What the Hartford Fair Junior Livestock Sale Is
The Hartford Independent Fair Junior Fair Livestock Sale is the auction where 4-H and FFA members from Licking, Delaware and Knox Counties sell their market animals. Buyers get a way to promote their business while supporting local youth; the money helps members cover investment and production costs, and some use it for education. Exhibitors also get hands-on experience with record keeping, production costs, labor and management. The most recent sales were Thursday, August 13 and Saturday, August 15, 2026, at the Hartford Fairgrounds, 14028 Fairgrounds Road NW, Croton, Ohio 43013.
The Sale Schedule
| Day and time | Place | Sale |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday, Aug 13, 11:30 a.m. (awards from 11:00 a.m.) | Swine Complex | Market hogs |
| Saturday, Aug 15, 10:00 a.m. | Grubb Arena | Steer pool, market steers and heifers, market lambs, dairy feeders, market goats, gallon of milk (in that order) |
| Saturday, Aug 15, 10:30 a.m. | B. Carr Pavilion | Meat rabbits and meat poultry |
How Bidding Works
These are premium auctions. The winning bid is a premium paid to the exhibitor, and the winning bidder is not necessarily buying the animal. The exhibitor also receives market price from the packer, based on the packer's market-value bid. A 1,300 lb steer at $0.58 per pound is worth $754. If the winning bid is $500, a buyer who does not keep the animal pays $500. A buyer who keeps it pays $1,254 ($500 plus the $754 market value). Because of this format, buyers do not need to work out an actual cost.
How to Buy: Step by Step
- Get a bidder number from the sales clerk at the fairgrounds on sale day.
- Bid alone or with other businesses. Groups of four or more must complete a Multiple Buyer Form before purchasing.
- Absentee bids are accepted through committee members.
- Pay on the day of the sale if you can.
- If you want the animal, tell the cashier immediately after the sale, arrange transport to your chosen slaughterhouse, and pay both the premium and the packer bid price.
If you do not take the animal, it goes to harvest and becomes the packer's property. For animals other than hogs sent to a processor, arrange the processor before sale day. Hogs are released before sale day and are not available for processing, except Supreme Grand and Reserve Champions.
What Buyers Get
- Recognition by youth in the barns, show areas and arenas the following year
- Recognition on marquee signs outside many livestock barns
- A sign for the buyer's business or office
- Word of mouth from Junior Fair members and their families
Sale Committee and Phone
Co-chairs are Ron Thompson and Jared McLaughlin. Members are Matt Hoover, Kody McInturff, Mike Mooney, Dan Small, Roger Smith, Adam Wampler and Cory Zigan. Questions go to the Hartford Fair office at 740-893-4881.
Questions
Am I buying the whole animal for my bid?
No. Your bid is a premium to the exhibitor; the packer pays the market value unless you choose to keep the animal.
Can I bid if I cannot attend?
Yes, through committee members.
Can I get a hog processed?
Not normally. Only Supreme Grand and Reserve Champions are an exception.
Official Links
- 2026 Junior Fair Livestock Sales brochure: schedule, bidding and buyer rules
- Hartford Independent Fair
Ohio County Fairs and Junior Livestock Shows: The Essentials
Ohio's 2026 fair season listed 94 county and independent fairs plus the Ohio State Fair, running from the Paulding County Fair on June 6 to the Fairfield County Fair ending October 17, per Spectrum News.
State fair
The Ohio State Fair ran July 29 to August 9 in Columbus, and its preliminary livestock schedule put the Sale of Champions on August 9.
Rules and dates
Statewide, market animal exhibitors must finish Quality Assurance at least 45 days before the show, and leasing market animals is not allowed, per the livestock rules overview. Ownership and tagging dates vary by county. Lucas County, for example, set a January 1 ownership date for market beef, per its livestock rules.
Next steps
Ask your county Extension office or FFA advisor for your fair book, tagging dates and sale rules. Weights and entry limits differ by fair, and Pickaway County, for instance, caps exhibitors at 10 animals with no more than 5 market animals. Put QA, tagging and registration dates on one calendar the day you receive them.
Read the full guide: Ohio County Fairs and Junior Livestock Shows
Other Upcoming Events Nearby
- Hartford Independent Fair
The Hartford Independent Fair serves Licking County from its Croton fairgrounds with a week of 4-H and FFA livestock shows and sales. Held each year; the most recent dates were 2026-08-09 to 2026-08-15.
14028 Fairgrounds Road NW, Croton, OH 43013 | 740-893-4881 Official event details - Wayne County 4-H Recognition Banquet
Annual banquet honoring Wayne County 4-H members and volunteers, held Nov. 12, 2026 in the Event Center at the fairgrounds.
- Ohio Farm Bureau Annual Meeting
The 107th Ohio Farm Bureau Annual Meeting brought members to downtown Columbus for two days. Held each year; the most recent dates were December 11-12, 2025.
- Wayne County 4-H Beef Weigh-In
Market beef project members weigh in at the Coliseum on the Wayne County fairgrounds; Jan. 24 was the weather makeup date. Held each year; the most recent date was Jan. 10, 2026.
Wooster, OH Official event details - Shelby County 4-H Market Beef Weigh-In and Tagging
Market cattle weigh-in and tagging for Shelby County junior fair exhibitors at the fairgrounds, with a Jan. 25 makeup date for bad weather. Held each year; the most recent date was Jan. 11, 2026.
Sidney, OH Official event details
Listing checked Nov. 11, 2026 against this source. Details can change; confirm with the organizer.