FLICKERWOOD ARENA OFFERS FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT

In a time when families have little time to spend together and when movies, television and music are filled with violence and sex, Mark Boardman and Flickerwood Arena have an alternative to offer.

Flickerwood Arena, located just north of Fruitland, offers full weekends of fun for families from 10 states or more.

"It's a place for a family to go and spend time with the kids for an entire day or a weekend," Boardman said. "They're able to be together and share a common interest."

Flickerwood Arena, which opened in 1994, is open year-round and is booked nearly every weekend during the fall, winter and early spring months. The indoor arena offers climate-controlled rodeos, horse shows and other entertainment throughout the year. The arena, which has stalls for up to 300 horses, is also open for practice nights during the week.

According to Boardman, competitors came from 10 states for a recent antique tractor pull. Other events also draw from large areas, such as the Flickerwood Youth Rodeo Finals this weekend.

Many events are geared at youth, such as the FFA District Horse Judging this Friday, the Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee High School Rodeo, April 15-16 and the FFA-4H Prospect Show August 5.

Boardman, who has had horses and cattle since age 10, feels the events are important for the development of the young competitors.

"It helps kids develop a sense of responsibility and a respect for rules and for authority," he said. "They have to learn to be punctual. When they call your name, you have to be there and be ready."

Boardman noted that a dress code is also enforced, as well as good behavior.

"Bad attitudes are left out on the highway," he said. "That's something that doesn't go here. Our motto is We can't make you a winner, but we can try to help you have fun.'"

Such events as "Farm Days" for third graders and "Equine Days" for area sixth graders also draw large crowds of eager youngsters to the huge arena.

Of course much of the action at Flickerwood involves adult competitors. The Winter Team Roping Series will be held the first weekend in April, with the NABA Bull Blow-out (and its $2,000 prize money) April 7-8. Events such as Sthe troup Anniversary Roping, National Barrel Horse Association (NBHA) State Championships and much more are held at Flickerwood. So is the Bureau of Land Management's Wild Mustang and Burro Adoption event, July 8-9.

Mark and Donna Boardman, along with their sons, Kadin and Cimarron, began Flickerwood Farms, Inc., in 1983, with a purebred and commercial cattle and hay operation. The business grew to include a livestock shaving operation, a feed and trucking business. In 1994 the arena was built. It has been in heavy demand ever since.

"We're the only place like this between St. Louis and Memphis," Boardman said. "We attract people from a six-state area, typically. The arena works well with Flickerwood Farms because of the products we carry. We have good access to I-55 and the surrounding communities have motels and restaurants. That makes it feasible for a large number of people to come to town and be accommodated and use the arena."

Boardman is not surprised at the continued growth in popularity of horses as pets and for recreational and competitive use.

"A horse is different from a race car or a boat or a motorcycle," he said. "A horse is alive. A horse is a companion. People feel a relationship between them and a horse that is difficult to feel with your car."