2024 Mississippi State Fair and 2025 Dixie National Junior Round-Up: Sheep Division

Reminders and Important Dates

Reminders

The rules in the current year’s Mississippi State Fair or Dixie National Junior Round-Up Premium book supersede any rules published previously in a Mississippi State Fair or Dixie National Junior Round-Up Premium book or in this publication. [New rules and regulations passed by the Mississippi Livestock Council Show directors will be in brackets throughout this book.]

An official show veterinarian from the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine will be on site during the junior livestock shows.

General Show and Animal Health Reminders:

• Health certificate from a veterinarian is required to get on fairgrounds
• 60-day health record forms are uploaded in MSU livestock show check-in app used for checking in all livestock

Important Dates

Ownership of animal – August 30, 2024 (Friday)

• Ownership for both Mississippi State Fair/Dixie National
  • Market Steers, Market Lambs, Market Goats, Market Hair Sheep
• Ownership for Mississippi State Fair
  • Beef Breeding Animals, Commercial and Dairy Breeding Females, Commercial Beef Heifers, Market Hogs, Commercial Meat Goat Does, Wether Dams, Commercial and Registered Dairy Goats, Breeding Hair Sheep, Registered Breeding Boer Does

Entries must be submitted to county Extension office by Friday, August 30, 2024.

Classification/DNA Hair Collection Week, September 9–11, 2024

• Monday, September 9: Hattiesburg – 8 a.m–2 p.m.
• Tuesday, September 10: Raymond – 8 a.m–2 p.m.
• Wednesday, September 11: Greenwood – 8 a.m–11 a.m.
• Wednesday, September 11: Oxford – 2 p.m–5 p.m.

Mississippi State Fair, Jackson – October 2–13, 2024

Ownership of animal – Monday, December 2, 2024

Ownership for Dixie National Junior Round-Up

• Beef Breeding Animals, Commercial and Dairy Breeding Females, Market Hogs, Mississippi Bred Barrows, Commercial and Registered Dairy Goats, Commercial Beef Heifers, Wether Dams, Commercial Gilts, Commercial Meat Goat Does, Breeding Hair Sheep, Registered Breeding Boer Does

Entries must be submitted to county Extension office by Monday, December 2, 2024

Classification/DNA Hair Collection Week, December 9–12, 2024

• Monday, December 9: Hattiesburg – 8 a.m–2 p.m.
• Tuesday, December 10: Raymond – 8 a.m–2 p.m.
• Wednesday, December 11: Greenwood – 8 a.m–2 p.m.
• Thursday, December 12: Oxford – 8 a.m–12 p.m.

District Livestock Shows

• NW District Show, Batesville – January 16–18, 2025
• NE District Show, Verona – January 16–18, 2025
• SE District Show, Hattiesburg – January 15–18, 2025
• SW District Show, Jackson – January 14–17/27, 2025
• Delta District Show, Greenwood – January 20–22, 2025

Dixie National Junior Round-Up, January 27–February 6, 2025

Market Lamb, Market Hair Sheep, Wether Dams, and Breeding Hair Sheep

Superintendents

Brandon Alberson, MSU Extension – Tippah County

Alex Shook, MSU Extension – Pearl River County

Ownership/Entry Dates

• Market Lambs: August 30, 2024, for the Fair, District, and DNJR
• Wether Dams: August 30, 2024, for the Fair and December 2, 2024, for District and DNJR
• Market Hair Sheep: August 30, 2024, for the Fair, District, and DNJR
• Breeding Hair Sheep: August 30, 2024, for the Fair and December 2, 2024, for District and DNJR

2024 State Fair Show Dates

• Hair Sheep Shows (Showmanship; Breeding Hair Sheep; Market Hair Sheep): Saturday, October 5, 1 p.m.
• Lamb Shows (Showmanship; Wether Dam; Market Lamb): Saturday, October 5, following Hair Sheep Shows

