Traditions to continue at Gordyville

GIFFORD, Ill. — Gordyville USA has been a destination for countless of visitors for horse shows, flea markets, charity fundraisers, craft shows, auctions, rodeos, the annual Midwest Ag Expo and other events since 1988.

Ownership of the 160,000-square-foot indoor event space and adjacent grounds on the 31.1-acre property near Gifford recently changed hands, but the name and events will continue.

The property has been owned and operated by the Hannagan family and was sold in May to a group of four out-of-state investors.

The center was owned by siblings Jim Hannagan, Jody Quiram, Mary Hannagan and Eddie Hannagan, and Randy Frerichs and Hillary Hannagan, spouses of two of the deceased Hannagan children, Patty Frerichs and Buddy Hannagan.

Gordyville USA was the vision and namesake of Gordon Hannagan, who founded his auction business in 1952.

Hannagan and his wife, Jan, purchased the property in 1986 to be used as an equine and auction showplace. After two years of renovations, the facility hosted its first event in 1988.

Hannagan passed away in 2012 and his wife died in 2020.

After the sale was finalized, the Hannagan family posted the following message on Facebook: “For 37 remarkable years, Gordyville USA has been our pride and joy — a place where dreams were realized, friendships flourished, and memories were etched into the fabric of our lives. From its inception in 1988 by our visionary father, Gordy Hannagan, Gordyville has evolved into a thriving hub of events, welcoming guests from all walks of life.

“Today, we share a mix of emotions as we announce the sale of Gordyville USA. This decision was not made lightly, but we are filled with gratitude for the journey we’ve shared and the countless moments of joy and celebration. We extend our heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you who has supported us over the years. Your unwavering loyalty and enthusiasm have been the driving force behind Gordyville’s success. We are immensely proud of the milestones we’ve achieved together, from the initial expansion to the diverse range of events that have graced our venue.

“As we pass the torch to the new owners, we look forward to witnessing the next chapter of Gordyville USA unfold. We are confident that they will build upon the foundation we’ve laid, infusing new energy and ideas into this beloved event center. To our loyal patrons, dedicated staff, and the entire community, thank you for being part of our story. Your contributions have left an indelible mark on Gordyville, and for that, we are forever grateful.”

‘A Good Time To Sell’

“I lost my brother, Bud, first and then my sister, Patty, went second, but all six of us kids were owners. We owned it together, so that’s the way we sold it. I’m the youngest out of six. Everybody is getting up in age and it is a lot of work. Some of them wanted to retire, so we just thought is was a good time to sell it,” Jim Hannagan told AgriNews.

“We’re happy for all the good customers and all the good people who came to see us at Gordyville. We couldn’t have done it without the community and everybody that came there and bought stuff and sold stuff, showed horses, ate and drank in the bar and the concession stands. We couldn’t have done it without them.”

“Our vision is to maintain and elevate Gordyville USA as a premier event center with continued support and enjoyment from the local communities for years to come,” the buyers said in a statement.

“I’m sure they keep all the events that do well. They have ideas for things themselves, too, and so I’m sure they’re going to keep the ones that make good money and probably shuffle around some that don’t and get some new stuff in there,” said Hannagan to AgriNews.

“It will remain an event center which we were all happy with that. They wanted to keep it Gordyville, so we let them do that, too. They wanted to keep it in my dad’s name, Gordyville USA.”