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Livestock Competitions

ALERT

Please note some rules have changed this year. All exhibitors are encouraged to thoroughly read and review all rule books, as there may be some changes, outlined below, as well as changes that impact your species show specifically. A few changes of note include:

  • Parking – general parking is now $10 per day, and on-grounds parking (such as on the Gilligan Complex) is $15 per day. Exhibitor parking passes are still available for purchase as they have been in previous years. General parking can be paid for on-site as well as in advance.
  • Pass pickup – passes won’t be mailed, this year, you will pick the up upon arrival when dropping off your animals (see below).
  • Tents – pop-up tents around the barns will be limited in the areas they can be placed. A new map is included in your rule books to show you where tents can, and cannot, be placed.
  • Trailer parking – trailer parking will be in the same areas as last year, however, we had some people parking in non-trailer areas last year. Trailers parked in unauthorized areas are subject to towing.
  • Sale of Champions time – this year, we’ll celebrate our champions a bit earlier at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 3 (rather than the traditional start time of 2 p.m.). Join us in person, or watch online on ohiochannel.org, ocj.com, or on Facebook.

New in 2025 – Livestock Exhibitor Pass Pick Up

In effort to reduce delivery concerns and streamline the on-site arrival process, all passes (including admission passes and parking permits) purchased through ShoWorks or through the entry department will not be mailed and must be picked up on grounds in 2025. Pass pick up will begin July 14.

Hours and Locations:

  • July 14 – 20 – 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. - Livestock Office (Administration Building*)
  • July 21 – 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. – Gate 9
  • July 22 – 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. – Rabbit/Poultry Pavilion
  • July 23 - 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. - Livestock Office (Administration Building*)
  • July 24 – 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. – Gate 10
  • July 25 – 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. – Gate 10
  • July 26 - 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. - Livestock Office (Administration Building*)
  • July 27 - 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. - Livestock Office (Administration Building*)
  • July 28 – 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. – Gate 10
  • July 29 – 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. – Gate 10
  • July 30 – 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. – Gate 10
  • July 31 - 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. - Livestock Office (Administration Building*)
  • August 1 - 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. - Livestock Office (Administration Building*)
  • August 2 - 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. - Livestock Office (Administration Building*)

Important Pass Pick-Up Details:

  • *The Livestock Office can only be accessed by entering the front door of the Administration Building. There will be no admittance through the back door of the Administration Building into the Livestock Office.
  • Junior Exhibitor admission tickets will still be received when you check in at your respective barn.
  • Exhibitors must sign in order to receive tickets at pass pick-up.
  • If you arrive outside of the hours listed above and need your passes, you may check with your respective barn office to see if they can be obtained. The Livestock Office will do their best to make tickets available any hours that staff are on grounds.
  • Vehicles with livestock trailers will be allowed in the gate the first time with no parking pass or admission charged, as has been the procedure in previous years.
    • Passes need to be picked up prior to exiting the gate to park trailers and vehicles.
    • If you are arriving without a trailer to get passes, you will be instructed to specific parking. This parking spot is timed and if you exceed the time limit your vehicle will be towed.

Questions regarding pass pick up can be directed to the Livestock Office. The Livestock Office can be reached by phone at 614-644-4049 or by email at a.hershey@expo.ohio.gov.


Livestock animal ownership dates

The deadline to enter livestock exhibitions is 1 p.m. on June 21 with the exception of the Junior Horse Show, which closes at 1 p.m. on July 1, 2025. Entries open May 15 at 6 a.m.

In order to be more consistent with statewide livestock exhibition ownership rules, the Ohio State Fair has listed animal ownership dates below:

Market animals

  • Market beef – January 1
  • Market swine – May 23
  • Market lambs – May 23
  • Market goats – May 1
  • Dairy feeders – June 1
  • Market rabbits – June 1
  • Market poultry – within 5 days of hatch

Breeding animals

  • Breeding Beef – May 22
  • Breeding Swine – May 22
  • Breeding Sheep – May 22
  • Breeding Goats – May 16
  • Breeding Poultry – May 31
  • Breeding rabbits – May 31
  • Dairy Cattle (ownership means date of record) – May 22

See the full livestock schedule here.

Livestock Competition Information

Online entry helpful hints

  1. All entries must be submitted online.
  2. Please allow time to complete the entry process, as the system will shut down at 12:59 p.m. on Saturday, June 21. Entries will be locked automatically at 1 p.m.
  3. Late entry fees will be charged ($75.00) beginning June 21 and late entries will vary based on department. Late entries must be emailed to Barb Prince, Entry Department (b.prince@expo.ohio.gov). Upon receipt of the email the entry department will make contact to secure credit card information. Please reference the late entry document to see if you can make late entries into the division you are wanting to enter. No late entry for junior animals (breeding or market).
  4. While date of birth is required for all entries, all junior livestock exhibitors must provide their date of birth. Open entries just need to enter any date.
  5. Junior 4-H exhibitors must list the county in which the project is registered (in some cases, this is not the same as the county in which you live). You must list your county educator or extension agent as the contact to verify your entry, NOT your 4-H advisor.
  6. Junior FFA exhibitors must list the county in which the project is registered (in some cases, this is not the same as the county in which you live). You must list your FFA teacher/instructor as the contact to verify your entry.
  7. All exhibitors, junior and open, are asked for shirt size when entering. Junior exhibitor shirt sizing is used for the swag stop shirt you will receive after check-in at the Ohio State Fair. Open exhibitors pick N/A.
  8. Reminder – If you receive premiums of $499 and over, the State of Ohio requires you to register as a "new supplier" at https://ohiopays.ohio.gov/. This MUST be done before any payment will be processed. Please be aware you will be asked for banking information, as your payment will be direct deposit. You may use either a checking or savings account. If you have won $499 or more in the past, and have already set up a supplier account, you do not need to register again. However, you are responsible for making any address or name changes, by going to https://ohiopays.ohio.gov/ and updating any necessary information. If you need assistance with the online registration process, please view this tutorial or call the "help desk" at 1-877-644-6771.

Beef

Boer Goats

Cheese

Dairy Cattle

Dairy Goats

Dog Show

Horse Show

Junior 4-H Horse Division
The deadline to enter the junior horse show is July 1 at 1 p.m.

Judging Teams

Llamas

Poultry

Pygmy Goats

Rabbits

Sheep

Swine

Exhibitor Information and Supplemental Forms

In-Person & Virtual Ohio Youth Skillathons

Open to any Ohio youth, age 8 and in the 3rd grade, or 9 years old and older regardless of grade level, to age 18, this is a separate virtual event to allow broader participation. You do not have to exhibit a particular species to participate in that species Skillathon. Virtual Skillathon participation does not qualify a youth participant for outstanding market exhibitor awards. Proctored Virtual Skillathon at the Ohio Expo Center will qualify for the Outstanding Breeding Exhibitor awards.

Golf Cart Permits

Golf cart permits will NOT be sold on-site at the Ohio State Fair in 2025.
Please read the updated Ohio State Fair Golf Cart Permit Rules and Regulations prior to purchasing a permit.
2025 OHIO STATE FAIR GOLF CART DOCUMENTATION FORM

Competition Results

Youth Reserve Program Payouts

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