2024 State Fair Deadlines for Entry at Show Using Check-in App

At the time of check-in at the Fair, all jointly owned animals must be changed to a single entry in the app so that the FFA or 4-H youth in that joint ownership will be declared as the individual who will show each animal in that show. The following list summarizes when weights are to be declared for all Market Lambs, Wether Dams, Market Hair Sheep, and Breeding Sheep, along with uploading the 60-day 4-H Animal Health Record Form:

• Fair: declare show weight by 3 p.m. on Friday, October 4 for all lambs
• Lamb and Hair Sheep Showmanship: declare intent to participate in Lamb and Hair Sheep Showmanship by 3 p.m. on Friday, October 4

2025 Dixie National Jr. Round-Up Show Dates

• Hair Sheep Shows (Showmanship; Breeding Hair Sheep; Market Hair Sheep): January 29, 8 a.m.
• Lamb Shows (Showmanship; Wether Dam; Market Lamb): January 29, following Hair Sheep Shows

2025 DNJR Deadlines for Entry at Show Using Check-in App

At the time of check-in at DNJR, all jointly owned animals must be changed to a single entry in the app so that the FFA or 4-H youth in that joint ownership will be declared as the individual who will show each animal in that show. The following list summarizes when weights are to be declared for all Market Lambs, Wether Dams, Market Hair Sheep, and Breeding Sheep, along with uploading the 60-day 4-H Animal Health Record Form:

• DNJR: declare show weight by 4 p.m. on Tuesday, January 28, for all lambs
• Lamb and hair sheep showmanship: declare intent to participate in Lamb and Hair Sheep Showmanship by 4 p.m. on Tuesday, January 28

Lamb and Hair Sheep Showmanship

• All showmanship rules listed in Extension Publication 3814-1 2024 Mississippi State Fair and 2025 DNJR: General Rules apply for Lamb Showmanship and Hair Sheep Showmanship in addition to the ones listed below.
• Exhibitors will check in for Lamb and Hair Sheep Showmanship at the Fair and DNJR on the dates and times listed above.
• Exhibitor in showmanship classes must show their own animal.
  • For Lamb Showmanship at the Fair and DNJR, the exhibitor must have a Market Lamb or Wether Dam checked in to their respective show.
  • For Hair Sheep Showmanship at the Fair and DNJR, the exhibitor must have a Market Hair Sheep or breeding hair sheep checked in to their respective show.
• The primary purpose of showmanship is to present your lamb to the judge a position that will make the lamb look and handle its very best. This should be done in an easy manner without exciting your lamb or disturbing the lambs and the exhibitors next to you.
• Showmanship Classes:
  • Lamb Showmanship at the Fair and DNJR: Ages 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17–18
  • Hair Sheep Showmanship at the Fair and DNJR: Ages 8–9, 10–11, 12–13, 14–15, 16–18

Rules Applying to Market Lambs, Market Hair Sheep, Wether Dams, and Breeding Hair Sheep

General Rules

Review the General Rules and Regulations for all exhibitors and animals listed in Extension Publication 3814-1 2024 Mississippi State Fair and 2025 DNJR: General Rules. These rules and regulations will apply in the Market Lamb, Market Hair Sheep, Wether Dam, and Breeding Hair Sheep shows.

[All breeder/farm names and logos on any scrapie tag or official ear tag in small ruminants must be covered with black tape on show day.]

