Aging Benton County rodeo 4-H arena revamped in time for the fair
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Benton County completed a new 4-H arena at the fairgrounds on June 21.
- The $45,000 project used a $12,500 Wildhorse Foundation grant and association funds.
- New Noble Panels and removable poles replace rotting wood to improve safety.
What took just a few days to build will benefit Benton County’s young equestrians and 4-H community for decades to come.
Work on a new 4-H arena was completed June 21 at the Benton County Fairgrounds. After decades of wear and tear, Benton Franklin Fair Association said it had reached the end of its useful life.
The roughly $45,000 project was funded through a $12,500 grant from the Wildhorse Foundation as well as contributions from the Benton Franklin Fair Association. With the assistance of Big D’s Construction, volunteers from the fair board and rodeo committee demolished the old structure and materials, replacing them with Noble Panels fencing and improved footing.
It took only four days from start to finish.
The new arena is safer and more durable. Lori Lancaster, Executive Director of the Benton Franklin Fair Association, said the project ensures the facility will continue to serve youth and fairground users for years to come.
Lancaster said bees and wasps had nested inside the wood beams of the old arena and some of the boards had begun to rot, presenting an issue for the safety of youth and animals.
“In some places, we really say the paint was holding it together,” Lancaster said. “This new structure is made of Noble Panels out of Milton Freewater. These are completely durable.”
The panels will also be much easier to replace than it had been with wood fencing.
Another issue that had come to their attention was dirt piling up on the sides of the fencing, leaving a crater-like gap in its center.
This made it challenging to host certain events as horses were restricted to less-cushioned that could contribute to injuries. The new arena eliminates this problem with removable poles, making it easier to shift dirt around.
The revamped arena will serve many organizations in the area.
“For our direct interests, it’s for the 4-H kids that show at the fair,” Lancaster said. “But, in general, it’s for anyone in the community who the county wants to let use the facility.”
Benton Franklin Fair is gearing up for its carnival in August, where the arena will see a majority of its use through 4-H kids preparing to show. It has already hosted the Benton Franklin Fair’s Wrangler Girl Drill Team practice.
