2023 Illinois Beef Expo Junior Show Rules

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2023 Illinois Beef Expo Junior Show

Please read all the rules before attending.

General Rules

  1. Illinois Beef Expo will have two rings. Ring A will be open to all Illinois and out-of-state exhibitors. Ring B will be open to Illinois exhibitors only. All exhibitors in ring B must be Illinois residents, currently enrolled or a graduate of an Illinois K-12 school, and their cattle must be maintained in Illinois.
  2. All exhibitors in both rings must be Illinois Beef Association Junior members. Annual dues are $25 per member. Exhibitor’s membership will be verified at check-in and dues can be paid when picking up exhibitor numbers or online at https://membership.illinoisbeef.com/producerform
  3. Exhibitors must be at least 8 years of age and under 22 years of age as of January 1, 2023.
  4. This is a prospect show open to heifers born after September 1, 2021, or steers born after January 1, 2022.
  5. Original registration papers for all animals must be presented on Friday, February 25  from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. except for commercial breeding females, market heifers and crossbred steers. NO COPIES, FAXES or ELECTRONIC REGISTRATIONS will be accepted. NO EXCEPTIONS!
  6. Exhibitors must declare on the virtual entry form which breed a multi-registered animal will be shown. An animal can only be shown in one breed and division at the Expo.
  7. All entries must be registered in the name of the exhibitor. The only exceptions are a sibling can show an animal in the event of a conflict with written permission before the show and for any calf purchased during the 2023 Illinois Beef Expo by a junior exhibitor. The junior exhibitor must provide the bill of sale at check in, listing the junior as the sole owner of that calf. The new owner must show the calf. These sale cattle must be checked in within one hour after the completion of the breed sale in which they were purchased. For breeds that allow multiple-owned heifers (ie: all siblings listed on registration certificate), the exhibitor must be designated at time of virtual entry form.
  8. All animals must be shown by the exhibitor in whose name they are checked in. The only exceptions are for those exhibitors with a doctor’s note excusing them from showing due to a medical issue, which must be presented at the time the animal is checked in, or if they have another animal in the opposite show ring at the same time. The animal must then be exhibited by another junior member.
  9. All heifers must have health papers from a Veterinarian. Steers are not required to have health papers.

  1. All exhibitors MUST pre-enter virtually for the 2023 Illinois Beef Expo and complete in-person check-in! Early virtual entry forms will be open from Monday, February 6, 2023 at 8:00am until Wednesday, February 22, 2023 at 11:59pm. Early virtual entries are $55/head per ring. Late virtual entry forms will continue until Friday, February 24, 2023 at 4:00pm for an increased fee. All animals MUST be virtually entered and checked in by 4:00 pm on Friday February 24, 2023. A link to the virtual entry form will be posted on the Illinois Beef Expo web site and Illinois Beef Expo Facebook page. If internet access is a problem for you, please feel free to call the Junior Show Coordinators for assistance with entry forms during the set time frame.

In-person check-in will occur on Friday February 24 from 10:00am – 4:00pm. In-person check-in will include registration paper check, weigh in, and exhibitor card pickup.

All steers, market heifers and commercial heifers must be present to weigh. Breed heifers exhibitors just need to bring registration and health papers to check. Exhibitor Number cards will be given out at check-in. At this time IBA dues and any remaining stalling fees will need to be paid (if applicable).

  1. Entry fee is $55 per head if virtual entry form is completed prior to Wednesday, February 22 at 11:59 pm. After this late virtual entry forms will be accepted until 4:00 pm on Friday, February 24 at the rate of $75/head per ring. Entry fees are non-refundable after entry slip is processed.
  2. It is the exhibitor’s responsibility to remove all hanging ear tags, i.e. sale or farm tags prior to entering the ring. Animals will not be allowed to show with hanging farm tags. Button EID and official calfhood vaccination tags will not be removed from the ear.
  3. All cattle are to be shown in their natural conformation. The addition of hair, hemp or any substance to any part of the animal is prohibited.
  4. If an animal gets loose from an exhibitor three times, the exhibitor and that animal will be excused from the show ring. The show management reserves the right to excuse any exhibitor whose animal is unruly or acting in a manner that is a danger to other exhibitors.
  5. Once a class begins walking, it is considered closed. Any exhibitor not in the ring at this time will have missed his or her class.
  6. Breed and class premiums will be determined by breed and junior show representatives based on the number of head in each breed or class.
  7. Under age drinking on the fairgrounds will be prohibited. Two police officers will patrol the Expo on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Anyone under the age of 21 caught drinking will be barred from participating in all Illinois Beef Expo activities for two years.
  8. No handbills posted in Livestock Center or barns except on provided boards in the entrance areas; violators will be fined $100.
  9. Anyone found tampering with electrical outlets or breaker boxes will be barred from exhibiting at the show for two years and/or fined $250.
  10. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, our priority always has, and always will be, the health and well-being of our exhibitors, vendors, volunteers and staff. Exhibitors and attendees of the 2022 Illinois Beef Expo will be expected to follow all rules and regulations put forth by the Illinois Beef Expo Board of Directors and Illinois State Fairgrounds at a date closer to the event.

Breeding Females

H1. Registered heifers will be shown by age – youngest to oldest. All commercial breeding heifers will be shown by weight, lightest to heaviest. Commercial heifer exhibitors will need to bring their animal to in-person check-in on Friday February 24 from 10:00am-4:00pm to weigh.

