2025 Pima County Fair!

APRIL 17-27, 2025

Auction and Buyers Letter

A buyers letter is a letter that youth who plan to sell an animal at the auction need to write to potential buyers. This letter needs to be written buy the 4-H member, NOT the parents. The letter should be personalized to the recipient. Buyers are more inclined to buy animals when they receive letters! You can find a list of buyers on the back of the 4-H calendar you got at the beginning of the year. Be creative, have fun and incorporate the theme, HOT WHEELS, into your design if you’d like! Use fun paper, stickers, glitter, pictures…they buyers should enjoy reading your letter and remember you!

There is also a Buyers Letter competition at the Fair. DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES IS MARCH 20!! Mail your letters for the competition to: Celia Burkel 5001 S Swan Road Tucson, AZ 85706

The small stock auction will be held on April 27 at 10:30 am under the Big Ramada. Only animals that get a blue ribbon are eligible for sale at the auction. Only ONE animal can be sold by a 4-H member. The only exception is if you have more than one grand or reserve animal in the commercial division. You MUST have your child’s social security number to sell. You will be required to fill out a form with their SSN on it prior to the sale.

CLICK HERE FOR AUCTION RULES

CLICK HERE FOR THE PIMA COUNTY JUNIOR LIVESTOCK SALES webpage

CLICK HERE FOR THE BUYERS LETTER RUBRIC (click through all the tabs on the bottom of the excel sheet)

CLICK HERE FOR A GUIDE TO WRITING A BUYERS LETTER

There are prizes for buyers letters including cash prizes, gift cards and more!

The 2024 Pima County Fair will be April 17-27, 2025 at the Pima County Fairgrounds. Click here for the location.

The theme for 4-H Fair is ROCK AND ROLL! We can decorate and have fun with the theme! If you have any ideas on how to make our animals cages look fun and decorating our stall door, let me know!

The Fair Premium book can be found by clicking the button. (coming in 2025)

Please make sure to read the rules pertaining to your project. If you have ANY questions please contact Amanda!

If you’re wanting to camp out at the fairgrounds, you’ll need to fill out the form. Make sure to write our club name on the form so she can try and put us all together! The form can ONLY be mailed (YES mailed!) (form coming 2025)

Each exhibitor is limited to 20 animals (a pen will consist of 1 to 3 animals based on the project being entered). A $2 fee will be applied at fair check-in per pen, with a $40 maximum per family. If this is an issue for your family, please contact me so we can make sure you’re covered!

You MUST complete a YQCA Training prior to January 31, 2025. Click the link to do this online or watch for the in person option TBA.

FAQ’S

  • OWNERSHIP DEADLINE:

    January 31st, 2025- OWNERSHIP IS VERIFIED THROUGH CLUB POULTRY LEADERS

    FAIR ENTRY DEADLINE:

    TBA

    FAIR POULTRY SET-UP:

    TB

    FAIR CHECK-IN DATE: (Birds/Eggs & Exhibits)

    TBA

    SHOWMANSHIP:

    TBA

    Turkey Showmanship/ Breed:

    TBA

    MEAT PEN/ COMMERCIAL LAYERS JUDGING:

    TBA

    BREED SHOW:

    TB

    SMALL STOCK AUCTION:

    Sunday, April 27th, 2025 at 10:30 AM

    FAIR CHECK-OUT:

    Sunday, April 27th, 2025 following mandatory exhibitor meeting. Fair tear down is required for all 4-H and FFA members participating in fair (all members will be required to be signed out by the project coordinator prior to leaving the fairgrounds)

  • The youth must have obtained their bird prior to January 31, 2025 to be able to show it at the fair. You cannot obtain a bird after that date and take it to the fair. You cannot swap out a bird after this date for the fair. You must have your birds and use only those selected prior to January 31, 2025. A form will be sent out and filled out claiming ownership and documenting the breed and leg band number of any birds you are planning on taking to the fair.

  • Tuesday and Wednesday of 4-H week are mandatory days that exhibitors are required to be at the fair.

  • Cages are provided. You just need a way to transport your bird to the fair. Sometimes they provide water and food cups but not always. I always bring my own just in case. These work great to hang on cages.

    Any grooming supplies you need.

  • Each club will have a stall. We will keep all of our feed, shavings, wheel barrel (for cleaning cages) rakes, and anything else in this stall. If you aren’t camping and want to leave your show clothes in the stall, make sure to bring something to cover them as it can get dusty!

  • Parents get the luxury of doing very little! Outside of chaperoning your child and making sure they are were they need to be, parents are not to feed, water or clean birds unless necessary. Parents can supervise but are not supposed to to help in any other way. 4-H relies on older kids to help the younger. We will make sure that everyone is in the right spot, has the right things, and is happy! Of course, in an emergency or time sensitive situation, please help your child!

