Rules & Regulations

MEMBERSHIP

• The annual Associate membership fee for the Rockton Agricultural Society (R.A.S.) is $20.00
• Yearly Membership Cards will be issued to each member who has paid for the current year. This will be your entry to the Fair.
• In order to become an Associate Member of R.A.S, you must agree to work on a committee(s). You must have volunteered on a committee(s) for two consecutive years. You are then nominated at the Annual General Meeting. If nominated, you will receive voting privileges (you must be 18 years of age or older) and will receive a membership card yearly, when your membership of $20.00 per year is paid. This is your entry to the fair and all fair functions.

EXHIBITOR FEE

• Each exhibitor must pay a yearly exhibitor fee of $10.00 for which they can exhibit as many entries as they wish, and will receive one admission ticket to the current fair.
• Exhibitors of livestock (cattle, horses, sheep, goats & alpacas) will receive one admission pass for exhibitors of one animal, two passes for two to four animals, and three passes for five or more animals.
• If pre-registered on time, the vehicle & driver will have free admission.
• The exhibitor fee will be waived if you are a paid-up Member.
• All others must have a current Membership card, Admission Ticket, or Pay.
• Vehicles transporting animals are to enter and exit at the 5th Concession labled “5th Fairway” Gate ‘F’ Only. Signage will be posted at this entrance. Please refer to the map on the back of the prize book.
• 4-H club members, Junior Exhibitors in the Junior Fair, School Fair exhibitors, Senior Citizens, and Certified Impaired are not required to pay an exhibitor fee when entering their respective sections.
• Entries for all open classes require an exhibitor fee. This exhibitor fee will be waived for 4-H club members exhibiting one current year’s 4-H project per 4-H club in an open show.

ENTRIES:

• All entries of articles and livestock intended for exhibition must be completed online at https://www.assistexpo.ca/rockton-agricultural-society or on printed forms, filled out and signed by the exhibitor or their agent.
• Check your Sections for entry deadline dates as they vary in some Sections.
• All entry forms for the exhibition halls, excluding School Fair, must be received by the Fair Office by October 1st, 2022.
• Late entries or entries that are changed or added to the original entry list will be charged $1 each.
• No exhibitor will be allowed to enter for competition more than one entry in any one class except where otherwise mentioned.
• On Thursday, October 6th, 2022, all hall entries, except Photography & Giant Pumpkins, may be placed between 1 p.m. and 9 p.m.
• All entries must be the bonafide property of the exhibitor and be made or worked by the exhibitor.
• No Homecraft articles will be admitted with name, initial, or distinguishing mark thereon.
• No articles in the Exhibition Halls will be allowed to be removed until 5:00 p.m. Monday, Thanksgiving Day, at which time the halls will be cleared by the committee members.
• All exhibitors will be furnished with a hall pass, which will entitle them to re-enter the halls to remove their exhibits.
• Any articles left in the buildings after 6:00 p.m. Monday, will be at the risk of the exhibitor and will only be held for 15 days after the fair.
• While the committee will take every possible precaution under the circumstances to secure the safety of articles sent to the exhibition, the owners themselves must take the risk of exhibiting.
• Should any article be accidentally injured, damaged, lost, or stolen, the chairperson will give all the assistance in their power toward the recovery, but will not make payment for the value thereof.
• To discourage the practice of sending exhibits in the care of the member in charge of a department, the following will be strictly enforced. While every possible assistance will be given in placing exhibits, no package or case of any kind will be opened, unless accompanied by the exhibitor or someone responsible for the exhibit.
• If any article or animal is taken from the grounds before specified times, the exhibitor of same may not be entitled to any prize that may have been awarded.
• All horses must be moved out of cattle barns by 8:00 a.m. to make room for other livestock coming in. If this is not done, the offending exhibitor will be disqualified from any class, either shown or to be shown.
• Fair committee chairpersons reserve the right to reject and remove any livestock, poultry, or rabbits for health, safety reasons, or general appearance.

PIPEDA:

• The R.A.S. is committed to the safeguarding of personal information collected from exhibitors and Associate Members in accordance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act. Personal information collected will not be sold or disclosed for reasons other than for why it was collected. Please see our entry forms.

