Big Sky Blog

Tomorrow is the start of NILE STOCK SHOW, RODEO & HORSE EXTRAVAGANZA in Billings.

NILE is best known for the annual NILE Stock Show and ProRodeo in October, featuring livestock shows and sales, a commercial trade show, an indoor rodeo, the Horse Extravaganza, entertainment and social events, and a variety of educational activities for youth and adults. The NILE is the only rodeo in Billings to be endorsed by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and is the largest rodeo in Montana and the circuit, with over 400 contestant entries and a purse of over $100,000.

NILE, Northern International Livestock Exposition, is a non-profit organization based in Billings whose function is to promote agriculture, livestock production, and helping young people understand and explore agriculture opportunities. The NILE offers many scholarship opportunities for young people with its direct scholarships and live-animal scholarships called the Merit Heifer Program.

The Horse Extravaganza is only in its second year but was a real draw for the NILE last year. It comprises educational clinics, gearmaker’s gallery, stallion displays, horse sales among its items. The big clinic this year is world famous Van Hargis who will use his innovate training methods to start the filly Rock’s Queen. Later before the NILE Gold Buckle Performance Horse Sale the filly will be raffled off and the winner can either keep the horse or sell it in the sale and pocket the proceeds.

Overall the NILE is full of activities for young and old and with the exception of the Rodeo all events are free to the public. Come show your support for agriculture and visit the NILE and enjoy yourself.

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PS. For those who know me the picture of the heifer at the bottom right of the scholarship page holds special significance.