Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
The new arena east of Potter will open to the public this weekend for a gymkhana. Events are scheduled throughout the season.
Potter residents see a new arena in the area. Callen and Whitney Whartman began building the arena on their land just east of Potter in 2015. Though the arena is ready to use, the Whartmans are currently still adding improvements.
Initially built for personal use and as a safe place for their children to grow up utilizing, the arena is now available to the public.
"Over the past year, we have continued improving it and that's when we realized we wanted to offer it to the community to use as well. We want to continue sharing our location with the public and keep offering a safe and fun environment to ride in," Whitney said.
So far this summer the couple has one more National Barrel Horse Association (NBHA) barrel race to look forward to and three Gymkhana dates scheduled.
They hosted one NBHA barrel race already this summer and, according to Whitney, they had a great turn out, yet fewer than expected because it rained four inches the night before. She added that the good sand ratio under the top few inches of dirt helped the arena dry out faster.
As summer is fully upon us, the first of three Whartman Gymkhanas are set to begin this Sunday, June 25, with registration beginning at 10 a.m. and events to follow at 11 a.m.
Events include Barrel Racing, Pole Bending, Egg Race, Flag Race, and Key Hole. Age groups are Pee Wee-ages 0-4, Junior- ages 5-10, Intermediate-ages 11-14, Senior- ages 15-18, and Adults-ages 18 and up. Concessions will also be available.
"This is something great for kids and adults of all ages to participate in or watch the fun. We are very excited to see everyone this weekend, and I am really hoping for a great turn out so we can continue offering events to the community and raising money for future improvements to the arena," Whitney added.
The summer series dates in addition to this Sunday are July 23 and August 13. The next NBHA barrel race will be held August 5.
As long as the Whartmans continue hosting events they plan to continue improving the grounds and they hope to soon offer a larger range of events. Eventually they want to add ropings and clinics to their schedule. Whitney added that they are interested in doing some youth barrel racing lessons and arena rental for riding.
The arena is located at 3065 Road 83, Potter Neb., 69156. Directions- 1 mile east of Potter on Highway 30, turn North off of Highway 30 then 1/4 mile North on Road 83. Look for signs on Highway 30 at the turn to Road 83. Any one with questions or comments for any event can contact Whitney at (308) 250-1037.
