In the easternmost part of Frankfort, just past the industrial park on Duncan Road, sits a picturesque 77-acre horse farm. A large tobacco barn sits on the front of the property and behind it are rolling hills of pasture where a variety of breeds of horses graze alongside a herd of donkeys and mules who are used to help train the horses.
On the back of the property, hidden from view of the road, is a 100,000-square-foot indoor horse arena called Lakeside Arena, which thousands of horse enthusiasts visit each year to participate in a variety of horse shows including Saddlebred, Hunter Jumper, Quarter Horse show, Reining and more.
The one in charge of running it all is Bruce Brown, owner of Lakeside Arena.
Bruce and his wife, Connie, bought the farm in 1998 with the intention of building an indoor horse arena. The idea for the business stemmed from taking their daughters all over the country to compete in horse shows. When they competed in horse shows outdoors, if the weather was bad people would leave.
In the area, the closest affordable indoor arena was in Wilmington, Indiana, or Cloverdale, Ohio.
“There was no indoor facility dedicated to horses,” Bruce said about the horse arenas available in the area. Most are outdoors. The indoor horse arenas in the area were too big for small horse clubs and too expensive.
Bruce also serves as a judge for the American Quarter Horse Association and has traveled all over the U.S. and to Canada and Europe to judge.
“I would see all of these nice facilities and was frustrated that we didn’t have that here,” Bruce said. “We saw that as a possibility for this farm and that’s what it has become.”
Bruce first built a 56,000-square-foot facility that he operated for about five years before convincing the bank that his business plan was working, and in 2003, they began construction on the addition of the second arena, which was 47,000 square feet. The arena is a total of 103,000 square feet.
The arena operates under all weather conditions. There is a 5,000 BTU heater in each arena for the cold months. During the summer, doors open along the sides of the building which provides a cross breeze with the help of a Big Ass fan.
“We’re weather-independent,” Bruce said. “We had a show in January with 160 entries each day. People were clamoring to get out of their barns to ride. They got here and stayed all weekend.”
There are 176 stalls in the arena. Another 60 stalls can be set up if needed.
“During the summer, the reining horse show sells out of stalls,” Bruce said. “I think they had 226 stalls.”
Each stall area has a wash rack and access to water. Bruce and his team also provide shavings for bedding in the stalls.
Bruce accommodates the humans accompanying the horses as well. On the property are 60 campsites with hookups to city water and electricity.
“People have living quarters in their horse trailers or they rent campers or bring a camper,” Bruce said.
With the two arenas, Lakeside Arena can host two horse shows at one time, or one show may take up both arenas — warming up in one arena and showing in the other.
The arena also has a show office that is heated and air-conditioned and a concession area.
“This is the only arena of this size in, easily, a 100-mile radius,” Bruce said. “It was needed in this area.”
In 2024, Bruce stayed booked all year round.
“Last year, I had 38 horse shows,” he said.
History with horses
Bruce and Connie both grew up in the horse industry in Ohio. Bruce grew up on reigning horses. They attended The Ohio State University — Connie received a veterinarian degree while Bruce received a bachelor’s degree in agriculture and a master’s degree in science education.
In 1980, they moved to Central Kentucky and worked at Ashford Stud (then called Lockridge Farm) in Woodford County.
“They needed a farm manager … Connie did vet work,” he said.
They bought a small farm where they bred and boarded horses. In 1984, they left Ashford Stud and pursued their own farm full-time.
“We became a boarding farm for thoroughbreds,” he said.
Now, Bruce mainly operates the Lakeside Arena and farm, while Connie operates the farm at their house, where she still breeds and boards horses.
Bruce and Connie have three daughters, all who showed horses. They now have a couple of grandchildren who show. They were a part of the Mid-East Quarter Horse Association.
“They won a lot of national events,” Bruce said.
On their personal farm, there are mainly quarter horses but there are some thoroughbreds as well.
“We have a background of breaking and training quarter horses, which later expanded to thoroughbreds,” he said.
He said over the years, they did have a few horses that they raced at Keeneland, but now, if they have thoroughbreds, they will sell them at the Keeneland fall sale.
“We dabbled in racing, but we don’t anymore,” Bruce said. “Racing is expensive.”
At the Lakeside Arena farm, Bruce has a couple of pregnant mares, a yearling that he broke for a woman in Chicago and his daughters’ retired show horses.
“I have several foals that we’ll get started showing and then sell them,” he said. “We also get a lot of ex-racehorses here. If they can’t race, we try to find new owners for them.
He said he works with Retired Racehorse Project, which helps horses find new homes or careers.
“Thoroughbreds make good jumper horses,” he said.
Also on the property are horses that are being transported by LightStar Horse Transportation.
“We’re like a Greyhound station for horses,” he said. “We care for them until their next carrier gets here. We’re just a hub.”
Bruce said he’d love to see more people from Frankfort come out and watch the shows, which are open to the public free of charge.
“If they enjoy horses, this would be a good place for them to come,” he said. “If they enjoy animals, then they would enjoy people competing.”
Coming up there will be an Arabian horse show May 9-11 and a Hunter Jumper show May 24-25. Shows typically run from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. For a full schedule and more information, visit lakesidearena.org.
