1. No person will be permitted to distribute advertising matter on the fairgrounds, except from their place of business or exhibit. The tacking or posting of any advertisement, bill, cards, etc., other than within the space occupies, will be liable to a fine or expulsion from the grounds, as the board may elect.
2. Exhibits, with the exception of dairy cattle, beef cattle, swine, goats and rabbits, are limited to residents of Dakota County and Minnesota counties that border on Dakota County which include: Goodhue, Rice, Scott, Hennepin, Ramsey and Washington. See Sheep department for clarification of sheep exhibitor boundaries.
3. No article or animal shall compete for more than one premium, except livestock, competing in groups. 4-H members who have purebred livestock may also enter open class competition, providing they have proper proof of breeding and have paid the entry fee at the secretary's office.
4. No animal or article will be assigned a place on the grounds until entry shall have been made. Late entries cannot be guaranteed exhibit space by the fair management.
5. Stock and articles must be entered in the name of the bona fide owners, and vegtables, fruit, dairy products and domestic manufacture, must have been raised or made by exhibitors thereof.
6. The association has the right to reject any exhibit it feels inappropriate.
7. Every article in competition must correspond in number and description with the premium list, and be in its proper class, in order to obtain premiums. No change or alteration will be permitted after the books are placed in the hands of the judges.
8. Each entry tag shall be securely attached to the entry itself, or the stall, pen or receptacle in which it is shown.
9. Any exhibitor who removes an exhibit prior to the designated release time will thereby forfeit any premium earned on said exhibit, unless prior arrangements have been made with the department superintendent. See the respective departments for release information.
10. All exhibits must be removed from the fairgrounds by 9:00pm, Sunday, August 11, 2019. The Fair is not responsible for any items left after 9:00pm on that day.
11. Exhibition of articles not competing for premiums must be arranged for with the department superintendent, and will be arranged for as far as possible in conformity with the wishes of the exhibitor.
12. Those in charge of the different departments shall group each lot in the various classes.
13. The association will take every precaution in its power for the preservation of articles and stock on exhibition, but cannot be responsible for the theft, loss or damage that may occur in the delivery, exhibition or removal of exhibits.

Livestock Rules

1. Open class livestock exhibits must pre-registered. See the respective department for pre-registered dates and entry days.
2. Exhibitors must keep their stocks, stalls, and pens in good, neat condition and open for inspection from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. each day of the fair.
3. Exhibitors of livestock must inform themselves when their stock will be judged. Stock must be in the show ring promptly after being called, and any exhibitor failing to comply with this order will be ruled out of competition.
4. Sires, dams, and groups entered as such, must be owned by the individual or firm exhibiting them, but progeny of animals may be shown, simply as proof of their breeding qualities, without such ownership.
5. All animals under exhibition shall be shown to the judges, under the supervision of the respective superintendents.
6. In all classes which call for registered stock, the exhibitors will be required to file registration numbers of all registered animals or the registration numbers of sires and dams in the case of animals under one year of age which have not registered. Only purebred and registered livestock are eligible to compete for premiums except in the market class. Purebred animals under one year of age which have not registered, will be accepted if proof is furnished that the sire and dam are registered as provided above.
7. No animal shall compete in a group class unless it is entered as an individual.
8. The first bedding of straw will be furnished free for livestock on exhibit. Thereafter exhibitors will furnish their own feed and bedding.

Livestock Show Ring Ethics

The Dakota County Agicultural Society adheres to the International Code of Show Ring Ethics guidelines. Exhibitors of animals shall at all times conduct themselves with honesty and good sportsmanship. Their conduct in this competitive environment shall always reflect the highest standards of honor and dignity to pomote the advancement of agricultural education. The code applies to all livestock shown at the Dakota County Fair in open class and youth divisions. Refer to page 59 in the 4-H premium book for "Livestock Show Ethics" guidelines. Violators will face forfeiture of premiums and or other disciplinary action.

Electrical Requirements

• All equipent brought in by exhibitors shall have electric cords of the three wire grounding type. All cords shall be in good condition and not be frayed or have the ground prong broken off.
• There shall be no cords or electrical equipment of any type in the horse stall area due to the possibility of the entire metal stall system becoming energized and causing serious inury or death to both the people and the horses.
• All fans (blade and squirrel cage type) will have guards installed to limit access to moving parts.
• All pressure washers and vacuums shall be plugged into Dakota county Fair Supplied ground fault circuit interrupter outlets on the outside of certain buildings(the outlest have reset buttons on them).
• The superintendent of the electrical department will inspect all electrical equipment and if found to be in violation will be red tagged and disconnected. If the exhibitor corrects or has corrected the problem the electrical superintendent will remove the red tag.
• Any question on the rules, please contact the electrical superintendent, Rick Martinson, at the fair office, 651-463-6900.
• All concessionaires and exhibitors must follow the National Electrical Code requirements for portable electrical systems. A copy of this publication is available to anyone form the Fair office.

