SALEM, Ohio – The state department of agriculture is making one thing clear: It doesn’t matter what your last name is or how long you’ve been winning blue ribbons in the showring.
If it’s against the rules in any way, it won’t be tolerated.
Any exhibitor can find themselves in trouble with the state for violating livestock exhibition rules, as several young people discovered this show season.
Lamb in trouble. Department of Agriculture spokesman Mark Anthony said he expects the fair board in Trumbull County to disqualify that fair’s reserve champion lamb, shown by repeat winner Drew Turner.
Post-mortem inspections turned up a testicle in Turner’s lamb.
Turner showed both this year’s champion and reserve champion, plus either of the top two spots in 2003, 2002, 2000 and 1999.
Others already out. In Medina County, Kelton Keller’s grand champion dairy steer was disqualified after tests showed it had a testicle.
Under state rules, any animal entered as a steer, barrow or wether may not retain any testicular tissues.
Another in the works. The department of agriculture continues its investigation into another county fair champion or reserve champion, according to Anthony.
He could not release further details of that investigation.
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