H2. Heifer classes will be offered for any breed that has at least 8 head, including but not limited to Angus, Charolais, Chianina, Commercial, Hereford, Limousin/Lim-Flex, Maine-Anjou, Mainetainers, Polled Hereford, Red Angus, Shorthorn, ShorthornPlus, Purebred Simmental, Percentage Simmental (Simmental that are less than ½ will show as AOB) and All Other Breeds (registered females with less than 10 head per breed).

H3. Exhibitors of Angus heifers must not use any coloring materials of any kind. When competing in the supreme heifer drive, exhibitors of the champion and reserve Angus heifers can use coloring agents.

H4. A maximum of 4 divisions per breed will be allowed.

H5. Due to the size of the make-up area, only the exhibitor and one other person shall accompany each breeding female into the west show ring make-up area.

H6. Each animal will need to complete a virtual entry form prior to arriving at the show. All commercial heifers will need to be present for in-person check-in on Friday, February 24 from 10:00am-4:00pm to weigh. All breed heifer exhibitors will need to bring original registration papers and health papers to be checked at in-person check-in, but their animals are not required for the process.

Market Animals

S1. All market animals will be shown by weight, including market heifers, lightest to heaviest. This year, market animal exhibitors will need to bring their animal to in-person check-in on Friday February 24 from 10:00am – 4:00pm to weigh their animal.

S2. Steer classes will be offered for any breed that has at least 8 head, including but not limited to: Angus, Charolais, Chianina, Hereford/Polled Hereford, Limousin, Maine Anjou/Mainetainer, Shorthorn, ShorthornPlus, Simmental (50% or higher), and All Other Breeds (registered steers with less than 10 head per breed). Steers without registration papers will show as crossbreds.

S3. Exhibitors of Angus steers must not use any coloring materials of any kind. When competing in the supreme steer drive, exhibitors of the champion and reserve Angus steers can use coloring agents.

S4. Due to the size of the make-up area, only the exhibitor and one other person shall accompany each breeding female into the west show ring make-up area.

S5. Hereford steers are required to have a verified DNA profile on file with the American Hereford Association (AHA). Hereford steer exhibitors are required to present the letter from the AHA stating their steer’s DNA profile is on file with the AHA along with their steer’s registration paper at check-in.

S6. Each animal will need to complete a virtual entry form prior to arriving at the show. All market animals will need to be present for in-person check-in on Friday, February 24 from 10:00am-4:00pm to weigh. All breed steers will also need to bring original registration papers to be checked at in-person check-in.

Stalling

  • The stalling request form for the 2023 Illinois Beef Expo will open on Monday, January 2nd. Stalling assignments will be done in the order the stalling reservation forms are received. Exhibitors wishing to pre-reserve stalls must do so by Friday, January 27, 2023 and pay for those stalls by Friday, February 10, 2023. No reservation requests will be accepted after Friday, January 27, 2023. Any stalls not reserved and paid for by Feb. 10 will become first come, first serve to junior exhibitors upon arrival at the Illinois Beef Expo. All first come, first serve stalls must be paid for by 4:00 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 24. Pre-reserved stalls are available in barns:
  • 18A-E for $40/box stall
  • 18F-G: $20/tie stall
  • 25F-K: $40/box stall
  • 25M-Q: $12/tie stall
  • 36A-36D, 36F: $10/stall
  • 36E: $20/stall
  • 112, 113, 118: $10/stall
  • 110: $20/stall

    Stalling requests can be submitted using the Stalling Request Form available on our website. Any stalling related questions should be directed to Cori Malone at 309-533-2697 or cori.harrison@yahoo.com.

    1. Junior cattle are not allowed to stall or tie out in Barns 16A, 16B, 19, 114.
    2. ALL Junior Show cattle must be stalled in designated barns. NO EXCEPTIONS! Cattle not stalled in designated barns or fees not paid by Friday at 5:00 PM exhibitor will be ineligible to show, lose their entry fees and will not be allowed to show at the Illinois Beef Expo for two years.
    3. No tie-outs will be allowed outside of the barns on the fairgrounds. There will be no cleanout of livestock trailers in the parking area. Trailers should be parked in the Midway Area. Violators will be fined $100 and/or barred from the event.
    4. No junior show cattle are allowed on the fairgrounds and stalls are not allowed to be set up before 8:00am on Thursday, February 23.

    Show Order

    Saturday, February 25, 2023 – 8:00 AM

    • Ring A will begin at 8:00 AM. Ring B will begin following the conclusion of Angus steers in Ring A and will follow the same show order.
    • Market Animal Show Order
      • Alphabetically by breed starting with Angus
      • AOB
      • Crossbred
      • Market Heifers
      • Top Five Market Animal Selection

    The breeding heifer show will begin in Ring A 30 minutes after the Top Five Market Animal Selection in Ring B.

    • Breeding Heifer Show Order
      • Commercial
      • Horned Hereford
      • Polled Hereford

    Sunday, February 26, 2023– 8:00 AM

    • Ring A will begin at 8:00 AM. Ring B will begin following the conclusion of Division 1 of the Angus Heifer show.
    • Breeding Heifer Show Order (Sunday)
      • Alphabetically by breed starting with Angus
      • AOB
      • Top Five Breeding Heifer Selection