  • IT IS REQUIRED!

    Those showing at the 2025 Pima County Fair must enter an exhibit into OPH that is related to their fair project. For those with multiple fair projects, please select one project to represent in OPH. Each individual showman should be creating their own exhibit for OPH based on their individual project. Exhibits can include posters (22"x28" or smaller), photography, baking, welding, etc. feel free to get creative with these exhibits.

  • 4-H members are expected to wear the following attire when exhibiting or performing at a fair function within the show-rings (exception would be 4-H Olympics, skill-a-thons, and quiz bowls.): Dark solid colored pants/jeans with belt; collared or sleeved shirt or blouse and tie combination in 4-H colors. Club vests are optional. This dress code is required for all Showmanship/Market/Breed Show Classes.

    CLOSED TOED AND HEELED LEATHER SHOES ARE REQUIRED FOR SAFETY IN ALL PROJECTS.

  • OWNERSHIP DEADLINE:

    TBA

  • OWNERSHIP DEADLINE:

    February 28th, 2024- All animals must be entered in the Animal Ownership Google Form by 11:59 PM.

    mother of a meat pen or fryer project ownership deadline is January 31, 2024.

    FAIR ENTRY DEADLINE:

    April 1st, 2024 by 11:59 PM- at the Fair Entry Google Form (Instructions on how to enter will be made available prior to deadline.)

    FAIR WORKDAY: Saturday, April 13th, 2024- 8:00am-1:00pm

    Mandatory pre-fair meeting 8am

    FAIR CHECK-IN DATE:

    Friday, April 19th, 2024- 6:00 PM- 8:00 PM

    SHOWMANSHIP:

    Saturday, April 20th, 2024; 1:00 PM

    BREED SHOW DATE:

    Sunday, April 21st, 2024; 9AM

    SMALL STOCK AUCTION FORMS DUE TO THE PROJECT COORDINATOR:

    Sunday, April 21st, 2024 by 3:00 PM

    CHECK-OUT ALL, except for the below listed RABBITS:

    Sunday, April 21st, 2024 at 6:00 PM

    All clubs must be present for mandatory meeeting at 5:00PM.

    Rabbits must remain in building until release time NO EARLIER THAN 6:00 PM.

  • Items REQUIRED for the fair: – we will not provide them!

    · Caribiner clip(s) for cage(s) – non locking devices

    · Frozen water bottles

    · Resting mat

    · Food dish

    · Water bottle

    · Feed

  • YES it is required of all members!

    Each member will work with another one or two members for each shift. During that shift, you will be taking care of and cleaning up after our clubs animals.

    A. Herdsmanship judging will be conducted in the morning between 7:00-9:00 A.M. and in the afternoon between 5:00-7:00 PM during each day a project is at the Pima County Fair.

    B. The following points system will be used in the Danish Judging system for each 4-H Club or FFA Chapter.

    C. Only members/exhibitors are to participate in Herdsmanship.

    D. Herdsmanship Awards:

    - Purple Ribbon (Optional) to be determined to by the Project Coordinator

    - Blue Ribbon

    - Red Ribbon

    - White Ribbon

    Points

    Workday representation

    50

    Signing Up For Barn Duty (Number of shifts will be determined by coordinator at sign up)

    50

    The Below Points are Awarded Each Day During AM/PM Check

    Points will be pro-rated since the total days at the fair are different for each project.

    Daily Points Possible

    Feeding and Watering- 100

    Keeping cages/coops/pens and area clean- 100

    Cooperation of Members/Exhibitors- 100

    Signing Superintendent Roster- 100

    Total Daily Points Possible- 400

  • YES it is required of all members participating at the fair with an animal.

    Barn duty is your opportunity to educate the public about what 4-H and FFA are all about and teach them more about your project! You may take your animal out of its pen or cage to allow the public to interact with it, but you may not take anyone else’s animal out without their permission. While on barn duty, you will be responsible for making sure the animals are safe from the public. If there are any problems with the public and the adult on barn duty is not comfortable handling the situation, fair security may be called to assist. Please find one of the coordinators, superintendents, extension staff, or a member of the fair staff and report it. It IS NOT your responsibility to feed or water other people’s animals. You may only add water to a dish/bottle if it is empty.

    a. Barn Duty by exhibitors’ parents or leaders is mandatory per the schedule of the Project Coordinator, with each club taking hours commensurate with the number of youth and animals in the project.

    b. It is imperative an adult is present during all hours the barn is open to the public. There must be at least one adult present during each barn duty shift.

    c. A sign-up will be sent out shortly before the fair and will be available during the fair. Please check this sign-up to see if all slots are covered and sign up where you can help.

    d. The number of barn duty shifts required per club will be determined at the discretion of the Project Coordinator. This information will be sent out with the sign-up sheet.

    e. Barn duty will count toward your herdsmanship points.