Rules and Regulations of The North Lanark Agricultural Society

  1. Each exhibitor must be a member of the North Lanark Agricultural Society. 2024 membership is $10.00. New Homecraft Exhibitors will not pay membership fee for the current year. The Society reserves the right to refuse any entry or membership. All entries must be in the hands of the Secretary no later than 9:00pm on the Thursday immediately preceding the fair, or as specified in each class.
  2. When making settlement, $10.00 membership will be retained for the following year (2025) from any winnings of $10.00 or more. Entry fees of 15% will be deducted from remaining prize money (will appear as admin fees on payout receipt). Children exhibiting in Class 7 (Children’s Department) will not pay membership nor entry fees. Children exhibiting in any other classes will pay 15% entry fee on winnings of $10.00 and over.
  3. ​To be eligible for competition, whether single or in groups (except where otherwise specified), all animals and articles exhibited must be the property of the exhibitor and must be owned by the exhibitor for at least 15 days at time of making entry.
  4. All applications for entries must be made on the printed forms supplied by the society, completed with all requested information or submitted through the provided AssistExpo link for registration. If names and addresses are not complete and legible, prize money will not be mailed. 13
  5. No exhibit may be removed from the hall or grounds during the fair, except on written orders of the president or the chairperson of the committee in charge.
  6. No prize ribbons or cards may be displayed in connection with exhibits before judging is complete.
  7. Every exhibit entered for competition must remain in the class in which it is entered throughout the fair, except where otherwise provided for in the prize book.
  8. All grains, roots, fruits, vegetables and dairy products must be grown, raised or manufactured by the exhibitor during the current year.
  9. Any person who shall impose or attempt to impose by false representation or in any other way, in order to obtain a premium or any other advantage, upon complaint being made before the directors or a quorum thereof, and fully substantiated, shall be deprived of all prizes awarded to him, her or them, at the exhibition, and any prize money reverts to the society.
  10. Exhibitors may be required by the Directors to make a statutory declaration that the articles exhibited by them are exhibited in accordance with the rules and regulations of the society, and if the exhibitor refuses to make such a declaration, all premiums awarded to him, her or them, shall be forfeited.
  11. Protests must be made in writing and must give definitely and concisely the grounds of protest. All protests must be made before 6:00 pm on the day the award was made, after which no protest will on any account, be received. Any party making a protest must deposit with the treasurer the sum of $50.00 as a guarantee of good faith, which will not be returned to him/her upon his/her proving the protest; otherwise, it will be retained by the society. The directors will decide in all such cases, in a timely fashion, and the decision shall be final.
  12. Firms and co-partnerships entering exhibits for competition must be in existence for one month at time of making entry and, in all cases, must be the property of the firm or partnership. Affidavits of age of firms may be required be the committee.
  13. The society will take every possible precaution under the circumstances to ensure the safety of articles sent to the exhibition, yet they wish it to be “distinctly understood” that the owners themselves must take the risk of exhibiting them, and should any article be lost or stolen, the directors will give all the assistance in their power toward recovering 14 same but will not make any payment for the value thereof. The society will not be liable for any loss to an exhibitor occasioned by fire, accident, condition of structure or otherwise, or the negligence of other exhibitors or officials of the society.
  14. Each exhibitor will be solely responsible for any loss, injury or damage occasioned by or arising from any animal or article exhibited by him/her and shall indemnify the society of any losses.
  15. The Board of Directors reserves the right to interpret any rule or regulation and their decision shall be final. Should any dispute or question arise not provided for in the Rules and Regulations, the decision of the board of directors shall be final.
  16. Non-compliance with any rules of the society on the part of the exhibitor, or his employees, shall incur the forfeiture of all privileges and premiums.
  17. If receipts are insufficient to meet the prize list in full, the prizes will be paid prorated as funds permit. Passes
  18. No member passes will be issued. Passes will be issued for volunteers only and any other as deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors. Anyone entering the grounds during the annual exhibition must have a pass to enter or must pay the entrance fee at the gate. Anyone refusing to pay the entrance fee will not be permitted access to the grounds.
  19. Policy for Livestock Exhibitors All entries need to be submitted to the Secretary by August 25. Gate Admission Regulations: Livestock truck and driver – FREE. All others pay normal admission. Livestock competition exhibitors will be mailed their passes when entry forms are received in the office by August 25. As has been the policy of the fair, Livestock truck and driver will be admitted to the fair FREE. All others must have a pass or pay. If anyone requires more passes, they must contact the committee chair. Judging
  20. A judge shall not award two first place awards, or two second place awards, etc in any section of any class.
  21. No person shall act as judge for awarding premiums in a class that he/she is a competitor.
  22. Any person who shall attempt to interfere with the judges, while in the discharge of their duties, or use any contemptuous or abusive language 15 to any judge, in consequence of any award made by him, shall forfeit his or her right to any premium to which he/she might otherwise be entitled, and judges are requested to report any such instances.
  23. In the absence of any competition in any section or if the stock or article exhibited be of an inferior quality, the judge(s) will award only such premium as they consider the stock or articles merits. They will exercise their discretion as to whether they will award the first, second or any premium.
  24. In addition to the stated premiums offered for articles listed in the prize book, the judge shall have power to award discretionary premiums for such animals or articles not listed, as they may consider worthy. The judge may also distinguish such articles as they consider worthy of notice, but which have not received prizes, with the words “commended or highly commended” but shall not entitle the owner to any premium.
  25. Judges of Homecraft work are authorized to disqualify all soiled, defaced or old work and are instructed to award the prizes to new and up to date work only.
  26. All judges’ decisions will be final.
  27. Judging for Homecraft exhibitors starts at 8:30am on the Friday morning of the fair and as a result, the hall will be closed while judging is in progress.
  28. All judges must be experienced in the class they are judging and may not be members of the Board of Directors.

