General Rules

GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS - Print Version

1. The Hookstown Fair Board has the right to accept or refuse any and all entries.

2. The Hookstown Fair Board will exercise every care in the protection of exhibits but will not be responsible for the loss or damage from any cause, including fire or theft. All exhibits will be under the direction of the Hookstown Fair Board and the appointed committees but in no case will they be responsible for any loss, injury or damage done or occasioned by or arising from any animal exhibited by the exhibitor and shall indemnify the Hookstown Fair Board against legal or other proceedings in regard thereto. Upon these conditions only are entries accepted.

3. The Fair Management will accept entries for only the classes published in the premium listing as long as space is available in that particular department.

4. The Fair Management may, at any time, order the removal of any exhibit or part of any exhibit in bad condition, exclude any entry unfit to show, or withhold premium payment. Food products cannot be polluted with any substance or chemical that causes them to become poisonous and unfit to be used as food. Failure to comply will constitute dismissal from the fair grounds.

5. The Fair Management will not assume responsibility for the payment of premiums offered other than those provided by the Fair Management.

6. The Fair Management agrees to pay all premiums in full, providing the receipts are sufficient to do so, after deducting the necessary operating expenses, and in case the receipts are not sufficient, reserves the right to pay premiums pro-rata.

7. The Fair Management reserves the right to withhold any premium for lack of merit of exhibit and authorizes the judge to award a lower place premium when deemed necessary.

8. The decision of the judge is final.

9. When award ribbons are stolen or destroyed, the exhibitor may receive a duplicate ribbon at the Record of Exhibits Office free of charge.

10. All exhibitors (excluding commercial exhibitors) must have an exhibitor number before entering any exhibit. This number is assigned only once. If you acquired a number in the past, the same number will apply for all entries in all departments thereafter, year after year. If you do not have an exhibitor number, you may obtain one at the Record of Exhibits Office prior to the opening day of the Fair. This number must accompany every entry.

11. Entries for Departments 15, 18 and 19 will be accepted from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 16, and from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 17. Entries for Departments 11, 12, 13, 14, and 17 will be accepted from 1 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 19. All 4-H Club (Department 10 Sections A-13 through A-29) entries will be accepted from 1 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 19 and 9 a.m. to noon on Monday, Aug. 20. Department 10 Rabbits (Section A-9) must be entered between 1 and 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 20.

12. All above listed exhibits will be released at 10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 23. EXHIBITS MUST REMAIN IN PLACE UNTIL RELEASED TO QUALIFY FOR PREMIUMS. Exhibits must be picked up by 11 p.m. that day.

13. Exhibit halls will be closed to the public during the judging of entries Monday, Aug. 18 beginning at 10 a.m. and will remain closed until judging is completed.

14. All livestock exhibitors in Departments 1 through 11 must enter animals in advance. Entry forms are printed in the Premium Listings Tabloid or may be obtained from the Record of Exhibits Office, P.O. Box 33, Hookstown, PA 15050 or from the department chairperson. Entry forms must be returned to the address printed on that individual form. Department 1 entries must be received by July 1. Other livestock entries must be received by July 15. Entry fees must accompany each entry form. A letter of confirmation for your space will follow with the necessary information and gate admission policies. When livestock housing is filled to capacity, entries will be refused based on latest postmark date.

15. All cattle on display must be double-tied. All cattle must have one rope on the double tie, no baler twine. All horses must be tied to the rings provided in the front of the stall. If rules and regulations are not followed, exhibitors are subject to forfeit of prize money.

16. All livestock exhibitors must furnish their own feed, hay and bedding. Feed may be brought in by vehicle between the hours of 6 A.M. and 10 A.M. through gate #6.

17. The exhibitors will be expected to keep the space they occupy in a clean and sanitary condition, to accept the stall assigned without controversy, to assist in the removal of manure daily, and to cooperate with the department in every way that may serve to increase the educational value of the show.

18. Exhibitors of livestock must inform themselves as to when their stock will be judged. Stock must be in the ring promptly on call, and a failure to comply with the order renders exhibitors liable to be ruled out in competing.

19. Any animal of unthrifty nature or unsuitable condition or that cannot be satisfactorily handled must be removed from the fairgrounds. The International Association of Fairs and Expositions National Code of Show Ring Ethics will be followed. Anyone wishing to obtain a copy of these show ring ethics should call the fair office.

20. Decorating with ribbons or ornaments previously won shall be prohibited until after the judges have made the awards in their respective classes.

21. Drugs administered to livestock prior to or during the fair for the purpose of controlling disposition or showmanship performance are prohibited. The Fair Board reserves the right to draw blood, collect urine or check hair from any animal.

22. All animals entered in the breeding classes must be recorded or accepted for registry in the recognized books for their respective breeds. Exhibitors must have registration and transfer certificates available for inspection by management at any time until the judging of the breed is completed. Only original registration papers will be accepted when checking entries. No photostats or other copies will be accepted.

23. Animals consigned for slaughter shall not receive any injection or oral administration of drugs, biologics, etc. less than 21 days prior to the opening date of the fair. If upon slaughter a recent injection administration is the cause of condemnation of a carcass, the loss of the carcass will be born by the exhibitor.

24. All livestock entries in Departments 1 through 11 must be on the grounds not later than 9 p.m. Monday, Aug. 18. All such animals shall remain on the grounds until release at 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 23. No exhibitor cars or trucks permitted through gates or on grounds until midnight. EARLY REMOVAL WILL FORFEIT PREMIUM PAYMENT. Security will be provided for livestock until 8 a.m. Sun, Aug. 24.

25. Gates will open each day Tuesday, Aug. 19, through Saturday, Aug. 23, at 8 a.m. Gate admission will be $7 until 3 P.M. After 3 P.M., admission will be $9. Admission includes mechanical rides, midway events, grandstand seating, main stage events and parking. A NO-FRILLS weekly gate pass (excludes mechanical ride privileges) will be available for $20 per person per week at the Hookstown Fair Board Office and with local merchants from Aug. 1 through Aug. 17. A discount daily ticket that includes rides will be available for $6 at the same locations and dates. This ticket will be good at any admission gate on any of the five days of the fair.

26. Children 24 months of age and younger will be admitted free (does not include rides).

27. Senior citizens, age 60 and older, will be admitted FREE to the grounds EVERY DAY BEFORE 3 P.M. with the proper senior citizen identification—the Pennsylvania Senior Citizen Card, the West Virginia Mountaineer Card, the Ohio Golden Buckeye Card, or state driver’s license. Admission for senior citizens after 3 P.M. will be $9.

28. All unauthorized people must be off the grounds by midnight.

29. In the event of a rainout, no admission refunds will be given.

30. Use of alcoholic beverages or drugs is prohibited.

31. Recreational scooters will NOT be permitted on the fair grounds.

32. No dogs, leashed or unleashed, except for seeing-eye dogs, dogs on exhibit and performing dogs, will be permitted on the fairgrounds.

33. NO FIREARMS or WEAPONS of any kind will be permitted on the fairgrounds without the written permission of the Fair Board prior to the fair. All violators will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

34. The Fair Management reserves the right to amend or add to these rules and regulations as its judgment may determine.