Forbes Shire Council have agreed to lease the old rodeo grounds at the Botanical Gardens to the rodeo committee as soon as the undergrowth vegetation at the site has been cleared. 

Previously the rodeo committee have held their annual event at the Forbes Showgrounds but costs for erecting and packing up the arena have been expensive.

With the new home at the gardens, the committee plan to erect a permanent arena,which president of the rodeo committee Shaun Read said will save the group money and provide a space for many community events. 

“It will be somewhere to call home,” he said. 

“When it’s set up, the arena will be something else for the town. It will be able to utilised for team penning events, barrel racing, team roping jackpots, rodeo schools, the list goes on.”

While the lease agreement is yet to be negotiated, council have said that the clearing of the vegetation will be completed as soon as it can be programmed into the schedule of works. 

Mayor Phyllis Miller said the rodeo having its own permanent site would bring great benefits to Forbes.

“Already the rodeo brings hundreds of people to town and with its own permanent site, the committee hopes to run more than one event per year,” Cr Miller said.

“A permanent site at the Botanical Gardens also puts us in good stead for a range of funding opportunities and we will be working with all of the users of the Botanical Gardens to make this multi-use facility even better.”