Your question is a good one, but the answers could fill a book. A favorite of mine is "Showing Good Roses," by Robert B. Martin, Jr. which has comprehensive advice for growing and exhibiting in the U.S.

You really need to get a description of the categories in which you may enter roses. Even in a county fair you will probably need to know the names of the varieties you bring to enter.

Most people posting here are involved in American Rose Society accredited shows/competitions, which are quite different from the rose section in a county fair.

In ARS shows only home-grown roses are entered, we label each with the variety's officially registered name, there are specific rules and procedures for judging and there are many different "classes" (what we call the categories) and prizes.

I know in our county fair you must bring your own vases -- thrift stores usually have a selection of glass vases for sale at low prices. (In our shows, the hosting rose society provides vases in the preparation area that exhibitors may borrow, so we don't need to bring our own except for certain challenge classes and rose arrangements.)

I'd guess the fair would have a prize for best "exhibition form" bloom (half to three-quarters open but with center petals still in a tight spiral) in an ARS show it would be entered in a clear bud vase with a long stem and lots of foliage showing.

Your fair may also have prizes for fully-opened blooms, bouquets and such, but you really need more information from the fair ahead of time.

Most serious rose exhibitors are also very serious about how they transport their roses to shows. There are many workable methods that protect the blooms from damage and stop the blooms from opening too much before the show. A milk crate full of decapitated clean milk cartons with your bud vases inside is one way to transport each cut rose separately so they don't knock into each other or get torn foliage.

I prefer to cut the roses the morning of the show, so they are nice and fresh. No matter how careful you are, they will open more before you get to the show, so cut them substantially tighter than you want them to be later.

Whatever the weather you'll want to crank up the air conditioning in the car to keep the roses cold (bring a jacket or sweater for yourself).

Below is a link to some advanced suggestions from one of the top exhibitors I know:

Here is a link that might be useful: Rose transporting article

Petaloid,

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond! Our fair is not too well organized but I still want to do this correctly. There are no ARS shows in our area (So. Utah) for me to see. Maybe I'll try to catch a show in NV or AZ at some point.

Thanks again!!!!