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Horse community urges Boulder County to restore winter open‑ride sessions at Fairgrounds; POSEAC asks staff for timeline and cost details
Summary
Members of the horse community and 4‑H supporters told POSEAC they oppose cancellation of weekly winter indoor open‑ride sessions at the Boulder County Fairgrounds; POSEAC asked staff for a timeline of decisions, cost details and outreach history to inform further discussion.
Multiple speakers — including Cindy Johnson, Howard Grimestein, Heather Middleton, Rhonda Nickoli and Pam Andringa — addressed POSEAC Jan. 23 to object to the county’s decision to cancel the Fairgrounds’ single weekly winter public indoor riding session.
Cindy Johnson, speaking for area riders, described a petition with more than 100 signatures submitted earlier to the county commissioners and urged POSEAC to reopen the arena for three to four sessions per month through winter. "All we are asking for is the opportunity to try this again," Johnson said. She asked whether the commissioners had reviewed the petition and requested clarity about reasons cited by staff for the closure, including staffing and revenue concerns.
Howard Grimestein (he said he lives in Adams County) and other commenters said indoor access is important for 4‑H families and for maintaining the horse community’s connection to county agricultural tradition. Commenters compared Boulder County to neighboring jurisdictions that maintain open‑ride schedules with modest staff or operational adjustments and asked that county staff consider similar approaches.
POSEAC discussion and next steps: committee members, including Chair Paula Fitzgerald, asked staff to provide a fuller timeline and explanation of the steps that led to the current operating decision. POSEAC members requested: - A summary of the public communication timeline and outreach related to the Fairgrounds indoor‑arena change; - A cost breakdown showing how much a single winter open‑ride session would cost the county (staff time, equipment preparation, maintenance); - A comparison with surrounding county fairgrounds’ approaches to winter open‑ride scheduling and operations; - Clarification of what the arena is being used for on weekdays cited as unavailable.
POSEAC asked staff to return with the requested information and to coordinate outreach for a broader public discussion. The committee did not take a formal vote on restoring sessions at the Jan. 23 meeting.
