Never Been to a Rodeo? Tell Us About it and Win NILE 4-Packs

Many of my out-of-state relatives still assume that all Montanans ride horses, live on a ranch, and go to rodeos every weekend. I have to chuckle, because as you know... not everyone in Big Sky Country is into the cowboy/western lifestyle.

Never been to a rodeo? It's ok. Let's change that, for free.

You'd be surprised how many people in Billings have never been to a rodeo. I just talked to a coworker today who confessed they have never been to this Montana tradition, despite having lived here most of her life.

Come see what the Rodeo is all about at the NILE.

The NILE Pro Rodeo returns to Billings October 13 - 15 at First Interstate Arena and we'd love to send a bunch of rodeo first-timers to the Sunday, October 15, 1:30 PM show. Using the form below, tell us why you'd like to go and who you'd like to bring with you to show.

What to expect at the NILE Pro Rodeo.

The NILE understands that not everyone knows all the ins and outs of a rodeo performance. Here's a rundown of what to expect.

• Bareback Riding - The same concept as bull riding, only it's a wildly bucking horse instead of a bull.
• Steer Wrestling - This event is fun to watch, as a horse-mounted cowboy must chase down a 500+ pound running steer, jump off his horse, and get the steer to the ground. It's a timed event.
• Team Roping - In this event, two cowboys must first rope a steer, then one of them jumps off their horse and must tie up three of the animal's legs. Speed matters here; a good score happens in just six seconds or less.
• Barrel Racing - This event has become quite popular, for good reason. It's fun to watch their skills as a cowgirl races her horse through a set of barrels in the arena for the fastest time. The horses kick up dust as they power around the tight corners and are just as talented as the riders.
• Bull Riding - Surely most of you are familiar with this. We've all watched the Luke Perry, based-on-a-true-story movie 8 Seconds, right?

The NILE Pro Rodeo is family-friendly.

Rugged and rough cowboys might have a reputation for wild living and foul language, but that image is largely amplified by TV and movies. The NILE features professional cowboys and cowgirls and rodeo is absolutely a sport they take as seriously as any 9 to 5 job.

The NILE will recognize our healthcare workers and breast cancer at Friday's Pink Night, presented by InterMountain Health. The show honors our troops and other men and women in uniform on Wrangler Military Night on Saturday. Sunday's 1:30 matinee includes some of the top Montana high school rodeo teens competing alongside the pros. Find links to each of the nights at MetraPark HERE.