OWNERSHIP: All entries must be the bonafide property of the exhibitor; owned by and registered in the name of the exhibitor at the time of entry closing. The breeder of the animal will be the person(s) recorded as such on the registration certificate. An animal owned jointly by more than one individual, firm or institution must be registered in the names of the joint owners. In the event that one of the joint owners is the breeder of the animal, he may include it in a group class having a bred and owned requirement.
CANCELLATION AND REFUNDS:
Entries and full payment are due on or before the posted closing date
Entries received after the posted closing date will be accepted at the discretion of the RAWF and late penalties may apply (See individual competition section)
Cancellations received due to extraordinary circumstances (eg. Natural disasters, storms, accidents or emergencies) will be addressed on a case by case basis by RAWF management
Cancellations or scratches received prior to the closing date will receive a refund of 100% of entry fee less the administration fee and related costs
Refunds for entries following the closing date will only be accepted if accompanied by a signed veterinary or medical certificate. In this event 25% of the entry fees and administration fee will be withheld. Refunds will be paid within 30 days of the close of the Fair. In the event that an animal’s entry is cancelled for health issues and a refund is awarded, no substitution will be allowed.
The competence of the handlers and show-people is considered essential. Untrained individuals, including show personnel and visitors, should not be permitted to handle animals or equipment. Exhibitors are expected to provide adequate training for anyone handling their livestock. Any exhibitor who cannot handle their animal will not be allowed in the show ring, at the discretion of RAWF management.
All livestock entered in purebred classes for show or sale at the RAWF must be recorded as Purebred as determined by the by-laws of an Association authorized to register animals of that breed. Each breed association shall:
Be solely responsible to assure that its breed registration rules, regulations and by-laws, including those relating to ownership and to those relating to criteria defining “purebred” for that specific breed are adhered to
Be solely responsible to verify and assure, prior to the competition, that each entry made in a breed association sanctioned show is eligible to compete in the class or classes declared by the exhibitor
Indemnify the RAWF against all legal or other proceedings related to the implementation of the breed association’s rules, regulations and by-laws
PRODUCTION OF CERTIFICATES: Exhibitors of animals entered in the purebred classes must have original certificates of registration available for inspection by the relevant Breed Association or RAWF officials. All livestock must arrive to the RAWF identified with approved indicators (as approved by Agri-Food Canada) and they are to be tagged before leaving the farm. Exhibitors with animals that arrive without tags are subject to a $1,300.00 personal fine, and a fine of $1,300.00 for the transporter and another $1,300.00 fine for the site of acceptance (RAWF). The exhibitor will be responsible for the total fine payment of $3,900.00. The RAWF is NOT a tagging station for livestock.
All livestock must arrive to the RAWF identified with approved indicators (as approved by Agri-Food Canada) and they are to be tagged before leaving the farm. Exhibitors with animals that arrive without tags are subject to a $1,300.00 personal fine, and a fine of $1,300.00 for the transporter and another $1,300.00 fine for the site of acceptance (RAWF). The exhibitor will be responsible for the total fine payment of $3,900.00. The RAWF is NOT a tagging station for livestock.
GROUPS: Animals comprising an exhibit in a group class must have been entered and shown in their respective sections for single animals, except in cases where it is permissible to include an animal for which no section for single animals is provided
BARREN ANIMALS: The RAWF debars and will, to the utmost of its power, discourage and prohibit the showing of barren animals in breeding classes/shows.
STALLS: Stalls and pens for livestock will be allotted by the Superintendent and Barn Bosses of the section. No exhibitor has the right of use to any stall at succeeding Fairs. Consequently, exhibitors installing fittings in a stall do so subject to the RAWF’s right to enter the stall and remove such fittings when, in the opinion of management, it is desirable to do so to cope with stabling requirements or to comply with fire safety regulations. No overhead storage will be permitted as per General Rules & Regulations Rule #17.
ACCOMMODATION FOR LIVESTOCK: It shall be the duty of the Barn Manager, Livestock Superintendents and Barn Bosses of the section to work with exhibitors to ensure neat and attractive exhibits. This will be enforced by preventing an exhibitor from utilizing too many stalls/pens or from unduly crowding their animals, and through regulating the use of stalls/pens for purposes other than accommodation of exhibits and to require the use of sufficient bedding by each exhibitor (at the expense of such exhibitor). NOTE: Stalls will be assigned at the complete discretion of the Superintendent and Barn Bosses. Entries do not dictate stall space. Stall space will be decided by the number of animals that an exhibitor brings to the RAWF. The Superintendent’s decision is final. Any exhibitors who do not tie their entries as assigned may be asked to leave the grounds and forfeit their entry fees. For Display and pop-up tent regulations, refer to General Rule #29.
FORAGE AND BEDDING: Hay, straw and grain may be purchased on site at reasonable prices from an authorized contractor. To prevent congestion in the aisles during the hours of peak attendance, no deliveries of feed will be made after 10:00 a.m. Exhibitors may bring in a maximum of 24 hours worth of feed and bedding for their own livestock during the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. only. NO SELLING OF HAY, STRAW OR GRAIN BY ANY PERSON OTHER THAN THE RAWF’S AUTHORIZED CONTRACTOR WILL BE PERMITTED. Extra hay or straw may be placed in feed aisles only. All feed buckets, forks and other equipment used in connection with the exhibit must be stored in the feed aisles when not in use and nothing may be stored in such aisles to a height greater than that of the partitions.
