GJCF christens new equestrian center

     The surroundings of the Great Jones County Fair’s newest addition provided the backdrop for the fair kickoff on July 14.

     The new equestrian center and horse arena were unveiled that evening. Hundreds of people sat in the open-air arena with a new roof added to provide some much-needed shade and relief from the heat. In the past, spectators watched the 4-H and FFA Horse Show, as well as the Open Horse Show, from a set of bleachers or their own lawn chairs on the side. There was no coverage from the blazing sun.

     GJCF Manager said the new equestrian center would not have been possible without the idea of Shaun Lambertsen of Martelle.

     “Shaun really is the nucleus of this whole operation and what happened and how it happened,” praised Harms. “It’s a very unique story.”

     Lambertsen said it all started a couple of years ago when things didn’t go quite as planned and their children were not able to show livestock during the fair. So, instead, the Lambertsens decided to support their fellow 4-H/FFA families and attended every animal show they could.

     “Rabbits, sheep, hogs, cattle, horses; we saw it all,” recalled Lambertsen.

     He said their misfortune allowed them to enjoy the GJCF from a different perspective.

     Aside from the Horse Show, all of the other livestock judging shows take place under a roof or inside a barn, away from the heat. That got Lambertsen thinking.

     “But in the hour that we watched the Horse Show, we got sunburned and then we got rained on,” Lambertsen said. “But that was one hour for us. What about the families that had been involved in this for years; the commitment that they have and everything they do regardless of the conditions is really something?”

     Taking in the GJCF as a spectator, Lambertsen said they were able to see things they normally wouldn’t have noticed as parents of exhibitors.

     “We got to see the fair operate from some different angles,” he said. “We were just in awe of the tremendous resources here with the kids and the families that know the story of production agriculture.”

     Aside from showing their livestock in the various shows, Lambertsen said this opportunity also teaches the youth about production agriculture.

     “We are told to tell our stories about production agriculture so that people understand how this industry works,” urged Lambertsen.

     He said with huge numbers of youth involved in showing at 4-H and FFA shows, as well as the crowds that pour into the fairgrounds on a daily basis, he wanted to find a way to bring both concepts together.

     “We couldn’t help but get over the thought is there some way that we could build a bridge to connect those two pieces of the fair,” said Lambertsen. “Not that they weren’t connected, but to do more.”

     A couple of years ago, the Lambertsens’ son, Ivan, was approached by a woman and her grandchildren from Illinois who were attending the fair, inquiring about his livestock.

     “They had a discussion about antibiotics and livestock,” explained Lambertsen. “Never would have seen that coming. But that’s what we’re supposed to be doing as producers. And that really solidified the hope that Valerie and I had to do something here to connect, if it doubled or tripled the number of times that happened. It would do some tremendous good for our agriculture industry.”

     Lambertsen and his wife thought a new horse arena would be a great addition to the GJCF. They started seeking advice from others associated with the fair and 4-H before moving forward. Then he brought the idea to Harms and the Fair Board.

     “And that’s where we really got excited, not just for this project, but personally,” Lambertsen said of seeing how much support was out there for the project.

     Standing on the makeshift stage inside the horse arena for the kickoff, he said he was amazed at how fast the project went up in no time at all.

     “Every time we talked to somebody, what we heard over and over was, ‘Could we?’ or ‘We could.’ What a difference that makes. I can’t tell you the personal inspiration that we got from that ‘we could’ attitude,” said Lambertsen. “I believe that what makes this the GJCF and what makes Jones County great. Thanks to all the donors who made this possible. We could not be more excited.”

     Speaking of donors, Harms acknowledged the top two donors that have naming rights on the new facility: Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and Jones County Farm Bureau. Representing Wellmark at the ribbon cutting and christening was Chris Verlengia; Darrick Hall was present on behalf of Farm Bureau.

     “They were the major contributors in our capital campaign,” thanked Harms. “We are very very proud to be partnering with both of them, and we certainly owe you a bit of thanks to make this all happen.”

     Hall said the facility really fits with Farm Bureau’s mission. “It’s agriculture education, it’s our youth, the county and agriculture promotion,” he said. “This is about as good of a project as there is for our members’ money to go toward.”

     Wellmark has been the presenter of the GJCF for the past few years, and Verlengia said they’re happy to be a part of the growth of the fair.

     “These really are the five best days of summer,” he said. “Thanks for allowing us to be a part of this great tradition, and especially this facility.”

     Harms said at a later date, all of the donors and contributors of the equestrian center will be acknowledged with a more formal presentation.