Mississippi Bred Lamb Program

• The rules and regulations governing the State Fair and the Dixie National Junior Round-Up as published in the show catalog for the show will apply. For this section, the term “lamb” will represent all wool lambs and hair sheep.
• The MSPA and the Mississippi Bred Lamb Show committee reserves the right to interpret, amend, and carry out the rules and regulations governing the Mississippi Bred Lamb Show sponsored by the MSPA.
• The Mississippi Bred Lamb Show committee will serve as the show protest committee to handle any protest formally filed with the Livestock Show manager at the State Fair and the Dixie National Junior Round-Up concerning the Mississippi Bred Lamb Show. At least three members of the committee must be presented to rule on a protest.
• The dam of a Mississippi Bred lamb must be owned by a member of the MSPA at the time of breeding. A Mississippi Bred lamb must be lambed and raised in Mississippi.
• All Mississippi Bred Grand and Reserve Grand Champion Market Lambs will be required to weigh back as soon as possible after being selected (unless a weight was previously recorded). The animal must weigh within 5 percent of the overage, or it will be disqualified. Animals will only be weighed once. Show management will designate an individual to accompany each animal and exhibitor to the scales for weigh back.
• Show management shall have the authority to inspect all Mississippi Bred Market Lambs entered in the Sale of Champions, their hide or carcass; and to collect blood, urine, body fluid, tissue and/or any other laboratory analysis deemed necessary. Refer to the Animal Inspection section in the General Rules for additional information.
• Judging
  • All lambs entered in the Mississippi Bred Lamb Show will be judged within their respective classes during the regular class judging.
  • Only lambs that are certified as Mississippi Bred and recognized by MSPA are eligible to compete and receive Mississippi Bred awards/premiums and compete for the Grand/Reserve Grand Champion Mississippi Bred Market Lambs that are eligible for the Sale of Champions. All Mississippi Bred lambs must have the MSPA Mississippi Bred tag in their ear at the time of showing. If the tag has been lost, notify the Mississippi Bred Lamb committee before the lamb enters the show. Replacement tag cost is $1 per tag. Any lost tags must be replaced on weigh day.
  • Class premiums will be paid as designated by the MSPA show committee.
  • After each regular show Division Champion and Reserve Champion have been selected, the Mississippi Bred Champion and Reserve Champion will be selected. All Mississippi Bred Champions and Reserve Champions will compete for the Mississippi Bred Grand and Reserve Grand Champion after the regular show champions have been selected.
  • The Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion Mississippi Bred Lambs and Hair Sheep (two lambs and two hair sheep) will be eligible for the Sale of Champions. No additional state bred animal will be eligible for the sale unless it qualified for the sale in the regular show.

Classification of Market and Breeding Hair Sheep

All market and breeding hair sheep will be classified according to the dates found in the Ownership/Ear Tag/Entry, Classification and DNA Validation of Livestock section in Extension Publication 3814-1 2024 Mississippi State Fair and 2025 DNJR: General Rules.

The following Hair Sheep Standards will be used to determine if the sheep qualifies for the Market Hair or Breeding Hair Sheep Show. If the Market Hair Sheep or breeding hair sheep does not meet the classification standards for the Market Hair Sheep show or breeding hair sheep show, respectively, it will be moved to the Market Lamb show or Wether Dam show, respectively.

• Acceptable Standards
  • Conformation: long, deep, and wide body with well sprung ribs and excellent muscling. Relationship between body depth and hip height should be in equal proportion. Avoid extremely leggy, shallow-bodied lambs.
  • Head should be strong, bold, with a deep jaw.
  • Polled or small horns or scurs no more than 1.5 inches above the skin line.
  • Must have at least 1/3 inch of hair primarily on belly, forearm, and britch. Enough length of hair should be left to distinguish between hair and wool on each sheep. If the classifier cannot make a judgement to properly classify the sheep due to it being shorn too closely, the sheep will be moved to the Market Lamb show.
  • Moderate size ear with no wool covering.
  • No wool below the knees and hocks.
  • No wool forward of poll.
• Unacceptable Standards
  • Excessive wool covering more than 2/3 of body (belly, forearm, and britch).
  • Long, pendulous ears.
  • Long, narrow muzzle.
  • Wool forward of poll.
• Absolute Disqualifications
  • All wool or very little evidence of hair on belly, forearm, or britch.
  • Wool below the knees or hocks.
  • Wool on the ears.

