March 2, 2026 Minutes

Weld County Fair Board Minutes

March 2, 2026

Meeting called to order by Vice President Aaron Helus at 6:01 PM

MEMBERS PRESENT: Aaron Helus, Tom Bledsoe, Levi Loveland, Fred Kayser and Isaia Aricayos, Bailey Naibauer

EX-OFFICIO/STAFF PRESENT: Kim Eastwood, Mikayla Gabel, Cheryl Aragon and Larry Hooker, Kali Benson

SPECIAL GUESTS: Commissioner Peppler, Tammy Arnold, Keith Maxey

Additions/Changes to agenda: MOTION to approve consent agenda by Tom Bledsoe, second by Levi Loveland; motion passed.

SPECIAL GUESTS/REQUESTS:

1) Commissioner Lynette Peppler update – judicial building design meeting, looking at space needs and options for financing, data centers in county, looking at options for codes, and 911 communications center expanded to serve county

2) Fair Royalty Update – Tessa Goodvin Attendant – helped with Beef ID Day and Miss Rodeo Colorado fundraiser

3) Junior Fair Board – Regan Ellis, plan to execute ideas, QR code at each species, volunteer tour guides during the week

4) Foundation discussion – Keith Maxey and Tammy Arnold – MOU from 2006/2007 Charlie Lidall scholarship – will discuss moving forward and best way to track and advertise

5) All Season’s Security – Andy – management will be on site every day during fair, will provide their own golf carts, they have two carts, not doing Cheyenne Frontier Days, keeping the same price/costs, will need bid submitted, traffic control paramount to be understood by all parties including city

OLD BUSINESS:

1) Fair Coordinator Update – need staff for data entry, will post then train in May, inventory panels, will have better system in place, livestreaming quote Ring Side Live, $4200 up to $7200 to do horse/calf shows, Camper updates – went live this morning without a hitch, vendor app still open for another month or so, all setup/teardown groups from last year returning, looking to set up a fun zone area near food court, promo during Stampede, sponsor ideas, looking at ways to help at community BBQ

2) Entertainment Update – Truck Pull – Mounted Shooters, only date that works for truck pull would be 7/18/2026, but mounted shooters are already on that day, MOTION to NOT have truck pull at the 2026 Fair by Aaron Helus, second by Tom Bledsoe; motion passed.

Dairy Land celebrity donkey races may be an option for entertainment as well, looking around $5800 cost for show, board will consider

3) Sponsor Discussion – follow up on any ideas, ways to get in front of potential donors, accounting sponsor donations – asking for donations toward general fund if possible

NEW BUSINESS:

1) Fair book changes – open class changes, MOTION to accept changes for 2026 open class changes by Tom Bledsoe, second by Levi Loveland; motion passed.

2) Committee Reports:

a. Premier Exhibitor (Tom Bledsoe) – nothing to report at this time

b. Carcass Contest (Isaia Aricayos) – still waiting to hear back from CSU, Larry will follow up

c. All Around Showmanship (Tom Bledsoe) – need Debbie’s phone number to Tom, found help for small animal round robin

d. Drug Testing (Landon Cogburn) – nothing new to report

e. Junior Fair Board (Aaron Helus) – developing community service projects

f. Junior Livestock Sale (Bailey Naibauer) – meeting scheduled later this month

g. Security, Parking and Risk Management (Levi Loveland) – counting signs and panels yesterday, All Seasons here today, another vendor option available as well, need traffic control, Best Security, Precision Security is another option, panels were used by City the other night without permission, will have chain locked and Mikayla’s number available for them to call and rent or borrow

h. Royalty (Aaron Helus) – going well, no issues, working on thank you’s, working on getting sponsors as well, struggling to get sponsors

i. Livestock Animal Health (Landon Cogburn) – wrist bands – definitions in fair book need to include step brother, step sister, want violation fines to go up from $100 to $200; rule updates, goat breeds added (dairy and pygmy), pen assignment by superintendents, poultry exhibitors or FFA/4H member only can bring animals up, swine showmanship order: senior, intermediate, junior, then pre-junior. MOTION to accept rule changes as presented by Tom Bledsoe, second by Levi Loveland; motion passed. Wrist band enforcers could have another name tag/lanyard perhaps.

ANNOUNCEMENTS/GENERAL DISCUSSION:

1) Next Meeting Monday, April 6 @ 6 PM at County Fair Extension Office

2) Charlie Lidall Scholarship MOU update draft will be created, and Landon will plan to attend the Foundation meeting on March 31. Updates to include the Lidall scholarship name will be made to the Fair book as well.

Meeting adjourned 7:42 PM

Respectfully Submitted,

Isaia K Aricayos Weld County Fair Board Secretary