Warning! Topic may get heated!

[DL]

Check it out....Just found the entry form for the Geauga county '07 fair
http://geaugafair.com/forms/Entry_Forms_2007.pdf  page 4 states the rules.  You be the judge.  I think 5 years is a little much but it is THEIR own rule  Also got a copy of the ODA report to make up my own decisions.  In the ODA report it states that they had to find the vet themselves because the family would not give names, nor did they keep any records for the steer.  the mother called the vet for the drug (intended for the horse) and the daughter picked it up.  The mother LATER signed the drug form.    The  steer was having a hard time walking/standing without the drug.  This leads me to beleive they are not being very honest here....  Get a copy, they are open to the public.  see what you think
Drug free steer...apparently they did try to talk to the fairboard but before they could, they were asked to leave.  I thought these were publice meetings?  At what point do you stop standing up for what you think is right?  They are young girls, only doing what 4H has tought them.  No one was listening to them so they made a statement 

I musta missed something here --- they didn't adhere to the fair rules, the child and the guardian signed that they did, they didn't adhere to the BOAH rules, they broke federal law in regards to drug use in food animals (and it appears they were deceptive) - so what do you mean " They are young girls only doing what 4H has taught them" - I thought it was the brothers steer - I am totally confused, but IMHO they were lucky the whole family wasn't banned for life

 

[showsteerdlux]

The girls protested by painting there steers drug free at the check in and got in trouble for it. Different family. I'm pretty sure thats the story.

 

[JbarL]

maybe purina...new hohlland...featherlight trailers.....local car lot.......yahoo...google....nascar.....and others may be interested in "buying a rear quarter"....to promote "your" efforts, and in the  mean time get the "sponser" a little "eye time'', in your little part of the good ole usa.........hows about a political ad?....maybe a personal opinionated view on abortion?....gun control?..."free speech"?  are there rules for that in that or any  county faris?            jbarl

 

[buyer]

The girls protested by painting there steers drug free at the check in and got in trouble for it. Different family. I'm pretty sure thats the story.

Yes, you are correct.  Drug free..was in reference to the girls that painted "drug free" on their steers.  Apparently the actual painting was not the problem. ( I have heard that they did not break any rules there)  It happened at wiegh in.  It was the disruption (walking in with "drug free" painted on their steer) that caused them to possibly be banned from showing in this years fair.  Quote by fairboard, "for disrupting and making a mockery of the junior steer club".  The fair board will be making the decision on the 20th of this month, whether or not they will be allowed to show.  They are refusing to write letters of apology.  Should be very interesting.   

The other family, with the steer that was drugged will be showing this year.... 

 

[Show Heifer]

I don't think the girls were making a mockery of the "jr steer club", but making a mockery of the fairboard, and obviously it hit too close to home. GOOD FOR THE GIRLS and GOOD FOR THEM FOR HOLDING THEIR GROUND.
I find it pathetic that adults (fairboard)  would let cheaters continue to show and yet someone who holds the fairboard accountable for their actions is punished. Once again, too many 40 year old 4-Her's.

 

[shorthorns r us]

Time to "Put Up or Shout Up!"

Below is the address listed for the entries to the fair.  Send them a letter; I will.  Let them that the whole world, or at least the whole Planet, is watching.

The Geauga County Agricultural Society
P.O. Box 402
Burton, OH 44021

BTW ... Is this the location of the Geauga Lake Theme Park?

 

[knabe]

free speech will not be tolerated in this country.

 

[reno1014]

[. Once again, too many 40 year old 4-Her's.
[/quote]
You have hit the proverbial NAIL ON THE HEAD!  If it werent for the 40 year old 4-Hers and FFA'ers.  There would be a whole lot less of this kinda stuff,
and a whole lot more of kids learning what they are doing all this for.  Sometimes we get too caught up in winning, and push aside the basic moral reasons
we started doing this in the first place....so our kids can learn something, and maybe win along the way.  

 

[frostback]

Well I for one will disscuse this with my daughter and as a family we will write a letter as this to me is a family sport. Even though some want to do away with that aspect of 4-H as well. Lets hammer them with letters saying we support free speech and not illegal drug use in 4-H.

 

[buyer]

WHATTT???  Wow, you guys are not going to beleive this...
Apparently they have banned the girls...through the grapevine...
There is an article in the Maple Leaf newspaper (yesterday).  This is straight from the newspaper - Fair officials claimed the painted signs violate a rule that prohibits "tainting" of animals in any way.....  HUHHH?   
I have heard stories about other counties and those are not right either.  What the heck is going on here?  I guess they can do whatever they want?  I think it is time everybody takes a stand against unfair, fairboards.  Decisions should be nonbiased.  EVERYONE should be treated equally.  If you break the rules (and that means not making them up at the last minute) stick to consequences.  If the girls are going to be banned from this years fair (for whatever reason, it keeps changing), then the other family should be banned for 5, right?  Heck, the girls never would have painted their steers if the fairboard would have followed their own rules. 

 

[reno1014]

FAIRboard?

