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Loess Hill Soil

Roundup's new home has dirt welcome mat

It look like we still have a problem with the understanding on the best use of Loess hill soil. Mr Berg can be contacted at 402 554 9600 greine@aksarben.org Knights of Arsarben 302 south 36 th Suit 800 Omaha, NE 68131





BY C. DAVID KOTOK


WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

The earthmovers and dump trucks roared through Omaha's convention center site Friday in a frantic effort to prepare for River City Roundup, the first public event at the city's $291 million facility.

The Mack trucks aren't hauling dirt out. They're hauling dirt in to cover the arena floor and show pens.

Sherman Berg, president of the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben Foundation, watched as the dirt from Iowa's Loess Hills was spread a foot deep on the arena floor.

"The Loess dirt has the right combination of sand and clay," Berg said.

When the 4-H horse show takes to the arena this weekend and when the rodeo comes to town next week, the consistency of the dirt will provide sure footing for the animals.

It also will guarantee a softer landing for the cowboys than the concrete floor.

The trucks spread 1,400 cubic yards of dirt on the arena floor Friday. The operation was to take six hours; it will take eight hours to remove the dirt.

Berg, along with everyone involved in River City Roundup and the Douglas County Fair, is learning his way around the new digs.

For 56 years, the rodeo was held at Ak-Sar-Ben Coliseum. The 4-H exhibits were at Ak-Sar-Ben for 75 years.

The Omaha Convention Center and Arena is proving an attraction all its own for this year's River City Roundup.

The Budweiser Clydesdales were already prancing. Purina has brought in a zebra, camel, ostriches and other exotic animals for its extensive display in the exhibition hall.

The 10-day roundup, a festival celebrating the region's agricultural heritage, opened at 11 a.m. Friday.

Among those drawn to River City Roundup for the first time is third generation rope maker Dean Rich of Gridley, Kan.

Rich makes and sells ropes, along with western wear, at all the big cowboy shows - the Houston Livestock Show, Frontier Days in Cheyenne, Wyo., and the National Western Stock Show in Denver.

Rich is betting that Omaha's new building will rope in lots of customers.

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