2018 Junior Steer Classic

Special attention is called to the following:

• Calgary Stampede Agriculture Rules
• Health Regulations
• IAFE Code of Ethics
• Animal Care Codes of Practice

General Rules: 

1. Special attention is called to the following: Calgary Stampede Agriculture Rules/Regulations and Codes which apply to all exhibitors and parents/guardians of exhibitors under the age of 18.
2. The exhibitor and or parent/guardian declare that the entry is free and clear of ALL drugs, chemicals, or medication and their residues at the time of competition in accordance with the Calgary Stampede’s Drug Management and Residue Avoidance Program (see below).
3. The Champion and Reserve Champion steers will be harvested immediately following the last day of the Calgary Stampede.
4. The name listed on the entry form to the Calgary Stampede Junior Steer Classic MUST sign an Exhibitor Agreement form and a Feed Affidavit or the entry will not be accepted.  The name listed is responsible for the animal entered. Exhibitors under the age of 18 as of January 1, 2018 will require parental consent.
5. No entry may be sold or transferred once the entry has been submitted, nor during the competition.
6. All exhibitors must be youth ages 9-21 as of January 1, 2018.
7. The committee reserves the right to ask for proof of age of the exhibitor at any time.
8. An exhibitor can only enter ONE steer.
9. Entry deadline is Friday, June 8, 2018 at 4:00 pm at a cost of $150 per entry plus $50 per Quality Beef entry if applicable.  Animal substitutions can be made up until Monday, July 9, 2018 at 4:00 pm.
10. Late entry deadline is Friday June 22, 2018 at 4:00 pm at a cost of $250 per entry plus $75 per Quality Beef entry if applicable. Entries received after this time will not be accepted.
11. A fee of $20 will be charged to those wishing to bring a clipping chute.
12. All steers must be under control at all times without the use of drugs.  Humbugs, nose rings, and tail ties are permitted. Steers deemed to be out of control or dangerous to the public will be asked to be removed from Stampede Park at the owner's expense.
13. No horns are permitted, regardless of size, on steers entered in the show.  Animals may be disqualified at the discretion of Stampede Officials at the time of weigh-in, should noticeable horns be present.
14. The use of butt fans is prohibited.
15. Stall cards and decorations must NOT contain any commercial advertising, company names or sponsors. A printed stall card will be provided following the completion of weigh-in.
16. Show harnesses must be used in the show ring.
17. All steers must be castrated, either by complete removal of both testicles or crushing of cords and vessels. In either case, surgery must be healed or no evidence of testicles within the scrotum. All steers will be examined at the time of weigh-in and will be excused or disqualified from showing should there be a violation of these conditions.
18. In an event of a disqualification or dismissal from the show, no entry fees will be refunded.
19. All steers must have a neck tie on and secured when the steer is tied in their assigned stall in the barn from 6:00 pm to 6:00 am. Steers found to be without a neck tie while in their assigned stall within the designated hours will result in forfeiture of all prize money and scholarships awarded to that entry. Exhibitors are responsible for providing their own neck ties.
20. An individual COMPLETED BRAND MANIFEST and BILL OF SALE must be submitted to the scale clerk at the time of weigh-in for each steer entered. OUT OF PROVINCE steers require a transport permit. This will be strictly enforced. An Alberta manifest must be completed prior to weigh-in. Each entry must have a RFID tag, with the RFID number recorded on the manifest. The CCIA will monitor and enforce any action required, should an animal be missing a tag. An INCOMPLETE MANIFEST or failure to present a BILL OF SALE will disqualify the steer from the show and the Quality Beef Competition.
21. All steers will be weighed Saturday, July 14, 2018.  This will be the official show weight.  The Exhibitor must be in the weigh-in area at the time of processing. No re-weighs will be permitted. All steers will be handled by the same committee member while in the chute to ensure consistency of handling during weighing.
22. All steers will be shown by the weight recorded at the time of weigh-in.
23. Steer classes will be split by the July 14, 2018 weight, with the number of steers per class to be determined by the committee based on entries.
24. Steers will enter the ring in ascending order by the July 14, 2018 weight.
25. All exhibitors are required to attend a MANDATORY exhibitor meeting. Please check the schedule for time and location.
