GRAND ISLAND, Neb. — The barns at Fonner Park have been full, the crews have been busy and Andrea Peachey has had little time to ease into her new role.
Peachey is executive director of GI Expo Events and Livestock, the new entity within Fonner Park’s structure that oversees events, livestock shows and facility operations on the Grand Island campus. The organization officially launched this spring with the goal of strengthening Fonner Park’s livestock and events foundation while creating room for new growth.
That work has been on full display during a summer stretch that has brought national livestock events to town in rapid succession. After hosting the American Boer Goat Association National Show, the campus shifted into a run of junior national cattle shows, including the Maine-Anjou and Chianina shows, the American Gelbvieh Junior Association Junior Classic and the American Junior Simmental Association event.
“It’s been a really fun summer,” Peachey said. “We just finished our second show and we’re getting ready to kick off our third one. It’s been busy, but it’s been good.”
GI Expo arrives as Fonner Park continues to lean into its reputation as a national livestock destination. The campus offers 240 acres, more than 500,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor event space and facilities built to handle livestock shows, trade events, concerts, conferences and community gatherings.
For visiting exhibitors and families, Peachey said the Grand Island stop often becomes more than a show. Families spend days in town, filling hotels and restaurants while looking for things to do between classes, contests and time in the barns.
“The barns have been busy, people have been shopping, they’ve been out and about on the town,” Peachey said. “It’s been a really good couple of weeks. It’s great to see that people are out here and enjoying themselves and having a little fun in the summer here.”
The draw is partly location and partly familiarity. Fonner Park sits just off Interstate 80, and Peachey said many associations return because they know the barns, the tie-outs, the wash racks, the electrical service and the support team behind the scenes.
“A lot of people like to return here because they know what they’re getting,” Peachey said. “They know that we run a great facility here and that the people here are good.”
Keeping that reputation requires quick turnarounds. Moving from one major show to another means cleaning, resetting and preparing barns and arenas so the next association can move in without losing momentum.
“It’s a lot of labor. It’s a lot of hours,” Peachey said. “But I have a fantastic team, and we bring in some outside people to help us make it happen.”
Peachey said GI Expo’s work includes overseeing events and livestock shows across the campus, supporting existing events and looking for new opportunities that fit the facilities.
“I’m kind of overseeing all the events and livestock shows that happen on the campus and seeing what we can bring in that’s new and continue improving what we already have,” she said.
That planning happens years ahead. Peachey said the calendar is often built three to five years out, especially for national breed events that need large facilities and reliable logistics.
“We look out on my calendar three to five years out and see what we can make work and how we can get them to fit into the calendar,” she said.
While cattle shows are a cornerstone, Peachey said the campus can support a wider range of livestock and event uses. The recent goat show underscored that flexibility, and GI Expo is evaluating what else could be added in the years ahead.
“We can really make any species work just depending on what they’re wanting, how many head they can stall,” she said. “We’re excited to be able to bring in some maybe new things in the next couple of years and see how we can expand our calendar.”
Peachey also pointed to partnerships on the Fonner Park campus, including work with the Nebraska State Fair, as part of what helps large events run smoothly. She said the campus’ established reputation gives GI Expo a strong foundation as it looks to build.
“People know Fonner Park campus is a great campus,” Peachey said. “There are great partnerships that are happening on the campus, and we’re all really building a fantastic team here.”
For Peachey, the long hours and quick turnarounds are worth it when exhibitors leave Grand Island with a positive experience.
“That’s really the best part, seeing the hard work and everything that goes into the shows for these kids,” she said. “It’s just so rewarding to know that they’ve really poured their heart and soul into it.”