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The Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo in Abilene, Kansas has been recognized for providing the best possible arena ground for animal and rodeo contestants.
The rodeo received third place in the Justin Best Footing Awards for the Prairie Circuit, the rodeos in Kansas, Nebraska and Oklahoma. This is the first year for the rodeo to win.
It takes a lot of time and attention to detail to have an arena in good shape, said Matt Farson and Dusty Kuntz, respectively president and vice-president for the rodeo. Both men share the responsibility for working the arena dirt.
It’s important to have good arena conditions, Farson said, “to have stable ground for the horses. They’re running fast and turning quickly, and you don’t want them to slide and pull a muscle or tendon.”
During rodeo week, the men spend two to three hours a day on the arena, either working it with a tractor pulling an arena groomer, or applying water with a truck.
But the work starts months in advance. When a horse event takes place at the fairgrounds, Farson works the ground for free for the event. That benefits the rodeo, too. “The more you work it, the better it gets,” he said. The tool they use has a drag to fill little water holes that develop throughout the year and that are undesirable. “Instead of working the arena two or three days before the rodeo, you’re working it three or four months before.”
And the condition of the dirt is on the men’s minds for three weeks before the rodeo. Rain and humidity can change arena conditions drastically, so they’re always looking at weather forecasts and mentally preparing for whatever needs to be done.
“We spend weeks finding the dips and water holes,” Kuntz said. “We fine tune it to get rid of water pockets.”
They are thankful for sponsors who help out with equipment and water.
PrairieLand Partners of Abilene lends a John Deere tractor to pull the water tank. Land Pride lends a Kubota tractor to pull the arena grooming tool, and Agri Trails Coop donated the use of three water tanks, each holding 3,000 gallons, and filled the tanks.
Having good arena conditions is important for contestants, Kuntz said.
“They roll in here with a $75,000 horse, and (during competition), they pull up on the reins, because they don’t know how safe the ground is. Then they’re not able to compete to win.”
Some of the barrel racers acknowledged the committee’s work during the rodeo, saying, “it’s fun to come to this rodeo and let your horse run and not worry about his safety,” Farson said.
The rodeo committee will be recognized at the Women’s Pro Rodeo Association celebration in Las Vegas on Dec. 4 at the South Point Hotel and Casino.
The other winners in the Prairie Circuit include Kansas Biggest Rodeo (Phillipsburg) in first place and the Elk City (Oklahoma) Rodeo in second place.
The 2026 Abilene rodeo will be July 27-31.
For more information, visit the website at WildBillHickokRodeo.com.
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