Homecraft
  1. The main exhibit hall will be open from 3:00pm to 9:00pm on the Thursday immediately preceding the fair and all exhibits must be in the main hall by 9:00pm that day. All exhibits must be removed between 4:00pm and 5:00pm on the Sunday of the fair weekend. NLAS will not be responsible for items not removed on Sunday.
  2. One exhibit cannot be entered in more than one section. No exhibitor shall be allowed to make more than one entry in any one section of a class. Exhibits must be produced by the exhibitor or a member of their household. Quantities specified must be shown.

Livestock
  1. Entries of purebred livestock must be registered by name, number, and date of birth, except in the cases of animals under one year of age; in such cases the name and number of the sire and dam must be given, and 16 the name and number of the sire must be given in all cases of grade animals.
  2. All Animals require RFID tags to show. This applies to cattle and sheep. If no tag, animal will not be permitted on the grounds.
  3. NLAS reserves the right to reject or eliminate any entry or exhibit. Entries for purebred livestock will be accepted only on the understanding that the animals are registered with the recognized breeding association in the name of the exhibitor by the date of closing entries. Each exhibitor must have on hand at the time of the exhibition, the certificates which may be examined for identification purposes by the committee members.
  4. Proof of liability insurance for all show animals must be provided with your entry forms. This proof may be a photocopy of your policy or a letter from your insurer. If proof is not provided, the animals in question will be required to be taken from the property.
  5. Bulls must have rings in their noses or be otherwise properly secured to prevent accidents. All animals must be shown in the ring as required by the directors and judges. Animals must be shown in parade; otherwise, money will not be paid. Owners or attendants must be prepared to bring animals into the ring when called for, or forfeit claim to any premiums awarded to them.
  6. No animal will be allowed to compete for more than a single premium, except for specials, stake classes and team classes.
  7. No horse shall receive a premium which the judge considers to be possessed of hereditary unsoundness