THE BALLOON MAN

County fairs, other buyers scoop up Ashland Rodeo equipment
from: journalstar.com
May 19, 2013
Lincoln, Ne---The bleachers, bucking chutes and other equipment have been removed from the Ashland Rodeo Grounds.

Buyers, mostly from Iowa and Nebraska, hauled the items away after a May 11 sale run by Schram Auctions Inc.

"It wasn't a large crowd but those who were there were buying," said Tom Schram, president of the Gretna-based company.

Council Bluffs-based Westfair bought many of the bleachers and cattle fence panels to replace equipment damaged in a storm, he said. Rodeo chutes went to buyers from Arlington and Newman Grove for use at county fairs.

"It's kind of a sad thing," Roberts said, but it was nice to see the equipment go to county fairs and others who can use it.

The Ashland grounds have not hosted a rodeo since 2008, due mostly to a lack of financial support. City officials want to use the land to add more parking for the nearby ballfield.

The former Ashland Saddle Club built the rodeo arena in 1958. The club was disbanded in the late 1990s and replaced by the Oxbow Trail Wranglers, which took over the rodeo grounds.

Wranglers President Will Roberts declined to say how much money the auction made, saying all of the expenses aren't in yet. He said a double-wide building, which did not sell, still has to be torn down.

The Oxbow Wranglers plan to decide May 30 how to distribute the proceeds. Roberts said they likely will donate to organizations that serve underprivileged or special needs children and senior citizens in the area.