Oklahoma Market Lamb Association
RR 3 Box 125-1
Comanche, OK 73529

OMLA By-Laws

ARTICLE I - ORGANIZATION

Section I: Title: This Association shall be known as the Oklahoma Market Lamb Association (OMLA) and shall be at all times operated and conducted as an organization in accordance with the laws of the State of Oklahoma providing for such organizations and by which it shall acquire such rights as granted to associations of this kind.

Section II: Objectives: The purpose of this Association shall be to collect, record, and preserve the records, to publish a summary of the results, to stimulate competition among 4-H and FFA exhibitors, and to award prizes and awards to the top individual exhibitors of club lambs through the course of a one-year period based upon the total number of points accumulated within a given OMLA breed division and overall individual status.  Only Oklahoma residents may be members and may accumulate points . HOWEVER, the show is open to any youth under the age of 19 residing in the US – they just cannot accumulate points for end-of year point status.  

Section III: Place of Business: The principal place of business shall be Comanche, Oklahoma, but its members or officers must be residents of any county in the State of Oklahoma and business may be carried on at any place convenient to such members or officials as may be participating.  There shall be no alcoholic beverages on the premises of any show. 

ARTICLE II -- BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section I: Board of Directors: All property, business, and affairs of the OMLA shall be managed and conducted by and shall be under the exclusive control of the Board of Directors. The OMLA Board of Directors reserves the right to final interpretation of all rules and regulations.

ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP

Section I: Type of Membership: Junior membership will be as follows: ANY youth who is a resident of Oklahoma and of the age of 19 or younger may participate in any OMLA sanctioned show.  Membership will be $25.00 per child per show year and this does not constitute as entry payment.

ARTICLE IV -- GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS

Section I: Effective Date: These rules and regulations shall become and are effective August 1, 2009, and thereupon shall be followed by all members and sanctioned shows.

Section II: Show Approval: Organizations or individuals wishing to stage or sponsor a club lamb show sanctioned by OMLA where exhibitor points are awarded must comply with OMLA rules and regulations. Show approval does not carry over from year to year and must be obtained for each show annually.

Section III: Breed Divisions: OMLA sanctioned shows must offer the following market lamb breeds with no minimum number per class or breed: Hampshire, Suffolk, Natural, Cross, Dorset, Specks, Southdown, Shropshire. Members will be expected to observe breed characteristics for specific breed divisions and there will not be classification per show. The OMLA Board of Directors reserves the right to reclassify a lamb to a more appropriate breed per its characteristics.

Section IV: Show Results: Results of any approved show must be completed in their entirety and forwarded to OMLA. If the show management does not report the show results within fifteen (15) days after said show or by the final OMLA show, whichever comes first, approval of subsequent shows may be denied. Incomplete show results may result in no show points awarded. OMLA is not responsible for incorrect or incomplete show results. OMLA will not be responsible for the enforcement of individual show rules or show results. These are the sole responsibility of the show management.

Section V: Lamb Nomination:   There are no OMLA nomination requirements at this given show year of 2009-2010.

Section VI: Lamb Exhibition: OMLA members must exhibit their own lambs unless more than one lamb is in the same class or unless member is participating in a school- or church-sponsored activity. The Board of Directors must be notified of such a change prior to the show. The Board of Directors on an individual basis will consider exceptions due to extended illness or injury with doctor's statement. 

Section VII: Entry Fees: A $20.00 entry fee per head per show will be charged for all current OMLA members. A $25.00 entry fee per head per show will be charged for all nonmembers.  

ARTICLE V -- POINT ACCUMULATION AND TABULATION

Section I: Membership: In order to receive points to apply to the yearly standings, an exhibitor must be an active member of OMLA PRIOR to the judging of the show from which he/she is to receive points. Points are awarded only after receiving membership fees to OMLA. Members will not accumulate prior points at the shows during an OMLA year when they were not active members.  Membership applications will not be accepted at the final show of the season.

Section II: Breed Divisions: A member will accumulate points on the three highest point-receiving lambs (points accumulated on no more than two lambs per breed). Once points are recorded on an individual lamb within any one of the 8 breed divisions, points are not transferable to any other breed. If a lamb is shown in the wrong breed or class, no points will be awarded for that lamb in that class or breed. Points will be awarded all the way down the class. Every member that shows will receive at least one (1) point. Points will not be awarded for county or district shows. 2009 – 2010 show season has sanctioned the Market Wether shows at State Fair of Oklahoma & Tulsa State Fair. (No points for ewes at these 2 shows.)  Ewes and wethers show together at OMLA produced shows, at Purcell Show and at the Wichita Mountains Classic Show.

Points will be assigned as follows:  10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 1, etc (i.e. 1 st =10, 2 = 9, 3 rd = 8, etc. 10 th place & down gets 1 pt). Grand = 5, Res Grand = 3 & 3 rd Overall = 2 (if the 3 rd overall at the 2 state shows is not an OMLA member, there will NOT be 3 rd overall points assigned for that show).        Breed Champion = 3, Res Breed Champion = 2

EACH MEMBER WILL BE ALLOWED TO DROP AND/OR MISS 3 SHOWS. YOU MUST PARTICIPATE IN AT LEAST 8 OF THE 12 OMLA SANCTIONED SHOWS IN ORDER TO RECEIVE OVERALL, DISTRICT AND BREED AWARDS AT THE END OF THE YEAR BANQUET.

Section III: Ownership: Sheep must be entered in the name of the individual OMLA member for the points to be accumulated in his/her name.

Section IV: Tabulation: Points will be tabulated on all approved shows and awards presented to OMLA members accumulating the greatest number of points in the following market lamb breed divisions within a OMLA show year: Crossbreed, Dorset, Hampshire, Shropshire, Specks, Southdown, and Suffolk.

ARTICLE VI -- END-OF-THE-YEAR AWARDS

Section I: Eligibility: Eligibility for any end-of-the-year awards is solely based on overall breed and the overall point totals.  Members will drop their lowest 3 point shows at the end of the season.

Section II: Breed Division Awards: End-of-the-year awards will be presented to top 2 eligible OMLA members.

Section III: Rookie-of-the-Year Awards: There will be NO Rookie-of-the-Year award for 2009-2010.

Section IV: Awards Presentation: This will take place after the sheep showmanship at the 2010 Oklahoma Youth Expo (OYE) .

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