PRIZES:

• When the amount of prize money won by an exhibitor is $20.00 or over, $10.00 will be retained by the society as the following year’s exhibitor’s fee.
• When the amount of prize money won by a member is $25.00 or over, $20.00 will be retained by the society as the following year’s membership fee.
• A deduction of 15% of all prize monies (excluding special prizes to 4-H club members, junior exhibitors, school fair exhibitors and exhibitors in the senior citizens and wine classes or where an entry fee is stated) will be retained by the society.
• With a retained payment, a fair admission pass will be enclosed with the new prize book. Fair passes are not included for 4-H club members, junior exhibitors, school fair exhibitors, and exhibitors in the senior citizen class(s).
• All perpetual trophies will be engraved by the Society, and presented at the Awards night. Trophies are to be returned by the opening of the next fair.
• Prize Money cheques must be cashed before December 31st of the current year. No cheques will be re-printed after this date.

JUDGES AND JUDGING:

• All exhibit(s) entered will be known to judges by a ticket and number.
• No one will be allowed to interfere, by conversation or otherwise, with a judge while said judge is on duty judging a class.
• Any exhibitor or attendant who is guilty of creating a disturbance, whether by openly criticizing the judge or using obscene language to any judge or officer, shall therefore forfeit the right to any award and may be suspended from exhibiting by the director in charge.

POWERS OF SOCIETY:

• Where the Board of Directors of the Society has reason to believe that an exhibitor or attendant has committed fraud or misrepresentation detrimental to the fair, the Board has the power to withhold payment or delivery of any award, until such time, that such person proves to the satisfaction of the Board, that no fraud or misrepresentation has been committed or made.
• Exhibitors shall, if required by the Committee of Grievances, make a statutory declaration that the articles exhibited by them are exhibited in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Society. Any exhibitor refusing to make such a declaration upon request will forfeit all awards given.
• Any exhibitor lodging a protest must make it in writing, present it signed and deliver it to the Manager of Operations before 12:00 noon, the immediate Tuesday, following the fair. The cause of the protest must be clearly stated and accompanied by a deposit of $25.00. This sum will be forfeited if the protest is not sustained. The Board of Directors, however, sincerely hopes no exhibitor will have cause to protest, without the strongest of grounds for doing so. Please note annoyances and unpleasantness are not considered cause(s) for protest.
• All protests will be considered and decided by the Committee of Grievances, namely, Jeanette Jamieson, David Leslie, Harvey Wood, and the president-elect. Any three named can make a decision, which shall be deemed final.
• Any directors in charge shall be at liberty, for cause or in their controlled discretion, and without giving a reason, therefore, to bar any exhibitor or any animal from participating in or competing or continuing to participate or compete in any event, and also cause any exhibitor and any such animal to be removed from the premises of the society.
• Rockton Agricultural Society will do its utmost to see that all safety precautions are met to protect the public and to safeguard the exhibits but it is up to the exhibitor to see that all animals are well trained, under full control, and equipment is in a safe condition.
• The Managing Committee consists of the President, the First Vice-President, the Second Vice-President, and the Manager of Operations. This committee shall be in attendance on each day of the fair.
• The Managing Committee makes the interpretation of all rules and regulations and its decision will be final. In case an error occurs in the printing of this prize list, the Managing Committee has the power to rectify the same.

INSURANCE:
Exhibitors of cattle, horses, sheep, goats & alpacas.

• Must indicate on the exhibitor’s entry form, current insurance information or O.E.F. membership information to cover showing your animals at Rockton Fair & exhibitions.
• Insurance must be a minimum of $2 million liability and the expiry date must include coverage over the Thanksgiving Weekend.
• Rockton Agricultural Society reserves the right to verify all information provided and prohibit an exhibitor from showing if the insurance is not provided and current.

AGREEMENT, DECLARATION, AND WAIVER:

When the entry is accepted by the show organizers, the exhibitor and the principals and agents of the exhibitor acknowledge and agree that by signing the exhibitor’s form, they and each of them:

• Are bound by, and will act at all times in accordance with the Rules and Regulations for showing livestock. – Abide by standard procedures and penalties for enforcing the rules and regulations for showing livestock and will accept any final decision made.
• Accepts that any action which may be taken under the above may be reported to any association registering purebred livestock.
• Release and agree to hold the show and its officials, directors, officers, employees, representatives, agents, and volunteers (collectively the show organizers) harmless from any action taken under this agreement.
• Abide by the Rules and Regulations for showing livestock, the standard procedures and penalties for enforcing the Rules and Regulations for showing livestock, or any other show rules and regulations.
• Release the show organizers from and against any injury, damage or loss suffered during or in connection with the show, whether or not such injury, damage or loss resulted from or was contributed to directly or indirectly, by the acts or omissions of the show organizers.

