the Indiana State Fair must have a Shearwell (840-RFID tag) as well as a DNA Hair Sample. BOAH also requires that all exhibited sheep/goats must have a scrapies tag with a US shield.
  7. All 4-H members need to complete the required Indiana 4-H Livestock Quality Assurance Program or YQCA Training by JULY 6. 
  1. When unavoidable circumstances, such as death or drought, prevent a member from exhibiting, the 4-H member would need to submit an explanation, signed by parent or guardian and 4-H leader to the Extension Office for evaluation. Completion of the exhibit will be determined upon reviewing the written explanation.
  2. Any situation not covered by rules listed herein shall be handled by the 4-H Youth Development Extension Educator with input from the appropriate superintendent and advisory organizations. 
  3. All 4-H Club members exhibiting livestock should abide by the Indiana State Board of Animal Health Rules and the 2026 Indiana State Fair general terms, conditions, penalties and due process. Animal Health Requirements for Exhibition Animals document is available on the Indiana Board of Animal Health web site: www.boah.in.gov.   
All livestock should meet health requirements as designated by the Indiana State Board of Animal  Health.  Hoosier livestock exhibitors are not required to present a certificate of veterinary inspection (CVI) at Indiana shows under state law. However, some Indiana shows still require a CVI for exhibition. Exhibitors will need to verify if the open shows they are attending require a CVI prior to the event.
  1. All livestock exhibitors are required by State Legislation to obtain a “premise identification” number. If you have not completed this premise identification process, please apply with the Indiana State Board of Animal Health. www.boah.in.gov for premise ID number(s). For additional questions about Indiana's premise ID program, contact BOAH at animalID@boah.in.gov or 317-544-2381 (Barb Pierle).
  2. The livestock superintendent/designee will visually inspect animals presented for exhibition. Animals showing symptoms of any infectious or communicable disease or that are otherwise a health hazard to persons or animals are not eligible for exhibition and will not be allowed on the fairgrounds. An animal that develops or shows signs of any infectious or communicable disease during the exhibition must be removed from the premises including the surrounding exhibition grounds. An owner that is disputing the exclusion of their animal from the exhibition may not exhibit the animal in question pending any appeal.
  3. 4-H Exhibitors are not permitted to have any electronic devices in their possession during the time the 4-H’er is participating in any animal exhibition show/judging event.
  4. 4-H animals and related project exhibits must remain on exhibit at the Putnam County Fair until the established release time, unless approved by the species superintendent and the 4-H Youth Educator.  For any exhibit removed from display prior to the official release time, placing and prizes (ribbons, medals, trophies, etc.) will be forfeited. The current year Achievement Program recognition for that project will be forfeited.
  5. The following are animal release time frames:

 Poultry – Thursday after 9 pm

  Swine– Tuesday morning early release from 12:01am – 8am, for all swine not in 4-H auction. If this time frame is missed then the next opportunity will be early Friday morning from 12:01am-8am.

All other livestock ( Beef. Dairy. Goats, Horse & Pony, Llama & Alpaca, Rabbits, Sheep)- Early Friday morning release from 12:01am-8am

Final release time will be early Saturday morning from 12:01 am-8 am  ALL livestock and tack must be gone by 8 am Saturday. 

