Virginia Tech® home

State Fair of Virginia Youth Livestock Shows

Date: October 1-5, 2025
Location: The Meadow Event Park - Doswell, VA
Contact: Katherine Carter- (540) 231-2257  Scott Greiner- (540)231-9159

Daily Updates, Rules, and Schedule can be found here:  https://tinyurl.com/2025-SFVA-YthLvstk-Info

Additional information: State Fair of Virginia official web site

Please pay close attention to multiple steps/dates:   

Step #1 Nomination:       

Part 1 - Order DNA envelopes (and EID tags if you need them)       

  • May 15 - DNA Packet Ordering System Will OPEN
  • July 1 - Deadline for Mailing;Postmark DNA Samples to VA Tech

Nominations and DNA Sample Collection Required for: Commercial/Crossbred Heifers, All Market Steers, Commercial Does, Market Goats, Commercial Ewes, Market Lambs, Commercial Gilts, ALL Market Hogs

Part 2 - Nominate your animals     

  • July 1 - DEADLINE for Online Nomination through Fair Entry
  • July 1- Nomination forms and DNA samples must be postmarked by this date

***Nomination constitutes Ownership – once an animal is nominated, it cannot be shown under the name of another exhibitor.  Allowing someone else to show a nominated animal under their name constitutes a change in ownership and nullifies that animal’s eligibility for the State Fair of Virginia Youth Livestock Shows.

***Nominated animals may not be sold through a county fair or other premium auction post-nomination, even if the animal is “no-saled” or purchased back by the exhibitor.  The act of going through the auction/across the sale block signifies a change in ownership and nullifies that animal’s eligibility for the State Fair of Virginia Youth Livestock Shows.

Nomination does not equal Entry – You must also complete the Entry Process for ALL Animals that you plan to bring to the State Fair of Virginia, including those that were nominated.

Step #2 Registration: (All Registered Breeding Animals, Registered Market Beef and Registered Market Hogs ONLY)       

  • July 1 - Animals must be registered in the name of the exhibitor - Date of Issue by respective Breed Association, NOT Date of Sale

Step #3 Entry:  *ALL animals must be entered in the Entry System

  • July 20 - Entry System opens
  • August 22 - Entry System closes at Midnight
  • August 30 - All youth exhibiting livestock must have completed their required annual YQCA instructor - led training

***For full details and links please click on the tabs below:

 
 
How to Order DNA Envelopes and complete nominations: 
 

Step 1:  Order your DNA Envelopes and Nomination Packet at this link:  https://tinyurl.com/2025-SFVA-DNA-ENVELOPE-ORDER - THIS CAN BE DONE IMMEDIATELY AND MUST BE COMPLETED BY JUNE 24TH, 2025

  • Order DNA Envelopes and Nomination Packets for everyone in your family on one order.
  • There are options for having your packet mailed to your home address.
  • There are several options for in-person pick-up at upcoming events.
  • You can contact me directly to inquire about other pick-up/delivery options.
  • Specific directions for how to collect the DNA Samples, fill out required paperwork, and complete the required Nomination Process will be included in your Nomination Packet when you receive it.

Step 2: Directions for uploading your nomination information and returning envelopes will be included in the packet with your envelopes and tags (if ordered). This information should be read carefully. 

  • The option for DNA Packet pick up in person is available. 

 

What animals require nomination and DNA Submission?
 
Which animals require nomination and DNA sample submission to show at the State Fair of Virginia Youth livestock Shows?
  • ALL Market Beef (registered and crossbred)
  • All Commercial/Crossbred Heifers
  • All Commercial (non-registered) Does
  • All Market Goats
  • All Commercial (non-registered) Ewes
  • All Market Lambs
  • ALL Market Hogs (registered and crossbred)
  • Commercial Breeding Gilt

Which animals do NOT require nomination and DNA sample submission

  • Registered Breeding Females of any species
    • However, these must be registered in the name or transferred to the name of the Exhibitor by July 1st, 2025.
    • If there are any issues with registration, transfer, tattoo, or ear notches and these females were not nominated, they will not be eligible to show and cannot be moved to their respective commercial division without completed the Nomination Process.
  • Prospect Steers and Prospect Heifers
    • These cattle MUST weigh less than 1000 pounds at SFVA Check-in on October 2-3.  If they weigh 1000 pounds or more and were not nominated, they cannot move to the Market Beef or Commercial Heifer Division and will not be eligible to show.

 

 

 

DNA and NOMINATION SUBMISSION DEADLINE is July 1, 2025

 

Cattle Nomination Video

Swine Nomination Video

Lamb and Goat Nomination Video

To look up the status of a DNA nomination, type the last name of the child the nomination was submitted under into the search bar and press the "Enter" key on the keyboard. Children associated with the child searched (siblings/ members of the same household) will appear under the "Additional Family Members" column.

Be sure the white "Search" Bar is cleared out prior to beginning. You can only enter information into the white "Search" Bar. 

Nomination Status Check

  • Exhibitor Entry System - http://sfva-youth-livestock.fairentry.com/
  • Deadline - August 22nd at midnight
  • Instructions
    • Tip Sheet Here - 2025 SFVA Tip Sheet
    • 4-H Youth Login with GREEN 4HOnline Login, FFA Youth will use the Blue "Sign in with FairEntry" login
    • All animals must be entered using the link. This is the system where you will designate Tshirt sizes, order extra exhibitor passes, select classes, and generate an invoice. 
    • Entries for animals requiring nomination will NOT be approved if your nominaions were not completed and approved. The nomination process closed on July 1 and no additional animals requiring nomination may be added at this time. For animals requiring nomation you will have the option to "Add an Existing Animal" from your nomination or "I will add animal identifying information later". 
    • Animals NOT requiriing nominationwill require you to "Enter a new Animal Record"
  • Payment
    • Please do not submit payment until you have received teh "Your Entries have been Approved" email from FairEntry. 
    • Print the entry approval email and mail with entry fee payment via CHECK, postmarked by August 25th to: 
      • Katherine E Carter
      • State Fair Youth Livestock Show
      • 175 W Campus Drive
      • 380 Litton Reaves Hall
      • Blacksburg, VA 24061
    • Checks payable to "Treasurer of VT"

 

New for 2025 - SFVA Youth Livestock Office Hours will be held several times over the entry period. You may log into Zoom during these times to ask questions, share your screen, or receive help completing your entries. 

  • COMING SOON

  • Coming Soon!

  • Coming Soon!

  • Beef Cattle - Justin Adcock - Illinois
  • Meat Goats - Harlan Yocham - Oklahoma
  • Sheep - Glen Martin - Texas
  • Swine - Jim McCoy - Ohio

 

Partners

Language Translator




4H-295a

Youth Livestock Topics

Contact

Katherine Carter
Extension Youth Animal Science Specialist
carterke@vt.edu
(540) 231-2257


Scott Greiner
Extension Animal Science Specialist
sgreiner@vt.edu
(540) 231-9159

 

Hunter Liles
Extension Youth Animal Science Associate
huntl97@vt.edu
(540) 231-6345

 

 

Subscribe or unsubscribe to the 4-H Livestock Listserv

Virginia 4-H Livestock Programs Endowment

The Virginia 4-H Foundation is spearheading the advancement of the Virginia 4-H Youth Livestock Programs Endowment. 4-H livestock programming is funded through a combination of private gifts, endowment income, gifts in kind, and participant fees.

More information>>