26. Exhibitors are responsible for arriving at the show ring on time for their class.  Once the show ring has been closed, no late entries will be allowed to enter the ring.   Animals that do not make the show are disqualified from the the Junior Steer Classic and the Quality Beef Competition (if applicable).
27. Any animal can be excused from the show ring at the discretion of Stampede Officials for safety reasons.
28. All weight class champions (1st and 2nd place) will advance to the overall Championship.
29. All steers must remain on Stampede Park through to July 15, 2018 after 8pm MST.
30. Stampede Officials reserve the right to limit and regulate entries due to space restrictions.
31. Exhibitors MUST be present from move-in until 8pm MST on Sunday, July 15 to care for and maintain their animal and steer alleys or all prize money will be forfeited. It is expected that all stalls and alleys will be kept in a clean and presentable fashion at all times to the best of the exhibitor’s ability. All exhibitors and animals must be in the barns prior to 9:00 am MST on Saturday July 14, 2018.
32. Volunteers, shareholders, directors, staff and sponsors of the Calgary Stampede or their children and/or relatives may enter as exhibitors if they meet the age requirement.
33. No aerosol cans may be used in the marshalling area of the Nutrien Western Events Centre. The marshalling area includes, without limitation, the bucking chutes in to the arena.
34. As condition for participation in the Calgary Stampede, exhibitors must agree to submit any animal entered, by the exhibitor, for inspection.  Exhibitors agree to have such animal submitted to any tests requested by the Calgary Stampede.  Should an inspection or test be refused by the exhibitor, the entry will be disqualified immediately.  Exhibitors also agree that the opinion reached by the Calgary Stampede as to whether such animal is not ethically fitted or over age shall be final and binding without recourse against the Calgary Stampede.
35. The Calgary Stampede takes ownership of the Grand and Reserve Champion Junior steers immediately following drug testing.  Change of ownership will be officially signed off in the Sample Collection Area immediately following drug testing.  The general care and welfare of those steers will become the responsibility of the Calgary Stampede once the ownership has been obtained.  
36. The Grand and Reserve Champion steers and the steers placing 3rd through 6th in the Championship class will be drug tested immediately following the Championship class.  In addition, there will be one steer randomly selected and tested from all entries in the Junior Steer Classic. For greater certainty, all steers entered in the Junior Steer Classic are subject to random drug testing at the discretion of the Calgary Stampede. 
37. All prize money will be held until the drug test results have been reviewed.
38. If any animal is disqualified, the animal next in line will not advance.  Only in the case of the Grand Champion disqualification will advancement of the Reserve Grand Champion animal be considered, at the discretion of the Calgary Stampede.
39. An exhibitor may lodge a protest. In order for the Exhibitor to lodge a protest in connection with an entry, the Exhibitor must submit such protest in writing to the Agriculture Administration Department of the Stampede before 10:00 am the day following the cause of protest, and a receipt must be obtained. Any such protest must state plainly the cause of complaint or appeal and must be accompanied by a deposit of $500, which shall be forfeited to the Stampede if the said protest is not affirmed by the Stampede.
40. Exhibitor Code of Conduct: All exhibitors commit to demonstrating behavior which validates respect, consideration, understanding, patience, cooperation and honesty.  This environment fosters learning, socializing, and opportunity. All exhibitors are bound by the Exhibitor Agreement.
41. No alcohol consumption whatsoever is permitted in the entire Agriculture Zone, including the Agriculture Barns, Northern Lights Arena, and Nutrien Western Events Centre, during the Junior Steer Classic programming.  Awareness and signage will clearly identify the no alcohol consumption rule.  Those who violate the rule will be disqualified immediately and forfeit their scholarship and prize money.
42. If a parent or guardian is found violating the no alcohol consumption rule, it will result in their youth’s entry being disqualified, and scholarship and prize money being forfeited.
43. The Calgary Stampede Steer Committee and Stampede Officials shall, in their sole and unfettered discretion have the right at any time to add, delete, modify, waive or interpret a Rule or Rules in order to clarify or address a circumstance or action not previously outlined or contemplated in the existing Junior Steer Classic Rules or as Stampede Officials may deem appropriate for the betterment of the competition in their sole and unfettered discretion.

