Adams County Fair Ethics Code

Animal Welfare: All exhibitors of animals at any Illinois Fair or exhibition shall comply with the provisions of the Illinois Humane Care for Animals Act. Any practice or deviation from normal humane husbandry practices, including, but not limited to artificial manipulations, physical abuse, medical treatments or mechanical applications of any substance, other than on the prescription of a licensed veterinarian, will constitute a violation.

If violations are observed by Fair officials, the animal will be excused from exhibition, disqualified, and be ordered to be removed immediately from the grounds with all awards previously earned at this fair being forfeited. Any practice or deviation from normal, accepted care, including physical or mechanical application, will constitute a violation of show rules.

If violations are observed, the animal(s) will be excused from exhibition and be ordered removed from the grounds with all awards and premiums being forfeited. The penalty for falsification of entries or records will be the removal of that member from exhibiting in from one to all classes entered in the show and forfeiture of all premiums and awards. An animal may be disqualified for unethical fitting and grooming practices.

Un-sportsmanlike conduct by an exhibitor may be grounds for disqualifications by the show management. All exhibitors must abide by the administrative rules of the Illinois State Fair. If another exhibitor or any member of the public has reason to believe that an animal should be disqualified, he/she must contact the appropriate superintendent and or State Fair officials and present his/her evidence in writing.

​Evidence must be filed after official check-in of the animal or forty eight hours after show begins. If, after reviewing the evidence, the State Fair disqualified animal and disqualified exhibitor requests an administrative hearing, the complaining person shall be required to testify under oath at the hearing and present his/her evidence. If the complaining person refuses to testify or cannot be found to be served with a subpoena, no disqualification will be made on the basis of that complaining person’s evidence.