The exhibitor further certifies that:

• Any animal entered has been vaccinated for rabies within the past year with up-to-date, non-expired records from a certified veterinarian. Exhibitors may be asked to present a certificate of vaccination for any animals on-premise.

• Any animal entered is not currently barred from showing at any future shows in North America.
• No owner of the entered animal, whether direct or indirect, is currently barred from showing any other animal at any future livestock show in North America.

The exhibitor declares by signing the exhibitor’s entry form that:

• The entry information provided to the show organizers is true and correct. – He or she has the authority to make the Agreement, Declaration, and Waiver bind to all persons and enterprises with any interest in the entered animal(s) to the terms of the Agreement and do so bind them, their agents, heirs, successors and assigns or, to the extent that they do not have this authority, will ensure that such person(s) sign the Entry Form; and that all other persons and enterprises with an interest in the entered animal(s) accept full responsibility for their actions, and for those of anyone else including but not limited to fitters, who are involved in the care of, show preparation and/or showing of the entered animal(s).
• Rockton Agricultural Society, its members, employees, and volunteers shall not be liable for any loss of, or damage to, property belonging to the exhibitor or to concession vendors however caused.
• Nor shall the Rockton Agricultural Society, its members, employees or volunteers be liable to the exhibitor or to the concession vendor, or anyone coming on to the Society’s property at the instigation of, or to visit the exhibitor’s or concession vendor’s site.
• Should anyone make a claim for any damage or injury however caused against any member, employee, or volunteer of the Rockton Agricultural Society the exhibitor or concession vendor agrees to indemnify and save harmless the Rockton Agricultural Society, its members, its employees, and its volunteers for any claim or damage however caused arising out of, or in consequence of, the use of the exhibition space allotted.
• The cattle, horse, sheep, alpaca, and goat exhibitor and concession vendor agree to have liability insurance to provide indemnity as set out herein and for any damages or claim that may arise as a consequence of his/her use of the exhibition/vendor space directly or indirectly. They must name the Rockton Agricultural Society as additional insured.
• No concession will be allowed to be placed on the ground until the fee is paid to the Committee in Charge. The Managing Committee consists of the President, the First Vice-President, the Second Vice-President, and the Manager. This committee will be in attendance on each day of the fair.
• The interpretation of all rules and regulations is made by the Managing Committee and its decision will be final. In case an error occurs in the printing of this prize list, the Managing Committee has the power to rectify same.
• The Management of Rockton Agricultural Society advises all exhibitors and all others concerned that the consumption of alcoholic beverages in the buildings or on the grounds of the Society is prohibited.
• According to the Liquor Laws of Ontario, such persons found in possession of alcoholic beverages leave themselves open to prosecution by the proper authorities.

LIVESTOCK EXHIBITOR CODE OF CONDUCT
as developed by O.F.A.C. (Ontario Farm Animal Council)

The Rockton World’s Fair is committed to responsible animal care and treatment. This Code of Conduct outlines what is expected of livestock exhibitors in the handling and exhibiting of all animals involved with our Fair.

This code has been developed to meet the following objectives:

• To ensure the health and well-being of all animals at the fair.
• To demonstrate an accurate and responsible animal care message to the public.
• To maintain the integrity of all livestock competitions, displays, and sales.
• Livestock and poultry must be transported to and from the fair in accordance with all humane transport regulations and standards. Loading and unloading must be undertaken using proper equipment and procedures.
• All animals must be treated and handled in a responsible manner.
• The well-being of the animals shall take precedence over the demands of owners, sellers, buyers, organizers, sponsors, and officials.
• The care of all animals must be as consistent as possible with their normal schedules and standards.
• High standards of nutrition, health, sanitation, environment, and safety must be met at all times. All handling, housing, and veterinary treatment must ensure adequate animal care.
• Livestock should be prepared with proper training, fitting, and grooming prior to the fair.
• Excessive disciplining of animals at the fair is unacceptable.
• Exhibitors are expected to provide adequate training for anyone handling their livestock. Untrained individuals, including fair personnel and visitors, should not be permitted to handle animals or equipment.
• Exhibitors should take every opportunity to enhance public awareness, education, and appreciation of proper livestock management and handling practices.
• There will be no tolerance for any mistreatment of animals. Any unacceptable exhibitor conduct will be subject to action including possible elimination from the competition(s) and/or exhibit, at the discretion of the Board.

PROVINCIAL PREMISES REGISTRY: PPR #ON4215875

DOG/ PET POLICY

Pets are NOT allowed entry to the Rockton Fairgrounds pet show competitors. Competitors must vacate immediately after the competition. Licensed guide dogs & service animals are welcomed.