Logan County eyes fair rodeo contract, purchasing policy change

Logan County commissioners took up two items on May 19 that could shape both the summer fairgrounds experience and how county money moves through departments: a service agreement for the Extreme Bull Riding performance at the 2026 Logan County Fair and an amendment to the county’s purchasing policy.

The commissioners’ 9:30 a.m. agenda included consideration of an agreement between Logan County Fair and Rodeo, acting through the Board of County Commissioners, and Josh Frihauf, who would produce, manage and supply arena and rodeo stock for the bull riding event. For fairgoers, that means the county was already lining up the livestock and event operations behind one of the fair’s biggest draws, a performance that depends on tight scheduling, arena setup and stock handling as much as it does on the riders themselves.

The Extreme Bull Riding is scheduled for July 28, 2026, at 7 p.m. and is sponsored by NextEra Energy. Tickets were set to go on sale March 27, 2026, at 5:30 p.m., as the fair itself runs July 23 through August 2. With the Mitchek Event Center completed in the summer of 2024, the fairgrounds have a newer indoor venue in the mix, but the bull riding still remains one of the marquee events tied to the county’s larger summer calendar.

The same agenda also referenced an amendment to the Logan County Purchasing Policy and Procedures for the purchase of capital assets, equipment and supplies by all departments. That matters beyond the courthouse because it governs how public dollars are spent on everything from equipment to larger purchases. Logan County’s July 1, 2025 purchasing policy requires formal bids for purchases of $50,000 or more, so any change to the policy could affect how quickly departments buy, what oversight is required and how taxpayers see those decisions play out.

The fair board’s own recent history shows why those details matter to residents watching the ticket window and the grandstand. In a September 2025 agenda, board members noted complaints that too few VIP bull riding tickets were available to the public because some were given away as comps, and that too few box seats were open to the public because they were reserved for sponsors. The fair board, which meets at 7 p.m. on the second Thursday of every month at the Logan County Courthouse in Sterling, continues to run the fair as a closely organized operation, with roles spanning bull riding, PRCA rodeo, entertainment, sponsorships, parade and youth rodeo.