At the moment, the seats are old wooden terraces but the money will enable the purchase of a steel structure for the venue which is used for camp draft and dog trials.

Northern Tablelands MP, Adam Marshall, said: “This funding will be used to construct new portable grandstand seating for the grounds, which will replace some very old tiered seating that had to be pulled apart and packed away after events”.

“And importantly the new grandstands will increase the seating capacity from about 100 people to around 2,200 and that’s a huge bonus for the (Glencoe Sport and Recreation Reserve) Trust to attract more people and more events.”

Trust chairman, Paul Macrae, described the funding as a big boost, allowing them to get rid of the out-dated five-tier structures that were a problem and a safety issue, especially for youngsters.

“The new seating will two-tiered and there are ten banks each eight metres long”.

“It will be made of cattle rail on a steel frame, they are very strong and being made by Jurd Steel at Warialda who have a reputation for big showground seating. Because they’re made of galvanized steel, there’ll be no need for painting or maintenance”.

Mr Marshall said the new seating was the latest project for the Trust which in recent years had undertaken an impressive schedule of ground improvements, including new steel fencing for the arena and pens, forming the centerpiece of the reserve and used for horse sports, dog trials and rodeos”.