This year, fans of That Famous Preston Night Rodeo will enjoy new seating as the project to replace all the old seating comes to a close.

Fans have more seating than ever to choose from this year with the addition of nearly 700 new seats. With last year’s changes, that makes a total of 1,400 more seats available including handicapped access and seating.

“While the rest of the world hunkered down for COVID, we took that time to build a new arena,” said Kris Beckstead of the Preston Rodeo Committee. “In 2020, with the rodeo not being able to go on, we built the first half. Last year’s rodeo used the new half and the old half and we saw a big difference, so we decided to bite the bullet and complete the seating. With code and safety issues, as well as crowded seating and little leg room, this project has been a dream for a few years. We are very proud of what we have accomplished.”

As prices continue to rise, the rodeo committee is glad to have the seating finished but the total cost of over $2 million was more than they anticipated for steel and concrete.

“The bill will continue to be paid but we still need the generosity of community and rodeo patrons to see this paid off,” she said. “We have had so much generous help so far ... Cache Valley Bank, Day Mountain Ranch and Stokes Marketplace all donated a very significant amount, from $300,000 to $400,000. We thank them from the bottom of our hearts. The $25,000 to $100,000 donors are Trails West, Northwest Farm Credit, West Motor, Scott and Kris Beckstead, the Linden Beckstead Family, Milestone Timberworks, Hess Construction, Steve and Karen Reeder, Bailey and Jamie Beckstead, Carolyn and Blayne Rounds Family, Nathan Hale Family, Kurt and Margaret Iverson Family, Valley Implement, Sid and Pat Beckstead, Naylor Insurance. The list of $1,000 to $24,000 donors is long and we can’t name everyone, but every single donation has helped us get this far. We have aa ways to go, so please keep this in mind. We have a foundation established so all donations are tax deductible.”

Above the seating are signs with the names of donors who contributed between $25,000 and $100,000 to the project.

The big screen is back and here to stay. Fans will find many familiar faces on the screen as top cowboys return to this small town rodeo with big names like nationally recognized Andy Seiler as announcer and JJ Harrison as clown/barrelman. It may be a small town with a small-town feel, but the rodeo is anything but. That Famous Preston Night Rodeo has won awards for best rodeo in the Wilderness Circuit (Idaho, Utah and Nevada) for the past seven years.

“A big thanks to so many people who worked so hard on this,” Beckstead said. “Richard Swainston, a member of the Rodeo committee has worked and worked to get this project finished and he is to be credited for the fine condition of the arena dirt. As an unpaid volunteer, the hours he works over there cannot be calculated. We have had electricians, concrete people, equipment operators, asphalt layers, Hanson Sports, Rocky Mountain Power, and a rodeo committee that works year round to have this event and facility be top in the Intermountain West.”

Kudos to committee members Thane Winward, Kurt Iverson, David Jeppsen, Sheryl Kimball, Doug Webb, Jeff Hollingsworth, Richard Swainston, and Kris Beckstead. What an accomplishment — and all without the use of tax dollars.