 

[JbarL]

          (dog)............ (dog)................. (dog)..............(cow)...put me in coach...... :'(

 

[buyer]

There will be a Fairboard meeting (I use the term losely) tonight at 8:00 in Burton, in the school building at the fairgrounds.  If you are not too busy, please show your support and attend the meeting.  Please spread the word, the more supporters the better.  They (the fairboard) needs to know that fellow 4Her's, buyers, parents and other competitors in the ring DO CARE AND HAVE A VOICE!    Just because they are the "fairboard" does not mean they can change, or alter rules according to competitor.  99.5 % of competitors are honest and have integrity and morals.  They play fair.  Make a statement to ALL FAIRBOARDS!!  WE HAVE A VOICE!  Enough is enough  (dog)

 

[red]

thanks Buyer! Can you report back to us what happened? That's better than just reading it from the Farm & Dairy.

Red

 

[JbarL]

Each county fair seems to have its own "premier" anxousily awaited "event" the  residents look forward to each year....some its the pie contest.....some its the flower and garden "competition".... some its the livestock competions ..........some its the horse pulls.....some its the tractor pulls....some have exciting fireworks......either way...the residents of all counties seem to always anticipate "fair week"...for what ever reason they have.....all competitors in all these areas take great pride in there participaton...preperation....and  "braggin' rights"......and of course "the ribbion"....we'll see how " interested "  the "residents" of the country reallly are on this subject and how many show up  t this " hearing ".....my guess is  there will be probally 7/8 families....20/30  people ( all cattle folks") ( plus media...cnn ....fox news...usa today  )....i doubt if many tractor pull contestants and gardening entrants will be there to see how the rules of "there" county fair and any subsuquent rules interputation will effect there preperations/ and participation and "enjoyment" they enjoy each year as a participant/ or a returning winner that the "competition" in any contest at a county fair level promotes.......if there were only pigs/ rabbits/ chickens/ sheep/ect in the fair next year in the "stock barn"  for fair week... would it be terminal to the county????      "would there be no fair".... ..?????...i serisouly doubt it....85% of the  resident attendees dont even go to the stock barn, let alone the actually judging .......unless the "residents" show up in "droves to "save the fair"....then i believe someones  takin' themselves a bit to serisoulsy.....either that or this could be bigger than " the infamous 1978 pie contest"  controversoy    at the washington co. ( ohio) fair ........how quiclky we forget... jbarl

 

[buyer]

I think the fair made this out to be a bigger deal than it was.  It's not like this kid's steer tested positive for buterol.  Dex is a common anti-inflammatory given to show livestock as there is no listed slaughter withdrawl. It is only technically a steroid.  An animal would not get any beneficial muscle development from Dexamethasome.  And was the steer slaughtered?  It did not say whether or not it was a terminal sale.  It is common for people to buy the animal back at the packer bid after the 4-H auction.

It was slaughtered, there was a withdrawl time.  The steer had been having problems all along.  RUMOR has it, it could not walk without the drug.  They signed the form stating no drugs were administered into the steer.  If you read the ODA report it says it all, seriously.  It only states the facts, you be the judge. 

 

[shorthorns r us]

was anything said at the meeting about letters that were sent?

 

[DL]

According to the Ohio Department of Agriculture investigative report on the incident -

The ODA investigation found that there was a violation of 901-19-04 (A) (C) (3) (5) ODA, Prohibited Practices “No person shall administer or cause or permit to be administered a prescription drug or and over the counter drug to livestock either immediately before or during and exhibition unless the prescription or extra label use is administered in conjunction with a valid veterinary-client-patient relationship and a drug use notification form is completed and filed in accordance with the applicable requirements of rule 901-19-06 of the Administrative Code.”

Dusty - You are raising food for human consumption it is your responsibility to know the laws regarding drug use and extra label drug use in food animals. You may think it is no big deal but I am sure returning $5407.50 in premiums plus ribbons, trophies etc, plus the blot on the reputation of the kid and the family would suggest you might be wrong.

And FYI dexamethasone is technically a steroid - a glucocorticoid to be exact and it is a drug which requires a prescription. The issue isn't what the drug is or isn't  but the fact that these people did not follow the law with regard to drug usage in cattle

educate yourself
www.fda.gov/cvm/Images/530.pdf
www.avma.org/reference/amduca/amduca1

 

[DL]

Half the calves at most county fairs are ACED so they don't freak out.  Are you saying all of those calves should get tanked because they don't disclose that they have to ace their crazy calf.  The reason nobody makes a fuss about ace is that it's mostly the freddies that have to do it and they never win so no one cares.  Some drugs are more serious than others believe it or not.  If you've never gave a show animal dex or banamine or any other pain relief/joint therapy drug then you haven't been doing it very long.

Clearly you believe that you are above the law and the rules and that they don't apply to you. If you can't take the time to know the law you shouldn't be raising cattle for food. Your arrogant approach is bad for the industry - but perhaps you don't care about the industry as long as you win a ribbon.

 

[Ruchian]

I was asking for a reason why ace is acceptable and other drugs aren't. 

Many people on this board, including myself, don't think that ace is acceptable in the show world.  Your first post says they made too big of a deal out of this because all they did was use Dex/break the shows rules.  You went on to say that the steer wouldn't be benefited by this because it is only an anti-inflammatory.  This will help the steer's movement, which in the end should help your placing in class.  In your second post you asked if the steers that are aced at county fairs should be penalized.  Yes, if the rules say you can't and you do, you should be penalized.  If a steer is so crazy that they need ace in order to show, they shouldn't be shown.

If you want to read about other member's views on this, read the thread below.
http://www.steerplanet.com/bb/index.php/topic,2496.0.html