Grand Champion Lamb Disqualified at West Virginia State Fair
LEWISBURG, W.Va. – Teh grand champion market lamb at the State Fair of West Virginia was disqualified after testing positive for a banned substance, fair officials confirmed. The disqualification followed a routine drug test conducted after the market lamb show on August 9th.
Kelly Collins, CEO of the State Fair of West Virginia, explained that testing grand and reserve grand champion animals is standard practice. “It’s standard that we’ve always drug tested our grand champion and reserve grand champion animals,” she said. This year, the fair transitioned from blood testing to urine testing to align with industry standards.
After urine samples were sent to a lab, a positive result was confirmed for one of the market lambs. Collins stated the fair instantly notified the exhibitor,the processing facility,and the buyer. Further testing is currently being conducted at another lab, requested by the livestock breeder and exhibitor, who were unavailable for comment.While the specific substance detected has not been released, Collins confirmed that any positive test results in disqualification. This means the exhibitor forfeits all associated awards,including ribbons,trophies,premiums,and the sale price. Potential penalties may also include temporary or permanent bans from future showings. “Any animal that is found with a positive test, they will not receive any of that,” Collins emphasized.
The testing procedure involves immediately escorting grand and reserve champion animals to a secure holding area for sample collection. Samples are then sealed,securely stored,and shipped overnight to a laboratory.
Collins underscored the fair’s commitment to agricultural safety and promoting the next generation of food producers. “We don’t want to do anything which jeopardizes the food chain, and so that’s really where the importance lies. At the same time, we’re taking the necessary steps,” she said.
According to Collins, positive tests are rare, and she does not recall another instance in her more than ten years managing the fair. “It’s been a long time since we’ve had something come back like this,” she noted.
The West Virginia Department of Agriculture,which inspects animals upon arrival at the fairgrounds,was not involved in the testing or disqualification process and referred all inquiries to the fair.
Collins requested patience from the community as the investigation continues, stating, “We are working through the process with all of the necessary parties and hopefully we have some more facts to provide shortly. We want to of course promote agriculture and safety in agriculture, but we also want to protect the individuals that are involved and be fair across the board.”
