ProRodeo Sports News - February 5, 2021

In comparison, the average airplane seat decreased from 18.5 inches to 17 inches between 2000 and 2018, according to a report from business publication Quartz . Eventually, all the old seats will be replaced to bring Preston’s capacity to 6,443 – a 24% increase. “It’s a very intimate arena, and we didn’t want to change that,” Beckstead said. “The cowboys love it because you get all that excitement.” The west end of the arena’s seating will be completed in the next stage, but for now work is focused on the south and east sides. Spots also will be installed for 44 wheelchairs, the required amount for ADA compliance. “Our bleachers are really tight, and the handicap access was horrible,” said Richard Swainston, who has served on the Preston rodeo committee for 11 years. “It will also be safer to get up the bleachers since there will be actual aisles and real handicapped access.” Preston’s arena upgrades have come in phases, with new chutes and catch pens installed over the last few years and two new restrooms built on the fairgrounds last year. “Those (restrooms) haven’t even been used

Photo courtesy That Famous Preston Night Rodeo Construction is underway despite the frozen ground and cold weather in Preston. The goal is to have the new seating complete in time for high school rodeos in the spring.

yet since the fair and rodeo didn’t happen last summer,” Beckstead said. “Then we did this great big bite.” The cancellation of the rodeo shifted focus to the project.

spend. We had to fundraise and find big donors and little donors, and the community is well-aware of it.” No matter how they diced it, that’s a tall order for a town with 5,376 residents. “It’s one of those things where you have to act in faith on doing it or not,” Swainston said. “We felt we had enough money that we could borrow what we didn’t have and make payments on the loan with proceeds from the rodeo, and then determined we could do some of it now and the rest later, so we went for it and tore it out.” Even a group of kids contributed $140 by running a lemonade stand. “I just cried,” Beckstead said. “People drove up and said, ‘If it’s for the arena, just take this.’ Every little bit counts.” Donations can be sent via Venmo to @prestonrodeo at the Ireland Bank in Preston.

“Because we didn’t have our rodeo, we put all our efforts into getting this done,” Beckstead said. “Contractors are booked out a year-and-a-half, but we have a contractor who loves the rodeo, and his dad was on the committee and said he’d be our concrete supervisor and donate his time but he couldn’t get on it until November.” Preston’s weather is perfect in the summer for the rodeo, but winter in Idaho is the opposite with an 8-inch-deep frost line to break through when digging. The goal is to have the facility ready for high school rodeo in May. “By the end of March, it’ll all be up, and then we’ll have to work against the clock to get all the interior fencing and lighting up,” Beckstead said.

MONEY TALKS

The current project cost nearly $1 million, and the remaining segment will cost about $750,000, Beckstead said. “We have about $200,000 left to raise, but I think it won’t be hard,” Beckstead said. “Some people say, ‘Wow, it’s a big amount of money to raise,’ but you can’t do anything if you don’t try.” Preston’s rodeo isn’t with the county or the fair. “We don’t get tax dollars, we just carry ourselves,” Beckstead said. “Everything we do is by donation, so we’ve been beating the bush trying to raise the money.” Fundraising began in 2019. Two major contributions came from the owner of Stokes Market in Preston, Larry Stokes and his family, and Doug and Ginger Day, owners of Day Mountain Ranch and Day Builders. “We’re a little different frommost rodeos since it’s not public money funding the arena,” Swainston said. “Whatever we make off the rodeo or by renting out the arena is what we have to

James Fain photo Preston’s old stands had fans packed in tighter than in an average airplane seat. Once comp- leted, each seat will be four inches wider, with overall capacity growing from 5,200 to 6,443.

ProRodeo Sports News 2/5/2021

ProRodeo.com

39