  1. Placing for livestock exhibits will be first through tenth.
  2. Each 4-H’er and Superintendent has the responsibility to maintain a safe exhibit environment. Attention should be given to, but not  limited to: electrical equipment and hook-ups, clear aisles, storage of equipment, and activities that may harm exhibitors, exhibits and the general public.
  1. All Putnam County 4-H Fair livestock requirements will be the same as the Indiana State Fair, unless otherwise stated in the Putnam County 4-H Project Handbook.
  2. Each 4-H member shall own his/her own 4-H animal exhibit. Ownership must be in effect on or before the county and state enrollment deadlines and continuously until after the show date. 4-H breeding animals, family corporations and/or partnerships of 4-H members with one or more parents, siblings, grandparents, aunt, uncle or legal guardian are acceptable. 4-H dairy cattle, family corporations and/or partnerships of the 4-H member with unrelated persons or dairy operations are also acceptable. Dairy Cows (as long as the animal is being shown by the same 4-Her’s from 2025 and forward) and heifers, horses, and ponies, and llamas/alpacas  may be leased. These leased animals may be 4-H projects, subject to approval of the applicable county 4-H species committee and the respective County Extension Educator.
  3. Acceptable registrations are (1) in the 4-H member’s name, (2) John Smith & Sons, (3) John Smith, Sons & Daughters, (4) John Smith & Family (family includes sons, daughters, and legal guardian youth only),  (5) Mark Smith (brother) & Mary Smith (sister), (6)  Family Corporations, where the 4-H member’s name appears as a holder of stock in the corporation and proof of the same must be supplied on or before the enrollment date,  (7)  Family partnership where the 4-H’ers father, mother, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, grandparent, and/or legal guardian is also in the family partnership and the 4-H member’s name appears on the legal, notarized partnership.  A copy of the written document must be submitted to the Extension office before the enrollment deadline. 
  4.  Any 4-H animals purchased, sold, or offered for sale after the animal enrollment deadline and prior to the Indiana State Fair shall not be eligible to be shown at the county or Indiana State Fair. 4-H animals shown under different ownership (other than they are listed in in.4honline.com livestock enrollment) after the 4-H animal enrollment deadline, shall not be eligible to be shown in the 4-H show at the county or Indiana State Fair. This term/condition does not apply to siblings who may show each other’s animals at any show during the year without jeopardizing State Fair eligibility, regardless of whether or not the sibling is a 4-H member.
  5. All 4-H animals are expected to be in the personal possession and regular care of the 4-H member who owns/leases them (unless other arrangements have been agreed upon by the County 4-H Extension Educator) from the animal enrollment deadline until the conclusion of the county and/or Indiana State Fair.
  6. All 4-Hers are encouraged to help one another before and during the fair. Substitute showman (i.e. livestock pair classes or two animals in the same class) are limited to only Putnam County 4-Hers.
  7. Any changes or tampering with a 4-H animal including but not limited to hair/coat, identification (tag removal, ear notch, tattoo) etc. will permit the Putnam County Fair and 4-H Club Association, Inc. to nullify the sale of that particular animal from the Putnam County 4-H Livestock Auction. Violation could lead to the removal of awards and future exhibitions. Additionally forced feeding with any pumping source or drench gun is not permitted without superintendent or 4-H Youth Educator approval. Any direct icing application with any agent is an unacceptable practice. Excessive abuse  including but not limited to slapping, burning, stabbing, gouging, punching or use of a shocker on any animal will not be permitted and result in dismissal.
  8. UNETHICAL FITTING OF ANIMAL EXHIBITS is defined as the administration of any substance (to include, but not limited to, drugs, blood, oils, steroids, air, chemical substances) or performance of any surgical or nonsurgical procedure altering the animal’s configuration or natural conformation of any part of the animal’s body, or rendering its tissues unfit for human consumption and is prohibited. Exceptions that are allowed include hoof trimming, dehorning, removal of hair, castration, branding, tattooing, ear notching, docking of tails on sheep and swine and coloring or manipulation of normally attached hair that does not alter or misrepresent breed characteristics or the animals configuration or natural conformation.

4-H Scramble Program

The Putnam County 4-H Scramble Program is open for any 4-H member who is in grades 3,4 or 5 as of January 1 of the current year and is enrolled in his /her first year of the relevant species project.

Livestock scramble opportunities include dairy, goat, rabbit, sheep and swine.