Market Lamb and Market Hair Sheep Rules and Regulations

Nominations

Exhibitors can nominate the number of Market Lambs and Market Hair Sheep they desire. At the Fair, the number of Market Lambs that one can check in and exhibit is six Market Lambs, not to exceed three entries per class. At the Fair, the number of Market Hair Sheep that one can check in and exhibit is six Market Hair Sheep, not to exceed three entries per class. At the Dixie National Junior Round-Up, the number of Market Lambs that one can check in/weigh-in and exhibit is three, provided that at DNJR one lamb is Mississippi Bred; if not, only two Market Lambs can be checked in and exhibited. At the Dixie National Junior Round-Up, the number of Market Hair Sheep that one can check in/weigh-in and exhibit is three, provided that at DNJR one hair sheep is Mississippi Bred; if not, only two Market Hair Sheep can be checked in and exhibited. Nomination forms are due in the MSU Extension county office by the dates listed below. Nomination forms must be submitted by the Extension agent or agricultural education teacher verifying all Market Lambs are under their supervision.

• Fair, District, and DNJR deadline: August 30, 2024

At the Fair and DNJR, exhibitors in the Market Lamb show and Market Hair Sheep show may enter lamb showmanship and hair sheep showmanship, respectively, at the time of entry and confirm participation in showmanship using the online check-in app at the show.

Weight Limits

For the Fair and DNJR, the minimum weight of Market Lambs and Market Hair Sheep is 70 pounds with no maximum weight.

• Market Lamb and Market Hair Sheep weights for the Fair and DNJR will follow the dates/times listed in the Market Lamb, Market Hair Sheep, Wether Dams, & Breeding Hair Sheep Division section above.

Weight Classes

[Market lamb classes and market hair sheep classes will be set up in divisions in separate shows on a sliding scale based on the animals that an exhibitor can check in and exhibit per the current year’s State Fair Premium Book as follows: 0 to 30 animals = 1 division; 31 to 60 animals = 2 divisions; 61 to 90 animals = 3 divisions; 91 to 120 animals = 4 divisions; 121 animals and over = 5 divisions. Divisions will be named in numerical order from 1 to 5 depending on the number of divisions in the show. A Champion and Reserve Champion will be selected from each of the divisions and the overall Grand and Reserve Grand will be selected from the division champions. Reserve Weight Division Champions are allowed to compete once that Weight Division Champion has been selected in the Top 5 animals of each show, if held at the show.]

Wether Dam and Breeding Hair Sheep Rules and Regulations

Nominations

Exhibitors can nominate the number of Wether Dams and breeding hair sheep they desire. At the Fair and DNJR, the number of Wether Dams and breeding hair sheep that one can check in and exhibit is six Wether Dams and six breeding hair sheep, not to exceed three entries per class. Nomination forms are due in the MSU Extension county office by the dates listed below. Nomination forms must be submitted by the Extension agent or agricultural education teacher verifying all Wether Dams and breeding hair sheep are under their supervision.

• Fair deadline: August 30, 2024
• District and DNJR deadline: December 2, 2024

Wether dams can be shown either in the Market Lamb show or Wether Dam show at the District and DNJR. An ewe is not allowed to be shown in both Market Lamb and Wether Dam shows. An ewe that was shown in the Wether Dam show at the Fair can only show in the Wether Dam show at the District and DNJR. However, an ewe shown in the Market Lamb show at the Fair can be nominated for the Wether Dam show by December 2, 2024, for the District and DNJR.

Breeding hair sheep can be shown either in the Market Hair Sheep show or breeding hair sheep show at the District and DNJR. A hair sheep is not allowed to be shown in both Market Hair Sheep and breeding hair sheep shows. A sheep that was shown in the breeding hair sheep show at the Fair can only show in the breeding hair sheep show at the District and DNJR. However, a sheep shown in the Market Hair Sheep show at the Fair can be nominated for the breeding hair sheep show by December 2, 2024, for the District and DNJR.

Exhibitors in the Wether Dam show may enter lamb showmanship classes at the time of entry and confirm participation in showmanship using the online check-in app at the show.

Exhibitors in the breeding hair sheep show may enter hair sheep showmanship classes at the time of entry and confirm participation in showmanship using the online check-in app at the show.

