Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

All In Place for SWAR Fair; Rodeo

In a final meeting before the Southwest Arkansas Livestock Show and Rodeo begins, members of the SWAR Livestock District discussed their progress for the Sept. 26-30 event.

Overall, the different chairmen said their divisions were either ready or almost ready to go for the 51st annual event, which until this year was known as the Third District Livestock Show and Rodeo.

LaVeta Davis, who is overseeing the food preservation exhibits, said repairs need to be made to the shelving, which was apparently damaged somewhat when it was moved from one building to another. She said there would be more judges for the arts and crafts display so everyone could get done quicker this year. Additionally, she said there have been two classes added to the horticulture division.

In discussing the arts and crafts exhibits, Don Fuller, district secretary-manager, said the area in question could be decorated for $1,000, or, for $1,500 peg board could be put up and the space decorated with three-foot curtains in front of all booths.

Fuller said the district has only received half of the construction money it's supposed to get, with the remaining half being held by Gov. Jim Guy Tucker.

Fuller said the parade will line up on South Elm at 19th Street, head to Division Street, turning right on Division in front of the depot. From the depot, the parade route will turn south on Main Street, heading to Second, where it will turn left and go to the post office where it will end.

There will be new chutes on both ends of the rodeo arena in the Coliseum, along with plenty of incentive for bull riders this year. "Bodacious," the Dodge Bull, the only animal with its own trading cards, brings an $11,000 bounty to the man who can stay on for a full eight-second ride. In addition, cowboys participating in the rodeo earn Dodge points toward a new Dodge pickup.

Fuller said the district is fortunate to have a Dodge rodeo, with the auto company actually asking to come back as a sponsor because of the response it got last year. Fuller said there will be a lot of stock coming from the Sam Andrews Rodeo Co. of Bagwell, Texas, which has been to the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.

In talking about the arena, Fuller said the bleachers need to be repaired and the dogging chute has been moved up further, which cost some room. However, the arena at the Coliseum is still, Fuller said, larger than the one used in Vegas for the NFR.

The district members talked about possibly adding box seating on the first row in the arena area. The boxes would have six or eight seats and be placed along the rail. This is a project which may be done for the 1996 rodeo.

Wendell Craig will bring his impersonations to center stage outside the Coliseum Friday night of the fair. Kenny "the" Kidd will take over Saturday evening, entertaining the audience with his band "Boogie Thunder."

Fuller informed the members of the first all-terrain vehicle pull, which will be held Wednesday night in the arena. Those participating will pay $10 to enter their ATV in the contest. There will be five divisions, ranging from standard ATVs to modified vehicles in the competition. Trophies will be presented to the top three in each division.

Another new category for this year's show will be the horse show, slated for Saturday morning at 9. Fuller said anyone interested in being in the horse show must pre-enter their animal.

One area there seems to be problems in is the potted plant division. The droughthas apparently caused the plants to shut down or not fare well because of lack of water. Mary Fuller, superintendent of the event, said letters have been sent to those who entered last year. She said if the weather doesn't cooperate with some rain, there may not be much of a potted plant contest this year.

Dana Fincher, with an update on the queen's contest, said some counties are not having fair queen contests, and will not be entering a contestant. This, she said, will not force a cancellation of the contest, it will simply be a few girls short.