Fairgrounds turns Grant County into a destination for horse competitors
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 5 months, 3 weeks AGO
A WAHSET rider competes in a meet at the Grant County Fairgrounds Ardell Pavilion.
JOEL MARTIN/COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD
A barrel racer takes a tight turn at a Best of Barrels competition at the Grant County Fairgrounds.
A high school WAHSET competitor warms up outside the Harwood Pavilion at the Grant County Fairgrounds before a meet.
Joel Martin has been with the Columbia Basin Herald for more than 25 years in a variety of roles and is the most-tenured employee in the building. Martin is a married father of eight and enjoys spending time with his children and his wife, Christina. He is passionate about the paper’s mission of informing the people of the Columbia Basin because he knows it is important to record the history of the communities the publication serves. | April 28, 2026 3:20 AM
MOSES LAKE — The sound of hoofbeats is a constant at the Grant County Fairgrounds.
“We have a horse event almost every weekend starting in March through October, not including August because we’ve got the fair going on (that month),” said Events Administrator Shayla Anderson.
The fairgrounds boasts two pavilions, a 5,000-seat rodeo ground, 444 horse stalls, more than 450 RV camping sites, located in the middle of the state and with a sunny desert climate. That combination draws horse enthusiasts from all over Washington.
“Grant County is the only facility on the eastern side of the state that’s big enough,” said Amy Peterson, Washington High School Equestrian Team Board Chair for District 5. “The two arenas are really crucial. We’re running, like, 70 kids through an arena. Obviously, that’s time-consuming, so to have two arenas is really nice.”
WAHSET District 5, one of two districts that use the Grant County Fairgrounds, includes schools all the way Columbia Gorge to Colfax to the Idaho state line. That’s a big territory and a long way to bring students, but the camping facilities make it possible, Peterson said.
“Some sites maybe have great barns, but not very many campsites,” she said. “It really is the most inclusive spot that we can go to. And the arenas are really nice to ride in. They’re very well maintained. Everything’s taken care of.”
Keeping the facilities ready for the equine enthusiasts is no small feat, Anderson said.
“At this time, we have 444 horse stalls, and they all have power and water,” Anderson said. “For the two biggest barrel races of the season, we completely fill all of those stalls, and we actually have to put up some temporary stalling as well. We take pride in all the stalls that we have to accommodate these shows.”
The riders appreciate the facilities.
“I love it,” said Sami Jo Sartin of Sunnyside, a Best of Barrels competitor. “I keep coming back for almost every (event).”
A barrel racer takes a tight turn at a Best of Barrels competition at the Grant County Fairgrounds.
A high school WAHSET competitor warms up outside the Harwood Pavilion at the Grant County Fairgrounds before a meet.ARTICLES BY JOEL MARTIN
Endless battle
Noxious Weed Control Board works to keep invasive plants under control
MOSES LAKE — Some of the nastiest plants in Grant County were the topic of a class led by Jay Johnson, a consultant with the Grant County Noxious Weed Control Board, Tuesday. The Noxious Weed Control Board, as its name would suggest, is tasked with keeping weeds under control in Grant County. That’s not a small job; the board’s website lists 129 species of noxious weeds that are found around Grant County. A noxious weed is defined as an invasive, non-native plant that threatens agricultural crops, local ecosystems or fish and wildlife habitat, according to the Noxious Weed Control Board. Washington state law requires that these weeds be identified and their spread kept to a minimum, if not completely eradicated. “We’re one of those agencies a lot of people don’t really understand,” Johnson said. “We’re a county office and … our funding is tax-based assessment. When you get your tax bill and you look down at all the expenses that you pay for, there we are.”
BASIN EVENTS: Oct. 16-24
COLUMBIA BASIN — Whether you feel like shopping, crafting, learning or seeing a show, there’s something happening for you this week in the Basin. Oct. 16 ‘My Family (Mi Familia)’ screening Spanning three generations, “My Family (Mi Familia)” is a heartfelt drama that follows the Sánchez family as they build their lives in East Los Angeles. Through love, hardship, triumph, and sacrifice, the film explores the immigrant experience, the strength of family bonds, and the traditions that connect one generation to the next. Lowrider show and taco truck before the screening. Sponsored by Columbia Basin Allied Arts, EDUBS C/S and the Moses Lake Creative District. $12 per person. Doors open at 6 p.m., film begins at 7 p.m. at the Moses Lake Civic Center Auditorium, 401 S. Balsam St. Tickets and info: www.cba-arts.org.
Moses Lake author encourages women to look beyond church culture norms
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