BRADFORD-UNION SWINE ASSOCIATION
2025 SHOW & SALE RULES AND REGULATIONS

Email: BUSA2021pig@gmail.com        Facebook: Bradford-Union Swine Association

BUSA Address: PO BOX 1215, Starke FL 32091

Failure to comply with all the following rules and regulations may result in expulsion from the 2025 BUSA Show and Sale and/or result in refusal from showing in future shows.  A grievance committee appointed by the President will rule on violations that are submitted in writing within 48 hours of an incident and determine penalties for the exhibitor(s).  Any person paying for a membership and/or exhibitor’s fee at the October 2024 meeting will agree this event establishes acceptance of these rules and regulations as voted and accepted by two-thirds vote of the board and current members present during the September 2024 meeting.

Exhibitors that fail to meet the requirements set forth in this document regardless if the fault is with the exhibitor themselves, parents, guardians, school, church, or clubs MUST deliver in writing the issue that caused the requirement not to be met and their argument on why they should not be removed from the show and/or sale within 48 hours of the incident to Paul Huntley, Brad Thomas, Nichole Stafford or Karen Fischer in person.  It is the responsibility of the exhibitor to arrange to meet with one of the above-mentioned officers and deliver their letter. A PHONE CALL WILL NOT BE COUNTED AS PART OF THE 48-HOUR REQUIRMENT: THE LETTER ITSELF HAS TO BE DELIVERED WITHIN THE SET TIMELINE. The letter will be forwarded to the grievance committee. The grievance committee will meet at their earliest convenience to determine the outcome of the event then notify the exhibitor, officers, and board of directors of their decision.  ALL GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE DECISIONS ARE FINAL.

EXHIBITOR REQUIREMENTS:

  1. Anyone wishing to enter the 2025 BUSA show, and sale must, along with their parents or legal guardians, join the BUSA no later than the October 2024 meeting.  Membership dues are non-refundable and are $40.00 per family.  The October 2024 BUSA members must also pay a registration fee of $30.00 per exhibitor for the first child, and each additional exhibitor is $20.00 per family (This fee is refundable before the December tag-in if you choose not to show your animal).
  • Each BUSA exhibitor will be issued 10, $2.00 FREEZER HOG TICKETS at the December 2024 meeting which will be paid in full at the October meeting.  The exhibitor has a choice to sale the 10 tickets to help offset expenses of their project or keep them for themselves.  All ticket stubs will be required to be turned in at the February meeting or at the weigh-in to be qualified for the freezer hog drawing at the 2025 sale.  If you fail to turn in your ticket stubs by the required time, you will not be eligible to compete in the drawing for the awarded freezer hog at the 2025 BUSA sale.
  • The BUSA member MUST attend all three mandatory meetings.  Each exhibitor must have someone to sign in with them at the meetings if you are under the age of 16.  Each BUSA exhibitor is required to sign in at the end of each meeting.  If a student has a school related or 4-H function, students must present a letter to a board member or email the letter to the BUSA email 72 hours in advance and a board member will respond within 48 hours. Meetings will be held on the second Monday of October, November, January, and February.  The December meeting is Saturday, December 7, 2024, which is tag-in.   Tag-in will begin at 7:00a.m. till 9:00a.m.  All other meetings will begin at 7:00p.m. Any member not compliant with this requirement will lose their right to participate in the 2026 BUSA show and sale.  
  • BUSA members wishing to show a hog must attend school and/or be homestead in either Bradford or Union County.  The BUSA member must also be an active member of 4H or FFA in Bradford or Union County.  Members can only sale one market animal, members cannot sale in any other county shows.  
  • Each BUSA exhibitor must assume all liability in case of injury or damage to, or caused by the exhibitor’s animal, relieving the Fair Association, the BUSA, BUSCS, FFA and the 4H clubs from ALL liability.

