By Austin Rust-
Just weeks ago, it seemed likely that a Junior Fair would not be held in Adams County this year. This led a group of local livestock enthusiasts to partner together in planning the 2020 Southern Ohio Independence Livestock Expo (SOILE). This jackpot style livestock exposition is open to anyone in the United States, and will be held over three days (from July 10 – 12) with Sheep, Goat, Swine, and Beef Cattle declared weight shows. All of the profits made from SOILE will be given to the 4-H/FFA livestock exhibitors who exhibit at this year’s 2020 Adams County Jr. Fair Show.
According to the latest general information, posted to the SouthernOhioILE (SOILE) Facebook page, all social distancing guidelines will be enforced at the exposition under the guidance of the Adams County Health Department. Restrooms will be cleaned every 1-2 hours, bleachers will be divided into seats of ten spaced six feet apart, and no more than ten people from one family may congregate in the same area. Attendees are encouraged to wear face masks; expo staff will wear masks as needed. Vendors will follow Responsible RestartOhio guidelines, and show equipment will be sanitized regularly. Primitive camping will be available at the cost of $25 per night.
Exhibitors are encouraged to pre-register before July 6 at 11:59 p.m. via forms available on the SouthernOhioILE (SOILE) Facebook page. The entry fee is $30 for those who pre-register, and $35 for those who register on the day of their show. The Goat and Sheep Shows will take place Friday, July 10; the Swine Show will take place Saturday, July 11; and the Beef Cattle Show will take place Sunday, July 12. For check-in times, show rules, and other information, please be sure to check the SouthernOhioILE (SOILE) Facebook page, where updates are regularly posted.
In an interview with The People’s Defender, Friends of the Fair Member and SOILE Committee Representative Dalton Black answered the following questions regarding the upcoming expo:
Could you describe what inspired the Friends of the Fair to plan this expo, and the importance of Adams County’s youth exhibitors in 4-H, FFA, etc. being able to show the livestock animals they have raised?
“I can’t speak entirely for every member on what drove them to want to make the Southern Ohio Independence Livestock Expo happen. All of us have the common reason that we want to see the youth succeed. Personally the reason that inspired me was my career as a livestock showman for 11 years. I enjoyed every one of those years, met many new friends around the nation, and above all that show career helped shape who I am today. The reason I feel that 4-H, FFA and the entire livestock show industry is important is that it gives the youth who show livestock to develop themselves into strong leaders for the future. It provided me with opportunities that were once-in-a-lifetime, and from there on I want to make sure that our youth exhibitors in my own community, as well as nationwide exhibitors, get those opportunities I was fortunate to have. But I can say this for certain: every person on our committee wants to see our youth succeed no matter the circumstance.”
At this expo, social distancing, mass gathering limits, etc. will be in place, following guidance from the local health department. Will these safety measures affect how animals are shown and judged this year? Are there any regular expo events that cannot take place?
“There will definitely be some changes to how livestock are shown and judged, but we believe those changes will be minimal to showmen, spectators and their families. We won’t have huge congregations of people outside our show arena, we won’t have as many spectators as a normal show would have in the stands, and there are different procedures we have to follow, but most of these kids are well trained showmen who can work around changes as they are needed in the ring.”
The latest information states these will be declared weight shows, with scales made available in case an animal must be weighed. What led to this decision, and what does it mean for local exhibitors?
“Declared weights basically mean the exhibitor writes their own weight on the cards instead of having our show staff work at the scales and write down every animal weight. The exhibitor has the option to use our scales and write down the weight that they see or write down the weight of that animal determined by other means. However we have established that by using this system, we have a process to assess and determine if animals are way off on weights just to make it fair for all exhibitors. The decision to have declared weights was a two-part decision for our committee. First we wanted to have a good working relationship with our local health officials (who have been very receptive and helpful to us in planning this show out) so we wanted to see what extra measures we could take as a committee to help our health officials in keeping our people safe that are attending this show. By taking this action, this allowed for minimal contact during weigh in between exhibitors and our show staff. The second part also is to align with what some other expos and livestock shows are doing across the nation to give a much smoother process in weighing in their projects.”
With the Senior Fair Board now able to cover Junior Fair expenses, thanks to state aid, a combined, four-day Junior/Senior Fair will be held this year. What is your reaction to this, and what does it mean for the local youth exhibitors with other projects to show?
“In regards to our county being able to fund the junior fair with the help of state funds, I see this as a major win for the youth of our county. Many became very discouraged after the decision to originally cancel but kept working their animals and just hoped that something would happen, and thanks to state funding and the push from our community to have a junior fair portion, I think the youth are definitely ready to get back in the ring, or get in the ring for their first time.
Finally we are extremely honored to be working with the community of Adams County, and other areas of the state, in helping us make this show possible for the youth. We have been in close contact with health department officials in putting this show on and the committee can assure all members of the public that the safety of everyone comes first. Any questions or comments can be directed to our Facebook page, or our email @[email protected].”