Fairgrounds turns Grant County into a destination for horse competitors
A WAHSET rider competes in a meet at the Grant County Fairgrounds Ardell Pavilion.
JOEL MARTIN/COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD
A barrel racer takes a tight turn at a Best of Barrels competition at the Grant County Fairgrounds.
A high school WAHSET competitor warms up outside the Harwood Pavilion at the Grant County Fairgrounds before a meet.
MOSES LAKE — The sound of hoofbeats is a constant at the Grant County Fairgrounds.
“We have a horse event almost every weekend starting in March through October, not including August because we’ve got the fair going on (that month),” said Events Administrator Shayla Anderson.
The fairgrounds boasts two pavilions, a 5,000-seat rodeo ground, 444 horse stalls, more than 450 RV camping sites, located in the middle of the state and with a sunny desert climate. That combination draws horse enthusiasts from all over Washington.
“Grant County is the only facility on the eastern side of the state that’s big enough,” said Amy Peterson, Washington High School Equestrian Team Board Chair for District 5. “The two arenas are really crucial. We’re running, like, 70 kids through an arena. Obviously, that’s time-consuming, so to have two arenas is really nice.”
WAHSET District 5, one of two districts that use the Grant County Fairgrounds, includes schools all the way Columbia Gorge to Colfax to the Idaho state line. That’s a big territory and a long way to bring students, but the camping facilities make it possible, Peterson said.
“Some sites maybe have great barns, but not very many campsites,” she said. “It really is the most inclusive spot that we can go to. And the arenas are really nice to ride in. They’re very well maintained. Everything’s taken care of.”
Keeping the facilities ready for the equine enthusiasts is no small feat, Anderson said.
“At this time, we have 444 horse stalls, and they all have power and water,” Anderson said. “For the two biggest barrel races of the season, we completely fill all of those stalls, and we actually have to put up some temporary stalling as well. We take pride in all the stalls that we have to accommodate these shows.”
The riders appreciate the facilities.
“I love it,” said Sami Jo Sartin of Sunnyside, a Best of Barrels competitor. “I keep coming back for almost every (event).”
A barrel racer takes a tight turn at a Best of Barrels competition at the Grant County Fairgrounds.
A high school WAHSET competitor warms up outside the Harwood Pavilion at the Grant County Fairgrounds before a meet.