Ground was broken today to begin construction of the new Judge William P. Clark Livestock Center at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. The 38,000 sq. ft. center will replace the old structures, which were damaged by years of salt sea air.

Livestock exhibitor Jenna Kelton of Oxnard, whose steer was 4H Reserve Champion at the 2011 Ventura County Fair spoke about her 6 years of experiences showing livestock at the Ventura County Fair and how she looks forward to the new facility. Also speaking to the crowd were congressman Elton Gallegly, Board President Jan Berk and Fairgrounds CEO Barbara Quaid.

Eight gold shovels were used to ceremoniously scoop up the first soil on the project. Manning the shovels were Fair Board President Jan Berk, Vice President Leslie Cornejo with Directors Kimble Ouerbacher, Ginger Gherardi, Michael Bradbury, Mike Montoya, Armando Lopez and Pat Askay.

The new Livestock center, named the Judge William P. Clark Livestock Center, at 38,000 sq. ft. will accommodate approximately 500 animals during the Ventura County Fair.

The activities of the Ventura County Fairgrounds and its annual Fair are rooted in the traditions of farming and agriculture.

The Livestock Center will be used for the annual Ventura County Fair Jr. Livestock Program and for Livestock shows throughout the year. It will also serve as an evacuation center for animals during times of natural disaster.

The Livestock Center offers the opportunities to Ventura County youth in 4H, FFA and Grange programs to exhibit the fruits of their labors as they show the animals they have raised and auction them as a part of their year long educational agriculture programs.

The Livestock area is a place where Ventura County residents come to observe farm animals, some for the first time, and to ask questions and learn first hand about the raising and care of those animals

The Livestock area serves as the Ventura County Animal Regulation evacuation center during times of natural disaster. Privately owned horses, goats, pigs sheep steer and poultry are safely housed and cared for.

The new livestock center was dedicated to Ventura County’s livestock community in the name of Judge William P. Clark, a great cattleman and rancher, whose family was among the pioneers who built Ventura County.