SWINE ASSOCIATION REQUIREMENTS:

  1.  All swine must comply with health requirements of the Division of Animals and Industry, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Service.  All swine must have an 840 tag when purchased from breeder.
  • All Swine projects must have been owned and under the control of the BUSA exhibitor.
  • Only the exhibitor must care for their BUSA swine project.  This means relatives and friends cannot raise your swine project for you.  Housing your swine exhibit at the Bradford and Union Ag. Facilities will be acceptable.
  • All entries and awards in the Market Swine Show shall be subject to the Bradford County Fair Rules and Regulations published in the 2025 Fair Premium Book.  These rules can be obtained at the Bradford County Fairgrounds office.

EXHIBIT INSPECTION:

An inspection team appointed by the President will be formed, if needed, to inspect swine projects.

TAG-IN

A Tag-in meeting for any BUSA active member that wishes to exhibit in the 2025 Bradford-Union Swine Show and Sale, will be held on Saturday, December 7, 2024 at the Bradford Fairgrounds by the Swine Barn (enter at the horse arena). This event will take place between the hours of 7:00a.m. and 9:00a.m.  The gate will be locked at 9:00a.m.  The exhibitor MUST be present along with the pig they intend to exhibit.   The exhibitor is responsible to catch and hold their exhibit while it is tagged or provide someone to perform this responsibility on the exhibitor’s behalf.  An 840 tag is required from your breeder to be in your pigs’ ear.  We will document your swine 840 tag number along with your ear tag number for our records.  Any exhibitor that fails to fulfill this requirement will not have their swine tagged, thus not qualifying for the 2025 show and sale. Any exhibitor that has a school related or 4-H function, must turn in a letter to a board member or email the letter to the BUSA email 72 hours in advance and a board member will respond within 48 hours. (You must appoint someone to tag your pig in).

WEIGH-IN

The final weigh-in will be Sunday, March 2, 2025 from 2:00p.m. to 4:00p.m. at the Bradford County Fairgrounds livestock area.  The minimum weight at the weigh-in will be 240 pounds, maximum weight not to exceed 290 pounds.  No swine exhibit will be permitted on the scale for final weigh-in unless it is clean and free of all debris to include grease, sand, mud and/or any other materials not typically found in a stock trailer used to haul market quality livestock.  Sale weights will be capped at 275 pounds.  At final weigh-in, a parent or exhibitor must be there to unload the hog off the trailer.  The on-site BUSA officer or board member will determine if each exhibitor has met compliance.  If swine does not meet all requirements, it will be up to the exhibitor to take their pig back home that night if it was cut from the show and sale.  EXHIBTORS MUST WEAR CLOSED TOE SHOES.  (NO SANDALS).  IF RULE IS NOT FOLLOWED, PIG WILL NOT BE WEIGHED IN.

GRADING

Graders selected by the BUSA Committee will grade all swine.  Only swine conforming to establish show standards for quality and grading, #1 swine on the hoof will be accepted and a sonogram of 0.5 to 1.1 (Not to exceed 104 pigs).  If we exceed more than 104 swine we will do the following steps: 

**Eligible seniors that have tagged in 3 or more consecutive years are exempt from being cut if swine exceeds 104.

Steps for cutting Swine over 104 

Step 1: Weight

Step 2: Backfat Sonogram 

Step 3: Cutting from Low/High 

* If there is an odd number, the lowest backfat percentage will be cut first.

SHOW:

Only swine that was tagged on Saturday, December 7, 2024 by the BUSA and meet weight and grading requirements will be shown at the 2025 BUSA Swine Show.  NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE!

