Oklahoma Youth Expo Important Changes

The following are important changes made to the
2008 Oklahoma Youth Expo schedule or rules.

2008 Oklahoma Youth Expo
Due to the Easter Holiday, the 2008 Oklahoma Youth Expo will be held March 10-20. The Grand Champion Drives will be on Wednesday, March 19, while the Sale of Champions will be held on Thursday, March 20.

Dress
 www.awardsandmoore.com (visit this link for 4-H jackets)
Any of the following will be considered as appropriate dress for junior exhibitors:

  • A vest or jacket and a collared, white button shirt. The vest or jacket must be of the appropriate color of the organization they represent, with an official emblem of at least 2 ½ inches.
  • A solid, collared button shirt with an official emblem of at least 2 ½ inches on it. The shirt must be collared, button up, and of the appropriate color of the organization the student represents (green, white, blue or yellow). Solid implies no flower prints, plaid or busy patterns.
  • No head gear will be allowed.

Exhibitors must follow the dress code. It will also be enforced during the Sale of Champions and while junior exhibitors are appearing before the media. The dress rule will be strictly enforced at the 2008 Oklahoma Youth Expo.

Animal Substitution
An exhibitor may substitute one animal for another of the same species and sex as long as each animal has been properly nominated and/or satisfies all of the show eligibility requirements such as ownership, age, etc. Animals that do not meet the proper nomination requirements or other show eligibility requirements cannot be substituted for other animals. Animals may not be substituted across species or sex. Examples are below:

Ex. 1 – An exhibitor may substitute a barrow for a barrow or a heifer for a heifer.
Ex. 2 – An exhibitor may NOT substitute a barrow for a gilt (different sex) or a wether for a steer (different species).
Ex. 3 – An exhibitor also may NOT substitute a market wether lamb for a market ewe.

Commercial Gilt Weight
The Commercial Gilts have a new minimum weight requirement of 230 lbs. instead of 200 lbs. The maximum weight is still set at 325 lbs.

PQA Training
There will NOT be an on-site PQA Training at the show. Therefore, all PQA Certification must be completed before the show or February 14, 2008.

Goat Showmanship
The Goat Showmanship will no longer be a qualified show, meaning that all exhibitors who enter and exhibit goats at the Oklahoma Youth Expo will be allowed to show in the Goat Showmanship Contest.

Sheep & Goat Nominations
All sheep (excluding purebred ewes) and goat nominations will go back to a manual, on-site nomination process. There will be three days and three different locations for exhibitors to nominate their sheep and/or goats. All steers and swine will continue to be a self-nominating, mail-in process.

Swine Nomination Deadline
The Swine Nomination Deadline has been moved up one month to December 10, 2007 . This decision has been made in order to meet the 90 day ownership requirement for swine.  

Breeding Female Sales
As was with the 2007 OYE, all breeding females that are selected for breeding female sales, whether it be the gilt sale, ewe sale or doe sale, must sell. There will no longer be an option for exhibitors to withdraw or pull their animals from the sale line-up.

Household Nominations
Students will be allowed to enter and show any animal that was nominated by an individual from their household according to the following restrictions:

  • The students must all legally reside in the same household and share the same legal address.
  • The student who is entering the animal must have materially participated in the care of the project. Regarding student eligibility, if a student is declared ineligible after the entry deadline, any animal entered in that exhibitor’s name shall be ineligible for exhibition at the 2008 Oklahoma Youth Expo.

Substitute Showman
Substitutions will only be allowed for the following reasons:

  • Two animals in the same class.
  • Conflicts with animals being exhibited in other species.
  • Sickness or a physical injury documented by a physician.
  • A pre-approved 4-H or FFA activity. No other school activity will qualify.

Steer Classifiction
Preliminary classification will take place at the time of nomination with photos sent in. However, ALL market steers are subject to a final classification upon arrival at the show.

Bronze Medallion Animals
In the Market Steer, Lamb, Barrow and Goat Divisions, the Bronze Medallion (third best of show) could come from the same breed as the Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion. If this were to occur, the third sale order animal of that breed would pull into the line-up to be considered for the Bronze Medallion Award. Therefore, all animals selected third in a breed behind the Reserve Champions, need to be prepared to move into the show ring and compete during the Grand Champion Drives.