MANURE: We ask for all exhibitors’ cooperation in keeping the barn as clean as possible. If your animal drops manure in the aisles or on the carpet, we ask that you clean it up immediately. Manure must be removed by the exhibitor and taken to the specified containers outside of the barn for the duration of the show. It must not be piled in the aisles or in the barn during the day. This rule will be in effect from November 4 to November 13, inclusive. Wire, bottles or other solid objects must not be disposed of in the manure. Exhibitors must bring their own manure carts to move their manure to specified containers.
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES: To avoid accidents and subsequent claims for damages that could involve an exhibitor; no milking machine or other electrical appliance without a guard over its moving parts is to be placed in the public aisles or beside animals. No electrical appliance may be used unless it has a three pronged plug and a ground wire.
ARRIVAL OF EXHIBITS: See arrival times within each appropriate competition section. These times will be strictly adhered to. All articles and animals must be in place and all rubbish waste material cleared away before 8:00 a.m. each day of the Fair to present the best possible exhibit to Fair visitors.
RELEASE OF EXHIBITS: See departure times within appropriate competition sections. These times will be strictly adhered to. Any exhibitor who moves out before designated time will be subject to a $400 penalty and may not be permitted to exhibit at the RAWF in future years. Management reserves the right to allow for special circumstances.
All livestock entries are required to pay an environmental fee.
CANADIAN SHEEP and GOATS:
Producers must ensure that an approved Canadian Sheep Identification Program (CSIP) eartag is applied to all sheep and lambs on their premises before they leave their farm of origin.
All sheep and goat entries must be inspected at the RAWF for freedom from infectious and contagious diseases.
DISEASED ANIMALS: In the interest of maintaining a high standard of animal health, all livestock are subject to inspection upon arrival and throughout the show by inspectors appointed by the RAWF, officers of Agriculture Canada or the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and veterinarians. If evidence of an infectious or contagious disease is discovered, the owner of the infected animal shall be required to move it to a designated area within the building or, on order from the RAWF or breed association officer, immediately remove it from the premises.
TREATMENT OF ANIMALS: Abuse of animal(s) in any form will not be allowed. Any violation of this rule will result in immediate disciplinary action. In all aspects of the RAWF, the well-being of animals shall take priority over the demands of owners, sellers, buyers, organizers, sponsors and officials.
Recommended Codes of Practice are currently in place for poultry, hogs, dairy cattle, beef cattle, horses, sheep, goats, rabbits and livestock transportation. These Codes have been designed to guide farmers, handlers, transporters, and processors in their practices. The codes have been drafted through close consultation with producers, government researchers and industry and it is the responsibility of the exhibitor to familiarize themselves with their species codes of practice and put these recommendations in practice at the RAWF.
Animal health, stall/animal sanitation, and safety should be considered at all times. Adequate provisions must be made for ventilation, feeding, and watering throughout the show. All handling, housing and veterinary treatment must ensure the health and welfare of the animals.
TAMPERING WITH LIVESTOCK: The unethical fitting of livestock entered for competition is prohibited. For the purpose of the RAWF, unethical fitting is deemed to consist of any treatment or operation materially altering the structure or natural conformation of any part of an animal’s body such as: the introduction of air, liquids, or other substances subcutaneously in any part of the body, surgical operation to correct defects, or the performance of any act, operation to exaggerate the natural conformation of the animal.
Every exhibitor, in consideration of their entry being accepted, specifically undertakes that no animal entered by him/her has been or will be before entering the judging ring, unethically fitted. The exhibitor agrees to submit for inspection any animal entered by him/her, at any time required before any inspector(s) or appointed for this purpose by the RAWF/affiliated association. They further agree that the opinion of such inspector(s) be valid and their call to be final and conclusive and without recourse against the RAWF/affiliated association. The exhibitor, by entering the animal for exhibition, hereby releases the RAWF from all claims and demands whatsoever in connection with the disqualification of any animal under the provisions of this section.
If an animal which in the opinion of an inspector or inspectors appointed for the purpose has been unethically fitted, the incident will be reported and the RAWF/affiliated associations will adhere to the penalties outlined by the RAWF/affiliated association.
The RAWF reserves the right to collect urine or blood samples from any animal for laboratory analysis. An exhibitor of an animal producing a sample having a quantity of diuretic or unapproved medication of any kind will forfeit all rights and privileges to exhibit at any future RAWF and forfeit any prize money or awards earned by the present exhibition of the animal or animals in question.
No artificial colouring of hair or wool will be allowed
REFUSAL TO SHOW: Exhibitors refusing to lead out their animals for competition in the show ring, when called by the official in charge, will forfeit all prizes previously won and may be debarred from further participation in the RAWF and be required to remove their animals from the premises within six hours after such refusal.
TIME OF SHOWING: The livestock judging schedule will be published in the livestock prize list and repeated in the livestock catalogue. Exhibitors are required to act accordingly; any animal not presented in the ring at the time the class is scheduled will be barred from showing.
SPECTATORS BARRED FROM LIVESTOCK RING(S): No persons other than judges, officials and attendants holding animals being exhibited will be allowed in the show ring during the time of judging