The rules stated above are designed for the maximum safety for not only the exhibitors and the spectators but also for the livestock.

Health Regulations

• Any livestock from out of state must have a Health Statement no older than 90 days.
• Livestock or poultry known by the exhibitor to have an infectious, communicable disease or to have been exposed to an infectious, communicable disease or to be from a quarantined herd or flock may not be entered in the exhibition. A statement from a veterinarian that an animal is being treated for these diseases is not acceptable.
• General health examinations of all livestock and poultry will be made by the Official Veterinarian on the day of entry.
• Brucellosis test must be conducted prior to the ehibition and a record of the test results on a test chart or Intrastate Health Certificate Accompany the tested animals.
• WARTS OR RINGWORM: All livestock will be inspected by the Official Veterinarian on the opening date of the exhibition and daily during the exhibition. The Official Veterinarian will order the immediate removal of any livestock with symptoms of infectious or communicable diseases including livestock with warts or ringworm.

CATTLE: Brucellosis - (Cattle originating in Minnesota exempt.) Negative brucellosis test within 90 days of entry on females and males over six months of age except: 1) Cattle originating from a Certified brucellosis-Free Herd. (Certified herd number and date of last test to be available.) 2) Official dairy vaccinates under 20 months of age. 3) Official beef vaccinates under 24 months of age. Bovine Tuberculosis 4-H Cattle FFA Cattle, Open Class Beef and Dairy, coming form one of the following counties; Beltrami, Lake of the woods, Marshall, Pennington, and Roseau, MUST be tested and have a negative test for Bovine Tuberculosis within 90 days prior to showing at Dakota County Fair, or must bring proof of a negative whole herd test conducted within the last year. Cattle over the age of 6 months from those counties must be tested. ANY cattle coming form a Bovine tuberculosis Free State DO NOT have to be tested to show at the Dakota County Fair.

SHEEP: Sheep Exhibitors must comply with the new scrapie Erradication Program. All breeding rams, ewes, and market ewe lambs must have an official USDA Scrapie ID tag with the assigned flock ID number.

HORSES: Examined on the day of entry by the Official Veterinarian. Verification of current negative EIA (coggins) testing is required. Test is good for one year's time.

DOGS: All dogs must be accompanied by a certificate of rabies vaccination issued by a licensed veterinarian. 1) Modified live virus vaccines accepted for 36 months. 2) Trimune, Biorab-3, Rabguard-TC, Trirab and Rabmune-3, Imrab and Rabvac-3 which are inactivated are acceptable for 36 months.

POULTRY: (except waterfowl and pigeons): Accompanied by an official form identifying the fowl by using a leg or wing band and with a record of a negative test for pullorum-typhoid conducted within 90 days prior to entry to the exhibition or a record of origin from parent stock tested negative within 12 months prior to entry to the exhibition. poultry test results or origin to be on official forms.

GOATS: Goat exhibitors must comply with the new Scrapie Erradication Program. (contact the Board of Animal Health for more information).

CATS/PETS: All cats must be accompanied by a certificate of rabies vaccination.

Health papers are required for all animals from out-of-state six months of age and over.

Premiums and Awards

1. The superintendent of the department, or some other person appointed, shall assist the awarding committee as a clerk and shall keep a record of the awards made. The record, when competed, shall be signed by the awarding committee and returned to the secretary.
2. Any interference by exhibitors to influence or dictate the decision of the judges will be sufficient cause for excluding his or her entry from the competition and should be reported to the secretary through the superintendent of the department. Decisions of judges are final.
3. All awards shall be made by comparison of the individual merits of the entries. Premiums will not be awarded on articles or animals of inferior merit, regardless of the number in competition for a premium. The judges may award no premiums, second, or first premium as merit may warrant, stating the reason in writing, when requested.
4. All premium checks must be cashed within 30 days from date of issue.
5. The following colors will be used in designating awards:

• Royal Purple - Championship or Sweepstakes
• Lavender - Reserve Champion
• Blue - First Premium
• Red - Second Premium
• White - Third Premium
• Pink - Fourth Premium
• Yellow - Fifth Premium
• Dark Green - Sixth Premium
• Light Green - Seventh Premium
• Brown - Eighth Premium
• Gray - Ninth Premium
• Light Blue - Tenth Premium