  • Immediately after weigh-in and grading is completed, a short meeting will be held in the bleacher area for last-minute instructions and barn rules.  All exhibitors are expected to be present until this meeting is over.  Roll may be called.
  • Show will be held Tuesday, March 4th, 2025, at 6:30p.m.  All exhibitors must be in the designated area and ready to show his/her pig when their class is called.  If you do not show your animal, it will not be auctioned in the regular sale, it will be placed on the resale list and sold at resale price, plus any individual add-ons.  Failure of not showing the animal will result in not being eligible to exhibit in the 2026 show.  The only exceptions for not showing are a death in the immediate family or a medical emergency.  A chart detailing weight and class will be posted in the swine barn.
  • JUDGES decision is final.  If an exhibitor or parent has any issue with the judge you must see a board member first to discuss any issue.  If the exhibitor or parent approaches the judge, there will be disciplinary action.
  • All exhibitors will follow the State 4H/FFA dress code.
  • Appointed members will only be allowed in the barn area and the show ring.

FEEDING:

Exhibitors can have someone else clean pen and feed during show week, however if assigned person does not follow thru and feed.  The exhibitor will be the one to get penalized.  

SHOWMANSHIP:

The showmanship contest will be Monday, March 3rd at 6:30pm.

All classes are determined by your Age as of September 1, 2024.

Trophies or cash awards will be awarded in the following divisions.

SKILLATHON:

Skillathon will take place on March 2, 2025 during the weigh in times. 

Junior (Ages 8 to 10yrs): 1st, 2nd and 3rd place 

Intermediate (Ages 11 to 13yrs): 1st, 2nd and 3rd place

Seniors (Ages 14 and up): 1st, 2nd and 3rd place

HOMEGROWN:

Homegrown classes will be held as the last class of the show if the grand or reserve champions are not homegrown.  Hogs must have been born and raised in Bradford or Union County.  A Grand and Reserve Champion will be selected.  A certificate of birth signed by the breeder must be turned in at the tag-in meeting on Saturday, December 7th, 2024 to qualify for this class.  NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE.

SALE:

Sale will be held on Friday, March 7, 2025, time to be determined.  The awards program will be on Saturday, March 8th, time to be determined.  

All animals must be slaughtered following the sale to fulfill state laws.

A 5% sales commission will be deducted from the sale price.  Five percent will be used to defray the cost of the Swine Show and Sale.  Final weigh-in will determine sale weight; maximum sale weight is set at 275 pounds.  Scale weight will be final unless the 275 capped weight rule has been placed on the exhibitors’ pig.

Each exhibitor will be deducted $15 from their check for buyer photos.  BUSA will furnish one 8×10 that will be picked up with their checks.  A weblink will be provided so exhibitors can order photos directly for their buyers.  

Exhibitors must be at the designated area in the stands and prepared to enter the sale ring promptly in turn.  Failure to comply will result in your hog being sold at the sales auction re-sale price.  The only exception is a death in the immediate family or medical emergency.

Selling of each swine will be capped at $8 per pound, add-on money will not be capped. 

Exceptions to the sale cap

  • Grand, Reserve Grand, Homegrown, and Reserve Homegrown
  • Top 5 overall
  • 1st and 2nd Class winners
  • Chapter Pigs
  • Seniors 

All exhibitors will follow barn rules; according to the severity of the rule infraction the barn manager can disqualify you from the 2025 BUSA Swine Show and Sale, as well as future BUSA events.  YOU MUST FEED YOUR ANIMAL AND CLEAN YOUR PEN EVERYDAY IN THE MORNING AND AFTERNOON (Mon-Sat PM). Failure to comply with this rule will result in a $50 fee taken from your check every time you do not feed your animal. 

***All pens must be cleaned out down to the concrete by Saturday night before the fair closes or you will be fined $150.  

President: Paul Huntley: 352-318-7807 email: pcchunt@ufl.edu

Vice President: Brad Thomas: 352-745-1170 email: thomaskb@gru.com

Secretary: Nichole Stafford: 352-745-1308 email: nichole323@yahoo.com

Treasurer: Karen Fischer: 904-966-1615 email: Kfischer_516@yahoo.com

Board Members: Philip Crawford, Allen Thompson, Kelly Dyal, Kevin Thompson, Hailey McElhenny, Robert Hewitt, Brian Outlaw