Deadline is near for kids entering animals in Merced County Fair

The deadline for independent junior exhibitors planning to enter their goats, sheep or swine at the 2015 Merced County Fair is April 13, fair organizers announced this week.

The deadline is 60 days before this year’s annual fair opens June 10 for a five-day run. It will close June 14.

The theme of the 2015 Merced County Fair is “5 Best Days of Summer.”

Independent junior exhibitors are those who are not 4-H or FFA members, according to a state rule. All independent junior exhibitors entering market animals must provide fair management with a photo of their animal, appropriate proof of ownership and permanent tag, tattoo and/or hog ear notch information.

The fair’s deadline for independent junior exhibitors entering market beef has already passed, according to a news release.

Independent junior exhibitors entering market animals in the fair must give fair organizers a copy of their birth certificate or driver’s license as proof of age. This is a local requirement.

All required information must be submitted to the fair office at 900 Martin Luther King Jr. Way in Merced.

Independent juniors who want to exhibit market sheep, goats or swine at the fair must be at least 9 years old or in fourth grade as of Jan. 1, 2015. Exhibitors are eligible to compete through Dec. 31 of the year they turn 19 years old.

A new rule next year will change the age for independent exhibitors in large animal competitions at all California fairs. All independent junior exhibitors will have to be 9 years old by Jan. 1, 2016. The change will be based on age only, not grade level.

For information, call the fair office at (209) 722-1507, email info@MercedCountyFair.com or go to www.MercedCountyFair.com.

This story was originally published March 10, 2015 at 6:13 PM with the headline "Deadline is near for kids entering animals in Merced County Fair."