Garfield County Fairground
. . . . . . . . . . . GENERAL RULES

• IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EACH FAIR PARTICIPANT TO BE FAMILIAR WITH THE RULES.
• THE FOLLOWING RULES ARE GENERAL IN NATURE AND APPLY TO ALL DEPARTMENTS.
• SPECIAL RULES PERTAINING TO EACH DEPARTMENT OR DIVISION ARE LISTED IN THAT RESPECTIVE DEPARTMENT OR DIVISION AND SHOULD ALSO BE CONSULTED.

NO DOGS ALLOWED ON FAIRGROUNDS.

Seeing Eye Dogs and 4-H Show Dogs on Show Day only are exempted. Owners will be held responsible for any damages caused by their dog(s). Rules will be enforced by an Animal Control Officer.

GENERAL

1. The Garfield County Fair Management will use diligence to insure safety of exhibits after their arrival and placement, but in no case will the Garfield County Fair Board or Colorado State University Cooperative Extension be responsible in any way for any loss, damage, or injury of any character to any property while the same is on the grounds or at any time or place, nor be liable for or make any payment for the value thereof. Exhibits entered on the basis of conditions set forth by the exhibitor will not be accepted. Presentation of entry by the exhibitor shall be deemed acceptance of this rule and the exhibitor thereby indemnifies the Garfield County Fair from any and all legal proceedings in regard thereto.
2. No animal or article will be entitled to a place on the grounds until a proper entry thereof shall have been made. All entries must be properly filled out and accompanied by the proper fee whenever the same is required. Entry blanks may be obtained from the Fair Management on request.
3. The Fair Management shall reserve the right to limit entries to facilities available and cancel if necessary. Any return cancellation will be done on a nondiscriminatory basis.
4. The Fair Management shall reserve the right to vacate as ineligible for competition and order the removal of any entry which has been entered in violation of these rules.
5. Exhibits may not be removed prior to the time listed within each department.
6. The Fair Management assumes no responsibility in errors in entry.
7. Every animal or article shall be entered and exhibited in the name of the bona fide owner.
8. It is the policy of the Garfield County Fair Board to provide all persons the opportunity to exhibit at the fair without regard to race, creed, color, sex, age, or other non-merit factors. Discrimination for or against any person because of any of these non-merit factors is prohibited by law and the policies of this Fair Board.

JUDGES

9. Judges are requested to read carefully the General Rules and Special Rules under the heading of the department in which they are to serve previous to entering upon their duties and to especially note those rules bearing on the classes to be adjudicated by them.
10. Judges may be required to give reasons for their decisions in an attempt to aid exhibitors in understanding and to improve exhibiting in the future. Judges should avoid any unnecessary fraternization with exhibitors and no uninvited person shall be allowed, under any circumstances, to interfere with the judge or judges during their adjudications, or with the fair’s staff. Violators of this rule shall be excluded immediately from the judging area and from any competition at the fair, including cancellation of awards, as the Fair Board shall deem proper.
11. Judges shall not award prizes to an unworthy exhibit. It is the intention of the department that no distinction of any kind shall be given any animal or article that is not deemed as deserving. This rule must be strictly adhered to whether there is competition or not.
12. Where there are fewer entries in a division of any class than the number of prizes or premiums offered, judges may, in their decision, award a prize or prizes of such merit as the animals or articles deserve.
13. Where there is no competition between exhibitors, one premium prize or ribbon may or may not be awarded, unless otherwise specified in the rules of the department. The premium paid and the ribbon placed on the exhibit will be at the discretion of the judge. Merit of the exhibit is to be the determining factor.
14. In the event of a tie, subsequent placings will be eliminated and premiums, if any, will be divided among the remaining entrants in the tie.
15. Judges are instructed that if they shall have good reason to believe that any exhibitor, by false entry or otherwise attempt misrepresentation, they shall report the facts at once to the superintendent of the department who shall report the name to the Garfield County Fair personnel, who may expel such exhibitor for fraud for two or more years.
16. The decision of judges shall be final, and no appeal will be considered except in case of protest.

PROTEST

17. Unless otherwise specified in the department rules, all protests must be made in writing and filed with the Garfield County Fair Board within 24 hours after the alleged violation. All protests must be accompanied by a $50 cash deposit. Upon receipt of a properly presented protest, the Fair Board will review the protest and render a decision. If the protest is sustained, the deposit will be returned to the complainant. If the protest is not sustained, the deposit shall be forfeited to the Garfield County Fair Fund.

DISPUTES

18. For all disputes the Garfield County Fair Board reserves the final and absolute right to interpret the rules and regulations, and to arbitrarily settle questions of differences.

ATTENTION:

Due to budget restraints, the Garfield County Fair Board will have the final and absolute decision on all premiums awarded to 2009 Fair exhibitors.