10/28/2026
Dear 2026 Hillsborough County Fair Livestock Exhibitors and Families,
Welcome to the 2026 Hillsborough County Fair!
We are excited to welcome you and your families to another year of youth livestock shows. We appreciate the time, dedication, and hard work you put into raising and preparing your projects, and we look forward to seeing everyone at the fair!
As you prepare for the 2026 fair, please take some time to review the General Livestock Rules and your specific species rules. The General Livestock Rules contain important information regarding eligibility, entries, arrival and release procedures, parking, animal care, exhibitor conduct, and other requirements.
📋 Important Reminders
Livestock Entrance & Parking
Livestock exhibitors must follow the designated traffic patterns and use the livestock entrance as directed. Trailers must be parked in designated trailer parking areas, and vehicles entering the livestock gate must stop at the ticket box. Hang tags are required for livestock parking. Additional gate tickets and parking passes are available online at HillsboroughCountyFair.com.
Arrival & Animal Inspection
Animals must arrive during their designated check-in times. Animals may not be unloaded or removed from vehicles until they have been inspected by FDACS.
Release & Check-Out
Animals may only be released during their designated release times unless the Livestock Director grants approval. Exhibitors must also receive clearance from the Barn Manager before checking out.
Livestock Exhibitor Banquet
The Livestock Banquet will be held on December 7, 2026. Exhibitors will receive an exhibitor ticket and 2 parent tickets for the banquet. Additional tickets can be purchased for $10 on our website, HillsboroughCountyFair.com.
🐄🐑🐖 Exhibitor Expectations
This is a youth livestock program, and exhibitors are expected to take responsibility for the care and presentation of their projects. Exhibitors are responsible for keeping their animals and exhibit areas clean, fed, and watered and must provide their own cleaning equipment, including wheelbarrows, forks, and shovels.
Exhibitors are also expected to show and sell their own animals, participate in required fair clean-up or setup/tear-down activities, treat other exhibitors and fair volunteers with respect, and represent the Hillsborough County Fair, 4-H, FFA, YLPA, and Hillsborough County in a positive manner.
A few additional reminders:
Closed-toed shoes are required in the barns and during livestock shows.
No smoking or va**ng is permitted in the barns.
Personal golf carts, UTVs, and ATVs are not permitted on fair property.
No dogs are allowed in the barns unless they are approved service animals.
Exhibitors must follow all animal care, ethics, and show-ring requirements.
Professional fitting is discouraged; exhibitors are expected to care for and fit their own projects with appropriate parental/guardian guidance.
Most importantly, please read the complete General Livestock Rules and your individual species rules before arriving at the fair. By entering the 2026 youth livestock shows, exhibitors acknowledge that they have read and agree to follow the rules and the IAFE National Code of Show Ring Ethics.
We know there is a lot of information to take in, but our goal is to make the livestock experience as organized, educational, safe, and rewarding as possible for our youth and their families.
Thank you for being part of the 2026 Hillsborough County Fair Youth Livestock Program. We can’t wait to see you at the fair!
Good luck to all of our exhibitors, and we look forward to a great 2026 fair!
Sincerely,
Hillsborough County Fair Livestock Committee
Livestock Director: Serena Stratton
[email protected]
Barn Manager: Sean Falvey [email protected]
Fair Manager: Suzanne Holcomb
[email protected]
