Livestock Rules

• To be eligible to show and sell at the 2026 Festival, exhibitors must be members in good standing of (a) Delong Livestock or Willing Workers 4 H clubs or (b) the Abingdon-Avon Middle School or High School FFA Chapter.
• Exhibitors will be assigned barn space after entries are received. Stalls will be assigned by the Livestock Committee.
• All steers must be dehorned before the designated “weigh-in day” in February and wear a halter at the weigh-in.
• Two steers may be weighed in February, and both may return in August to show.  BUT, the exhibitor must designate one of the steers at the Friday, August 28, 2026, weigh-in to sell.
• The summer after graduation from high school will be the last year a 4-H or FFA member will be eligible to show and/or sell.
• Neither the Livestock committee nor the Abingdon Community Festival Association is responsible for loss or damage to any animal exhibited and/or sold before, during, or after the Festival.
• Any animal that appears to be unfit to show and/or sell will be released and sent home by mutual direction of the Livestock Chairperson and a competent veterinarian.
• Any individual causing an unnecessary disturbance will forfeit his/her rights to sell at auction.  The Livestock Chairperson will be the judge, and that decision is final.
• No animals will be tied at ANY time to the perimeter fence of the Festival grounds.
• NO exhibitor who has sold an animal at the Knoxville 4-H Sale, Avon Fat Steer Show, or other sale of this nature before the Festival will be allowed to sell a companion of the same species at the Abingdon Festival Sale.
• If an exhibitor sells at the Knoxville 4-H Sale AND they retain ownership of the species, they are eligible to show, but NOT sell at the Abingdon Community Festival.
• The door between the show ring and the show barn will remain closed during the livestock show and the livestock auction.
• No cattle grooming chutes will be allowed in either livestock barn.
• No animals will be left unattended in any wash rack.

• All exhibitors must show their own projects except when two animals are in the same class.  In this case, a member of an eligible 4-H club or FFA Chapter may assist.
• Exhibitors are limited to two market animals total.  Exhibitors must declare which animals are sale animals at weigh-in.
• In all “Breeding Classes,” exhibitors may show only one animal per class, but may show in more than one class (exception of 2 gilts may be shown).
• Cattle and swine females will show in “Breeding Classes” only.  Goat and sheep females can be shown in either market OR breeding classes.
• All exhibitors and their livestock must have shown at any one of the following: Knox or Warren County 4-H Fairs or Section IV FFA Fair before being eligible for the Abingdon Community Festival.
• Steers, barrows, market lambs, and market goats will be judged and awarded a ribbon.
• All breeding females will be judged and awarded a ribbon and a premium.
• The interpretation of all rules governing the Festival Show and Sale shall rest entirely with the Livestock Committee and the Livestock Chairperson, with the decision of the Livestock Chairperson being the final decision.
• Showmanship classes will be based off the exhibitor age as of 9/1/2025.
• Bucket Calf class for 4-H members who are 12 years of age or younger, and all other 4-H rules apply to the Bucket Calf Class.

• Health papers will be checked by the Livestock Chairperson upon arrival. All Goats, Sheep, Swine, and Breeding Beef must have health papers.
• Barrows, market lambs/goats, and steers will be weighed and numbered as they arrive on Friday, August 28, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.  Steers will be weighed immediately after all other species are weighed.  All animals must be on the grounds by 10:00 a.m.
• Breeding Stock and Bucket Calves are to be on the grounds by 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 29th, 2026. 
• Breeding females may be taken home after ALL judging is complete.
• Clean-up night will be held the first Tuesday night after the fair at 6 pm.
• Mailed checks for kids who did not attend clean-up night will be sent at the fair’s discretion

• Livestock will be sold using a retained ownership format.  The buyer will pay the bid price times the weight of the animal.  The seller will maintain ownership of the animal.
• All exhibitors will report their intentions when they weigh in on Friday morning.  Any changes to this will need the prior approval of the Livestock chairman.
• If a member is unable to attend the livestock sale, Livestock chairman approval is needed to have another member sell the animal(s).

Have a question? Please contact our livestock chairman: Kim Brooks  at (309) 536-2915 

CLASSES

1. Breeding Categories
   1. Goat: Does and kids - all females registered/unregistered of all breeds
   2. Sheep: Ewes and ewe lambs - all females registered/unregistered of all breeds
   3. Swine: Gilts - all females registered/unregistered of all breeds
   4. Beef Cattle: all females registered/unregistered of all breeds
2. Market Categories
   1. Market Meat Goat: shown in weight classes
      1. Single Market Meat Goats - two single goats may be shown
   2. Market Lambs: shown in weight classes
      1. Single Market Lambs - two single goats may be shown
   3. Market Barrows: shown in weight classes
      1. Single Market Barrows - two single barrows may be shown
   4. Market Steers: shown in weight classes
      1. Single Market Steers - two steers may be shown (only one can sell at the auction)

Goat  

A. Breeding

     1.  Doe Kid  I  (0-6 months)    

     2.  Doe Kid II   (7-12 months)            

     3.  Yrlg. Doe (13-18 months)   

     4.  Yrlg. Doe II (19-24 months)   

     5.  Aged Doe (25-36 months)   

     6.  Grand Champion Doe    

     7.  Reserve Champion Doe

B. Market  

     1.  Single Market Goat (born on or after Oct 1, 2025) 

     2.  Grand Champion Market Goat   

     3.  Reserve Champion Market Goat

C. Goat Showmanship    

     1.  Junior Division (8-10 years)  

     2.  Intermediate Division (11-13 years)

     3.  Senior Division (14 years and over)

Sheep

A. Breeding

    1. Ewe Lamb born on or after Jan. 1 2026

     2. Yrlg. Ewe (12-24 months)

     3. Aged Ewe (25-36 months)

     4. Grand Champion Ewe

     5. Reserve Champion Ewe

B. Market

     1. Single Marked Lamb (born on or after Jan. 1, 2026)

      2.  Grand Champion Market Lamb 

      3.  Reserve Champion Market Lamb

C. Sheep Showmanship

     1. Junior Division (8-10 years)   

     2. Intermediate Division (11-13 years)

Beef Cattle

A. Breeding 

    1.  Class I   (born after April 1, 2026)

    2.  Class II (born Jan. 1 - March 31, 2026)

    3.  Class III  (born Oct. 1 - Dec. 31, 2025)

    4.  Class IV (born July 1 - Sept. 30, 2025)

    5.  Class V (born Apr. 1 - Jun. 30, 2025)

    6.  Class VI (born Jan. 1 - Mar. 31, 2025)

    7.  Class VII (born September 1 - December 31, 2024)

    8.  Grand Champion Heifer

    9.  Reserve Champion Heifer

B. Market

    1.  Single Market Steer (born in 2025)

    2.  Grand Champion Steer

    3.  Reserve Champion Steer

C. Bucket Calf

    1.  Bucket Calf

D. Showmanship

1. Junior Division (8-10 years)
2. Intermediate Division (11-13 years)
3. Senior Division (14 years and over)

Swine

A. Breeding

     1.  Gilt (born after Jan. 1, 2026)

     2.  Grand Champion Gilt

     3.  Reserve Champion Gilt

B. Market

     1.  Single Market Barrow (born after Jan. 1, 2026)

     2.  Grand Champion Barrow

     3.  Reserve Champion Barrow

C. Showmanship

1. Junior Division (8-10 years)
2. Intermediate Division (11-13 years)
3. Senior Division (14 years and over)

Have a question? Please contact our livestock chairman: Kim Brooks  at (309) 536-2915