A premium book is the printed or digital rulebook a fair publishes ahead of time, listing every entry class open for competition, the judging criteria for each, and the cash premium or ribbon awarded to winners. It is the document an exhibitor consults before entering a pie, a quilt, a steer, or a garden vegetable, and it is part of what keeps 30 of the 98 events in this directory able to run competitions on a consistent, repeatable basis year to year. Categories in a premium book typically split between agricultural classes, such as livestock and produce, and open classes, such as baking, photography, and needlework, each scored against its own written standard rather than against the other entries in the room.
Also known as: premium list, fair rulebook, exhibitor's book.