Drug Management and Residue Avoidance Program

The Calgary Stampede has a Drug Management and Residue Avoidance program for food-production animals (beef cattle) in order to protect the integrity of the food system, ensure fair competition, and to ensure the welfare of animals.  All food-producing animals are to be free and clear of ALL unapproved drugs, chemicals or medication and their residues throughout the competition. All positive tests above CFIA allowable limits will be investigated and dealt with in some manner, keeping education, youth, and food safety a top priority. In all cases the youth will be engaged in the event of a positive test.  For more information on CFIA Allowable limits visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/veterinary-drugs/maximum-residue-limits-mrls/list-maximum-residue-limits-mrls-veterinary-drugs-foods.html 

If medical treatment has occurred prior to participation in the competition, exhibitors must ensure that the required withdrawal or elimination times for approved veterinary products have been met or exceeded prior to the start of the competition.  

Exhibitors should be aware that while withdrawal or elimination periods are designed to ensure that drug levels or residues in the animal are within safe limits for human consumption, there may be circumstances in which a drug may still be detected in blood, urine or other tissues after the approved withdrawal period.  Detection of a drug or chemical in these circumstances will be investigated, and the youth will be engaged keeping education, animal welfare, and food safety a top priority.

Veterinary Treatment

If an animal requires veterinary treatment while on Stampede Park, only the Official Stampede Veterinarian or an accredited Stampede veterinarian, licensed to practice veterinary medicine in Alberta by the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association, will be allowed to administer any drug or medication.

An exhibitor may choose a licensed veterinarian other than the Official Stampede Veterinarian, but the Official Stampede Veterinarian MUST be notified in advance and he/she MUST be present when the drug is administered.  Furthermore, the Official Stampede Veterinarian, in agreement with Stampede Officials, reserves the right to treat any animal if it is in the best interest of the animal's health and well-being to be treated.  Animals that are administered drugs or medication for any reason while on Stampede Park will not be allowed to compete.

Treatment Costs

All treatment costs are the responsibility of the exhibitor.

Ultimate Care and Responsibility

By making entry to the Calgary Stampede the exhibitor agrees and understands that ultimate care and responsibility for an animal(s) rest solely upon the exhibitor prior to the competition, during the competition and after the competition until the animal(s) have left Stampede Park.  In the case of the Grand and Reserve Champion steers of the Junior Steer Classic, the ultimate care and responsibility for an animal(s) reside with the exhibitor until the ownership has been transferred to the Calgary Stampede.

Chain of Custody/Ownership of the Grand & Reserve Grand Champions

The Calgary Stampede takes ownership of the Grand and Reserve Champion Junior steers immediately following the drug testing.  Change of ownership will be officially signed off in the Sample Collection area immediately following the drug testing.  The general care and welfare of those steers will become the responsibility of the Calgary Stampede once the ownership has been obtained.  A positive drug test result will be the responsibility of the exhibitor notwithstanding the change of ownership.

Prize money will be held until the drug test results have been reveiwed.

Sample Collection Protocols

The Calgary Stampede reserves the right to have blood, urine, saliva, or tissue analysis conducted on any animal entered for competition. A positive drug test determining whether a drug or chemical is present shall be final and binding on completion of the process described below, without recourse against the Calgary Stampede.

All samples obtained at the Calgary Stampede will be sent to Maxxam Analytics[1],

1. Animals will be escorted from the show ring to the sample collection area under the supervision of a Stampede Official.
2. Exhibitor and animal information will be verified and confirmed in writing.
3. Stampede Officials will appoint a technician to open the containers, vial, and/or needles in front of the exhibitor for verification that no contamination has occurred.
4. The samples will be collected by the Official Stampede Veterinarian and may be obtained by either two separate collections in immediate sequence, or by splitting a single collection into A or B Samples.  The technician will package two blood, and/or urine samples (A and B Samples) in the presence of the exhibitor and/or parent or guardian, and under the supervision of the Official Stampede Veterinarian.
5. Each sample will be sealed and signed by the Official Stampede Veterinarian and exhibitor and/or parent or guardian.
6. The sample registration form will be completed and signed by the Official Stampede Veterinarian, and exhibitor and/or parent or guardian.
7. The A and B samples are sealed, signed and placed in two separate locked boxes.  The technician is responsible for the care of the sample boxes until time of shipment.
8. Change of ownership document will be reviewed and signed by the exhibitor and/or parent or guardian of the Grand and Reserve Champion steers.

       [1] Maxxam Analytics is accredited for Forensic Drug Testing by The Standards Council of Canada.

    Sample Testing Procedure

1. Sample A will be sent to Maxxam Analytics for testing.  Sample B will remain sealed and stored for further confirmation at Maxxam Analytics.
2. Sample A will be tested for drug and chemical detection at Maxxam Analytics, immediately following receiving the sample.  Sample B will be retained by Maxxam Analytics until further direction is provided by the Calgary Stampede.
3. If a positive result is obtained in Sample A; Sample B will then be tested for confirmation.
4. If the results of both Sample A and B return positive for the same substance, the animal may be disqualified and penalties will be determined by the Calgary Stampede.

Penalties

In the event that any such animal is declared with a positive drug test or not ethically fitted, the Calgary Stampede will determine penalties based on the severity of the rule violation.  This decision is final and binding without recourse against the Calgary Stampede.

2018 Judge: Lance Leachman

Lance & Shari Leachman reside at their farm 12 miles north of Maidstone, SK with his mother Frances. Lance currently manages the cattle and daily work at the ranch, Big Gully Herefords, after returning in May 2010 from completion of a Master’s Degree in Animal Breeding & Genetics at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. 

Big Gully Farm presently comprises approximately 3000 acres of crop, hay and pastureland.  They have rented out their crop land for production of wheat, canola, peas and oats, but continue to grow alfalfa and grass hay for the cattle.  Their cowherd numbers are approximately 150 head of Purebred Hereford and Polled Herefords, along with a select group of Angus cattle.