Weight Limits

For the Fair and DNJR, the minimum weight of Wether Dams and breeding hair sheep is 75 pounds with no maximum weight.

• Wether dam and breeding hair sheep weights for the Fair and DNJR will follow the dates/times listed in the Market Lamb, Market Hair Sheep, Wether Dams, & Breeding Hair Sheep Division section above.

Weight Classes

[Wether dam and breeding hair sheep classes will be set up in divisions in separate shows on a sliding scale based on the animals that an exhibitor can check in and exhibit per the current year’s State Fair Premium Book as follows: 0 to 30 animals = 1 division; 31 to 60 animals = 2 divisions; 61 to 90 animals = 3 divisions; 91 to 120 animals = 4 divisions; 121 animals and over = 5 divisions. Divisions will be named in numerical order from 1 to 5 depending on the number of divisions in the show. Each division will be divided into classes as near to equal in number as possible with no more than 10 pounds of weight range in any class. A Champion and Reserve Champion will be selected from each of the divisions and the overall Grand and Reserve Grand will be selected from the division champions. Reserve Weight Division Champions are allowed to compete once that Weight Division Champion has been selected in the Top 5 Wether Dams and Top 5 Breeding Hair Sheep, if held at the show.]

At the DNJR, the Grand Champion Wether Dam and the Grand Champion Breeding Hair Sheep will compete for an Overall Supreme Ewe.

Age

Age of Wether Dams and breeding hair sheep will be determined by milk teeth. Wether dams and breeding hair sheep that have lost the center temporary incisor teeth (baby teeth) but have no visible permanent incisors are eligible to show. Any visible permanent incisor tooth disqualifies the Wether Dam or breeding hair sheep.

• At the Fair, any Wether Dam or breeding hair sheep that is first or second in a class will be mouthed at weigh back before placings are announced and before entering the ring for the championship drive. Any Wether Dam or breeding hair sheep who fails to meet the mouthing criteria will be disqualified from its class.
• For DNJR, mouthing of Wether Dams and breeding hair sheep will be done at the District Shows, and Wether Dams eligible for District will be eligible for DNJR based on age requirements.

Junior Sheep Lead Class

The objectives of the junior sheep lead class are to present a class of sheep in the most attractive manner, to give spectators an opportunity to view a class of beauty, to improve the image of sheep shows, and to develop a greater understanding and appreciation of the sheep industry in Mississippi. This class is sponsored by the Mississippi Sheep Producers Association, which will oversee this class.

Rules and Regulations

• The Junior Sheep Lead Class only takes place at the Dixie National Junior Round-Up.
• This class is open to any junior exhibitor (age 8 to 18), boy or girl, who has a lamb entered in the Junior Market Lamb Show at the 2025 Dixie National Junior Round-Up. Contestants must show their own lamb in this class.
• There will be four classes: Juniors (age 8 to 9), Juniors (age 10 to 11), Juniors (age 12 to 13), and Seniors (age 14 to 18). Class placement is based on contestant’s age as of January 1, 2025.
• Contestants must lead a lamb that has been conditioned, fitted, and trained to show at halter.
• Decorations may or may not be used on lambs.
• Contestants must wear a garment made of wool or wool blend. Garment does not have to be constructed by contestant.
• Former class winners cannot wear the garment they used to win a previous state Lead Class.
• The three-judge system will be used to arrive at official placing.
• The following scoring standard will be used when judging the class:
  • Contestant’s garment: 33.33 percent
  • Poise and appearance: 33.33 percent
  • Control and presentation of animal: 33.33 percent
• Entry forms will be sent via email, and copies will be available at the show office. Forms must be turned in by the time listed on DNJR schedule. Entry must contain brief biography of contestant and garment description. All entries must be legible.
• Contestants must come to the livestock office by the time listed on DNJR schedule to pick up exhibitor numbers.

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Publication 3814-6 (POD-08-24)

By Dean Jousan, PhD, Extension Professor, Animal and Dairy Sciences, and Cobie Rutherford, former Extension Instructor, Extension Center for 4-H Youth Development.