Judging Standards for
Food, Clothing and Handicrafts at
Manitoba Fairs
Agricultural fairs
and exhibitions can best service the
rural community through their
educational features. These features
must originate from sound and
recommended farm and home practices.
In order to attain
this objective and ensure some measure
of uniformity in prize lists and
standards of judging, this publication
is placed at the disposal of directors
of agricultural fairs and exhibitions.
The suggestions contained herein are
submitted as a guide. No attempt has
been made to cover all aspects of
preparing prize lists. Suggestions made
with respect to judging are primarily
concerned with providing worthwhile
information to exhibitors and patrons
alike.
Agricultural fairs
and exhibitions should set the standards
of excellence in the production of all
classes of homecrafts and handicrafts.
These standards should for the most part
be based on market and home
requirements.
The main objective of
fairs and exhibitions is education. It
is the hope of those responsible for the
suggestions to follow that they will
assist in making Manitoba's fairs and
exhibitions of greater educational
value. Changes from previous
publications reflect the comments and
recommendations made at the 2004 Judges'
Workshop.
Thank you to the
following Home Economists for their
assistance in delivering the 2004
Judges' Workshop and updating the new
Judging Standards: Carolyne Nickel, Jan
Murray, Brenda Nelson, Myrna Grahn,
Debra Kaleta and Lynda Lowry. Also a
special thank you to Dana Buchannon, who
coordinated the 2004 Judges' Workshop.
The following
revisions and recommendations have been
prepared and reproduced by Manitoba
Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives.
Standards for Judging Foods, Clothing
and Handicrafts
Fairs and exhibitions
reflect the interests and activities of
our communities. Exhibitors take pride
in doing quality work and demonstrating
their skills. Fairs and exhibitions have
always had one main objective:
Education
Fairs are designed as
a learning opportunity by:
-
Exhibiting for
competition, products made or grown
in the home.
-
Illustrating the
features of a high quality product.
-
Providing a
teaching environment for the methods
and techniques to achieve high
quality.
A judge is asked by
Fairs and Exhibitions to make choices
based on substantial reasons. The judge
can provide leadership and education by
encouraging new original ideas and
creative practices while maintaining
high standards of workmanship and
safety.
Suggested Rules and Regulations for
Fairs
Note to
Judges: Refer to rules in
individual fair books. Keep all
correspondence until after the fair.
-
All articles
shall be in the exhibit hall at
(state time and date) and shall
remain there until (time and date).
-
Entry tickets
furnished to exhibitors shall be
attached and remain attached to all
exhibits.
-
Names or markings
indicating names of owners must not
appear on anything until judging is
completed.
-
Exhibits which
may have been erroneously entered
may, at the discretion of the judge
and director in charge, be
transferred to the proper classes
previous to judging. If entries
warrant, classes may be divided at
judge's and director's discretion.
-
In the absence of
competition, the judges may award
first, second or no prize according
to the merit of the exhibit and
shall have it in their power to
withhold any premium for any article
which they may consider unworthy of
same.
-
No person shall
interfere with the judges while in
the discharge of their duty. Any
breach of this rule on the part of
an exhibitor will disqualify the
entry in each such case.
-
Judging shall
commence (state time and date).
Displays will be open for viewing at
(state date and time).
-
State your rules
regarding previously exhibited
articles. See
* under Prize List
Suggestions.
-
State your rule
regarding an appeal of a judge's
decision.
-
In all food
classes, foods that normally require
refrigeration will not be accepted
unless refrigeration facilities are
available.
Prize
List Suggestions
The printed prize
list should carry, on the outside of the
front cover page, the name of the
society, location and date of the fair,
the names of officers and a list of
directors. List the directors in charge
and their phone numbers at the beginning
of each division.
Plan
prize list well in advance.
Since most potential exhibitors
do homecrafts during the winter months,
be certain they have a copy of your
prize list well in advance of the coming
fair. Consider printing the prize list
in the local paper. Take a copy to the
art, industrial arts and home economics
teachers, evening classes, senior
citizens' residences, 4-H clubs,
handicraft guilds, stitch groups and
Guides and Scouts groups.
Vary classes yearly
without duplication. Prize lists must be
kept up-to-date with what community
people are making. Delete outdated
classes. For special competitions, ex:
quilt competitions, foods specials,
review regulations annually.
Set a time for
entries to be received. You may wish to
charge late entries double or not accept
them. State dates and times when display
building will be open. State when
exhibits are to be picked up.
The prize money
offered should be reviewed periodically.
Attention should be given to increasing
prize money where the cost to the
exhibitor in time and money is great,
ex: quilts, parkas, fruitcakes.
* Articles
may be worn but must be clean and show
no obvious signs of wear. It is
preferable for articles to be exhibited
one year only and made within the last
calendar year by the exhibitor. It is
the responsibility of the directors, not
the judge, to see that the rule is
enforced.
An invitational
section could be included where groups
or individuals with special talents
could be invited to set up and staff
displays that would be of interest to
fairgoers, ex: art clubs, photographer,
tole painting, quilting, leathercraft.
Judging Standards
If an agricultural society has any
questions or concerns regarding unsafe
fair entries or a judge's capabilities,
please contact:
Superintendent of Agricultural
Societies
MAFRI
Economy and Rural Development
Knowledge Centre
1129 Queens Avenue
Brandon, Manitoba R7A 1L9
Phone: 204-726-6195
Fax: 204-726-6260
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