Rules:

  • The scramble exhibitor will show only one animal in the relevant 4-H species
  • The exhibitor may only have one scramble animal of any species in any year and only once per species
  • The animal will be donated to the 4-H member 
  • The 4-H member may only show in the scramble class and scramble showmanship
  • The scramble animal MUST be sold during the 4-H auction (except for dairy 1st yr)
  • The member must complete IQA or YQCA by July 6th.
  • Superintendents in projects with scramble animals will have the discretion to determine whether a premise or facility is suitable for scramble animals. Scramble animals will not be left in un-kept, filthy, un-healthy or other premises deemed unsuitable for livestock husbandry. 

To enroll for the scramble program please register at https://forms.gle/qLqZNzDzQjUjB2AH7

  • Deadline to submit a request for a scramble animal is March 1.

 

4-H Livestock Auction

  The Putnam County Fair & 4-H Club Association will hold a livestock market sale on the second Friday evening of the fair. This 4-H livestock auction is terminal and livestock purchased from this sale cannot be exhibited. 

Procedures for the auction are determined by the Putnam County Fair & 4-H Club Association (Fair Board) and Barn Superintendents.

**Note: For information regarding livestock open shows, contact each species superintendent.

For additional livestock information, refer to “2026 Purdue & Putnam County 4-H Livestock Update” handout and Indiana State Board of Animal Health’s “2026 Animal Health Requirements for Exhibition of Domestic Animals in Indiana”.


Putnam County 4-H Showmanship General Rules

 

  1.  Showmanship contests will be conducted in the species of Beef, Dairy, Goat, Horse and Pony, Llama/Alpaca, Poultry, Rabbit, Sheep and Swine.   With the exception of horse and pony, all members showing these livestock species are eligible to participate in the levels of junior, intermediate and senior showmanship divisions.  These divisions coincide with those of the Indiana State Fair.  Showmanship competition for each species may occur at any point in the show order and is at the discretion of the barn superintendent..  The species showmanship winners of beef, dairy, goat, horse & pony, llama/alpaca, sheep and swine will have the opportunity to participate in the supreme showmanship contest.
  1. Juniors are those who are in grades 3 through 5 on January 1 of the current year.  Intermediates are those who are in grades 6 through 8 on January 1 of the current year.  Seniors are those who are in grades 9 and up on January 1 of the current year through their last eligible year in 4-H.
  2. Each 4-H exhibitor interested in participating in the Showmanship Contest must register for specific species showmanship in FairEntry.
  3. With the exception of horse & pony, each species showmanship order will begin with the selection of the top three in the Senior division, followed by the top three in the Intermediate division, and finally the top three in the Junior division.  The supreme showman representative for the species will be selected from a runoff class of the nine individuals, comprised of the three grade divisions.  The judge shall place the top five in the class of nine individuals.  The judge’s placings for the species top five shall be final, irrespective of the judge’s earlier placings in the three grade-based divisions.
  4. Each participant must show the same animal throughout all heats within the grade level showmanship competition.  The only time an animal may be switched is just prior to the runoff class of nine.  In all cases, it must be their own animal and the animal must be exhibited by the showman during livestock competition classes.
  5. Once a 4-H’er has won their grade division of showmanship, the following year they must move into the next grade division  One may not advance to the next grade division unless they have either advanced to the grade or won the previous grade division or is the overall champion of your barn.  Once a 4-H’er has won Grand Champion Showman in a particular species showmanship, they may continue to compete in the Supreme Showmanship Contest should they win in their species during future years.  Winners of the Supreme Showmanship Contest are not eligible to continue to participate in Supreme Showmanship.  A Supreme Showmanship Contest winner may participate in a species where they had not won Grand Champion Showman of that particular species, but still would not be eligible to represent that species in the Supreme Showmanship contest.  The species representative would fall to the next eligible contestant.
  6. The Supreme Showmanship committee chair in conjunction with Extension staff maintains the rules and policies for the Supreme Showmanship contest.  The Supreme Showmanship committee is made up of the chair, possibly an assistant and each of the species participating barn superintendents.