rules & regulations
2026 RULES & REGULATIONS
The Northeast All-Breeds Spring Show will be held at the Eastern States Exposition fairgrounds in West Springfield, Massachusetts from April 18-25, 2026 We will be expected to follow all the rules and regulations of the fairgrounds. Exhibitors are urged to study these rules carefully before completing an application for entries. A signed entry serves as an agreement to comply with all rules and regulations contained here and including changes posted within our Facebook page or in email updates. Official Show results will be submitted to all Breed Associations to qualify towards All-American recognition. All exhibitors will have a Mandatory Exhibitors meeting at 3:30 P.M Tuesday, April 21, 2026.
UPDATED 2026
Entries - Entry fees will be set in tiers for 2026. The entry schedule is as follows:
Early Entry- $40/entry- Start March 2- March 15 11:59pm
Regular Entry- $80/entry- Start March 16- March 29 11:59pm
Late Entry- $150/entry- March 30- March 31 11:59pm
Entries will be open online March 2, 2026 at https://absds.fairwire.com
Late entries will be accepted while space is permits at the above rate. Late entries will need to be emailed to ppoitras@charter.net . In the event the number of entries exceeds the allowed barn space capacity, entries will be accepted in the chronological order they were received.
Substitutions are acceptable across any age/breed at no additional cost
The PDCA Code of Ethics & The Holstein Show Rule Book will be followed and the Holstein USA Show ring policy. No unethical practice will be tolerated in the preparation or presentation of any animal. http://www.purebreddairycattle.com/file_open.php?id=7
https://www.holsteinusa.com/pdf/print_material/show_program.pdf
Arrival - Please plan to arrive only during the provided check in times, unless otherwise stated and arranged. Unloading animals and tack will be limited to 30 minutes. More arrival information and details will be provided as time nears.
Health Regulations - Cattle will be checked in by Massachusetts State Animal inspectors prior to entry into the Mallary Complex. Health papers and Registration Certificates WILL be checked. All cattle must have an RFID tag for traceability & out of state lactating animals with a negative H1N1 test within the required time frame.
The State Animal Health Regulations can be viewed on this website:
https://www.mass.gov/.../agricultural-fairs.../download
All veterinarian test results must be presented upon request. Official health certificates must be presented at check-in for each animal on the fairgrounds. All registration papers and health papers must remain with the cattle!
Stall assignments - Please indicate who you would like to be stalled with/near on entry form.
Junior Show Entries - All animals being shown within the junior shows MUST BE transferred into the juniors ownership no later than April 1st. We will not be accepting junior transfers at the show. Follow your respected guidelines for your breed associations junior rules on ownership.
(find all national breed rules and forms at the bottom).
Note: As a show committee we do have the discretion to modify certain requests or accommodations for Junior rules.
Northeast All Breeds Spring Show does NOT recognize and honor any 4H lease paperwork. All lease work must be done by April 1st, 2024 with your National breed association & in hand at the show for verification.
Junior Show - All junior animals must be shown by junior exhibitors for junior show placings. Junior animals not shown by a junior exhibitor will receive open placings only. We will be following national breed association rules for all Junior breed shows. Junior exhibitors and animals will show in the open classes, and take a step forward in the final lineup for junior recognition. They will show in separate championship classes. Links to each breed’s rules are at the bottom of this document with their alternate leads forms to be submitted to the National Breed Office.Youth Showmanship for all breeds will be held on April 23, 2025. Classes will be split based on entries and age of exhibitors. Showmanship is not required for junior placings. Any junior who would like to participate and does not have an animal can borrow an animal to participate. We will also include a showmanship class for juniors under eight years of age.
* Youth participating in showmanship or breed shows MUST be dressed in PDCA required show ring uniforms, white pants with white shirts or junior shirts provided. Any Junior who does not follow this dress code will be disqualified.
Camper Hookups - Camper/RV hookups are available at a rate of $25/day/camper. Payment will be due upon arrival; a fair official will direct you on where to park and where to hook up. Sleeping Tents can be set up in the tie out area.Camping will be supervised and adhere to all state guidelines. Showers for livestock exhibitors are available upstairs in the Mallary Complex and will be cleaned and sanitized as often as needed.
Barn Rules - ONE 10x 10 EZ Up tent per string- please respect this as we have limited space to be able to make everyone fit comfortably, this is NOT a guarantee that you will have a tent space.
No smoking in the barn.
No trash or sharps in the manure pits.
*We are charged additionally for clean-up and maintenance if trash is left in packs and manure pits*
Milk Disposal - PLEASE dispose of all milk in the milk house, NOT at the wash racks or the manure pits! Milk is considered a biohazard. We will NOT have access to the vacuum line at the parlor, you must provide your own milking equipment.
Sharps - containers will be provided by the fairgrounds.
* PLEASE be sure to dispose of your sharps in the labeled boxes throughout the complex. The NEABSS is required to pay for whatever sharps is found in the packs at time of cleaning.
Supplies - Each exhibitor must provide feed and bedding for their own animals. Exhibitor Services will be available through the Eastern States Exposition feed store to order shavings, 1st and 2nd cut hay and small bales of straw, beet pulp, & grain. Please be sure to get feed store order forms in before
your arrival so the employees can ensure your orders are filled upon your arrival!
Twist of Fate will be on site for show supply and equipment needs. They also provide sharpening and custom rope products to exhibitors.
**Rules and regulations are subject to change. Updates will be made available as they come by Email and on the shows Facebook page.**
Links to Breed Junior Show Rules:
all junior lease and alternate leads forms are linked in the rules and regulation packet