A rodeo that has quickly become a Shenandoah County draw won a step toward expansion Thursday, but not without a fight over whether its operator can be trusted to follow county rules.

By a 4–3 vote, the Planning Commission recommended approval of a new permit allowing Tumbling Run Ranch & Rodeo Company to host up to 12 events a year on Battlefield Road west of Strasburg, including two shows with as many as 1,500 people. The proposal now heads to the Shenandoah County Board of Supervisors.

At issue was not only traffic and safety on the narrow rural road, but whether owner Mike Foster has been forthright about attendance.

The 2023 special use permit capped crowds at 500, yet Foster acknowledged Thursday he has sold about 1,000 tickets for each of the rodeo’s first three events.

Foster a

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