Get ready to compete at Pasco County Fair

The Pasco County Fair runs Monday through Feb. 26 at the fairgrounds, 36722 State Road 52, Dade City. Entries for various exhibits and shows are coming soon.

Entry forms for all facets of the fair and complete rules and regulations are available online at www.pascocountyfair.com, and at the Pasco County Fair Office, 36722 State Road 52, Dade City. For information, call the fair office at (352) 567-6678.

Sheep Show: The Open Sheep Show will be at 12:30 p.m. Feb. 26. Entries from youth and adults throughout the state will be accepted, if hand delivered, through today. Late entries will be accepted until 11 a.m. the day of the show, but no exhibitor passes will be issued for late entries. The show will be at the Albert A. Barthle Livestock Pavilion. There is a $15 entry fee per exhibitor. All sheep must be owned by the exhibitor for 30 days prior to the show. For sheep not produced by the exhibitor, the date of purchase will be the date of transfer that is recorded with the breed association or by bill of sale. All sheep must have health certificates and other related qualifications.

Breeding sheep divisions are: black face breeds, white face breeds, speckled face breeds, rare breed, and hair breed and their crosses. Classes for each division are: ewe lambs, less than 1 year old; yearling ewes, 1 year old; 2-year-old ewes; aged ewes, 3 years and older; ram lambs, less than 1 year old; and rams, 1 year and older. A champion and reserve champion will be selected for each division. Showmanship is an optional class where the ability of the exhibitor to show the animal will be judged. Only members of Future Farmers of America, 4-H, and Cloverbud clubs in Florida are eligible to show in youth showmanship classes. Showmanship classes are: peewee, up to age 5; novice, ages 6 through 9; junior, ages 10 through 12; intermediate, ages 13 through 15; and senior, ages 16 through high school graduation. Adult showmanship will be high school graduation or age 20 and older.

Goat Show: The Pasco County Fair Open Dairy Goat Show will be Feb. 25. The event is a senior and junior doe show and open to youth and adults throughout the state. Entry fee is $7 per goat and must be postmarked by Friday. All other entries will be accepted the day of the show with an additional $9 late fee. Check-in will be from 7:30 to 9 a.m. show day and an accredited veterinarian will be checking animals before they are allowed into the holding show arena. All exhibitors must wear white or black pants and collared white shirts. Closed-toe shoes or boots are also required. Hats or caps are not allowed.

Judging will begin at 9:30 a.m. with youth showmanship, followed by the senior doe show and concluding with the junior doe show. Breeds sanctioned by the American Dairy Goat Association will be shown in the open show, starting with the senior show. The junior does will follow. The showmanship is open only to youth. Age divisions are: senior, ages 15 through 18; intermediate, ages 13 and 14; and junior, ages 8 through 12. Trophies will be awarded to the first- and second-place exhibitors in each division. Entrants will receive ribbons for participation. There is also a peewee class for showmanship for children younger than 8. All peewee participants will be recognized. Sharon Sayre, of Umatilla, is goat show chair and can be reached by e-mail at sasayre@aol.com.

Youth Exhibits: Pasco County youth can enter their homemade and handmade works at the Youth Exhibits at the county fair from 1 to 4 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to noon Saturday. Baked goods should be entered Saturday. All youth through the 12th grade are eligible to enter articles that have been completed since the 2011 Pasco County Fair. Participants can exhibit only one item in each class of a category but can enter all classes. It is not necessary to have more than one item entered in a category to win. Ribbons will be awarded, with trophies presented as grand champion of a class. Rosettes will be given for the outstanding exhibit in each category, according to the discretion of the judges.

Age divisions are: pre-kindergarten; primary, kindergarten through second grade; intermediate, third through fifth grade; middle school, sixth through eighth grade; and high school, ninth through 12th grade. There also will be awards for special education students, divided by the same grade levels. Articles must remain on display until 7 p.m. Feb. 26. Pick-up times are: 7 to 7:30 p.m. Feb. 26 and 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 27. Categories of entries are: soft classes of arts and crafts; hard classes of arts and crafts; hobby crafts; collections; clothing and sewing; baked goods; house plants; original art; recycled products; and science. Kay Ables is the chairperson.

Artwork: Pasco County residents of all ages wanting to enter artwork in the county fair should bring it between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. and noon Saturday. No pre-registration is required. Late entries will be exempt from judging. The exhibit is open to visual arts and real crafts created by residents or students of Pasco County. The works must be originals of the exhibitor and created within the past two years. Works cannot have been entered previously in this fair. No more than five entries are permitted per exhibitor.

Entry fee for professionals is $10 per entry. Entry fee for nonprofessional adult artists is $5 per entry. There is no entry fee for junior/school exhibitors in grades kindergarten through 12th. Categories with a minimum of three individual entrants will qualify for cash prizes for adults. Junior exhibitors will be awarded ribbons and the best of show will receive $50. Prizes for professionals are $100 for first and $50 for second. Non-professional winners will receive $50, with second place receiving $25.

Categories of entry are: graphics; painting; black-and-white photography; color photography; photography printed by artist; three-dimensional; and mixed media. Judging will be by a professional artist on Feb. 19. The judge will choose first- and second-place awards in each eligible group; three best-of-show awards in the junior/school exhibit category; and an option of using up to 100 honorable mention awards wherever preferred. Professional artists can include prices on their works but purchases made during the fair must remain on display until the end of the show at 7 p.m. Feb. 26. Entries can be picked up between 7 and 7:30 p.m. Feb. 26 and 8 a.m. and noon Feb. 27.

Baby Pageant: Friday is the deadline to enter the Baby Pageant, to be held in conjunction with the county fair. The pageant, open to newborns through 5-year-old boys and girls, will be at 1 p.m. Feb. 26. Rules include the parents having lived in Pasco County for at least six months prior to the pageant date. The pageant is limited to the first 25 boys and 25 girls to register in each age group. There is a $25 nonrefundable entry fee.

The contestants will be judged in six age groups: newborn through 11 months; 1-year-old; 2-year-olds; 3-year-olds; 4-year-olds; and 5-year-olds. A prince and princess will be selected from the oldest age group to represent the fair on its float during various parades throughout the year and at other functions. Winners in other age groups will receive crowns and trophies. Second- and third-place finishers will receive ribbons. All contestants will receive pageant keepsakes. Contestants will be judged on personality, natural appearance and beauty. Each can dress as desired, but no long dresses, pageant dresses or tuxedos will be accepted. Contestants cannot wear makeup.

Contestants ages 4 and 5 will walk on stage unaccompanied. Contestants in the other age groups will be accompanied on stage by one adult each. The contestant will receive free entry to the fair. However, parents and other spectators must pay gate admission to the fair. Gate admission is $8 for adults and $5 for children ages 6 through 12. Parking is free.

Demolition Derby: Applications are available for the demolition derby at 2 p.m. Feb. 26. The derby is open to 4-, 6- and 8-cylinder cars, as well as 4- and 6-cylinder mini-pickups. The entry fee is $25 per vehicle. Deadline to register is Sunday.

There is a $10 late fee after that date. Drivers must be 18 or older. Drivers age 16 will be accepted with a notarized parental medical statement. A total of $1,400 in prize money will be awarded. Included will be a best appearance prize with the theme "Angry Birds." The demolition derby is free to spectators with gate admission to the fair.