Gold Buckle winners shine at the 2024 NILE

In 1966, discussions began about hosting an event to showcase the region’s vast livestock industry, and by the fall of 1968, the first Northern International Livestock Exposition (NILE) showcased livestock and horse shows, a rodeo, multiple exhibitors and hundreds of entries. 

Those traditions continued on at the 2024 NILE Stock Show and Pro Rodeo, held in Billings, Mont. on Oct. 11-19, where exhibitors and visitors gathered to celebrate one of the largest agricultural events of the Northwest.

This year, the NILE was once again recognized by the American Quarter Horse Association for its Ranch Horse Versatility and Heritage Show. 

As this program continues to expand, it provides an excellent competition for horses and equestrians to showcase their abilities

Gold Buckle Futurity

According to the NILE website, each horse purchased through the NILE Gold Buckle Select Horse Sale or sired by a participating stallion is eligible to compete in the Gold Buckle Futurity.

Gold Buckle Futurity entrants can show horses ranging from weanlings to an aged horse and are split into two main events – ranch horse or barrel racing.

“Weanlings are shown strictly in halter and are judged on ranch conformation, including a positive combination of balance, structural correctness and movement for appropriate breed and sex characteristics and adequate muscling,” reads the NILE website.

This year’s Gold Buckle Weanling Ranch Horse Futurity class winner was Joe Hawkins of Ballantine, Mont. with Scandalouslystruttin.

Hawkins first-place red dun stallion comes from a long line of horses who are versatile, smart, athletic and easily trained. 

Ward Fenton of Worden, Mont. took home second-place honors with a stunning bay stallion called Call Six Guns, a fantastic rope horse prospect.

Fenton also took home a third-place win with A Montana Cat, a sorrel mare with a pedigree going back to Doc Bar.

In the Gold Buckle Yearling Futurity Ranch Horse class, horses are shown on the ground in a round pen and judged on ranch conformation and in a timed exhibition testing the horse’s movement, training and manners.

This year, Tyrell Bucklund of Frenchtown, Mont. secured first- and second-place honors in the yearling class.

A stallion, One Royal Fancy Step, took home the first-place buckle, while Lady Smokin Tanqueray earned Buckland a second-place win.

Landing in third place was Will Lyons of Billings, Mont. with a Quarter Horse named TDM Stormy Boon. 

More Gold Buckle winners

In the two-year-old ranch horse class, exhibitors compete in a reining and trail course, which may include trotting over poles, a bridge or through a gate and can demonstrate loping in both directions.

This year’s 2024 NILE Gold Buckle Ranch Horse Futurity winner in the two-year-old class was Steve Bond of Worden, Mont. with Genuine GT.

Following Bond was Dean Sanford of Helena, Mont. on Playguns Pistol Pep in second place, and rounding out the top three was Hannah Goffena of Roundup, Mont. on One Smart Sign.

In the three-year-old class, teams are able to compete in a Limited Working Ranch Horse event, which consists of a box-drive style cow horse class.

Securing a first-place finish in the three-year-old futurity class was Paul Van Dyke of Sheridan on TDM Playboys Driftin.

Quinn Larsen of Deaver slid into second place on Heavens Mark, while Aspen Larmer of Molt, Mont. landed in third place on Pretty Smooth Mate.

Lastly, in the four- and five-year-old and up class, competitors have the option to continue showing in Limited Working Ranch Horse or advance to the Working Ranch Horse class, which consists of a reigning pattern, box work and fence work.

Crystal Andersen of Mountain View, the 2023 NILE winner in the three-year-old ranch horse futurity class, took home first-place honors in the four-year-old futurity category, with the same American Paint horse, a bay tobiano stallion named Paddys Hydrive.

Landing in second place was Faith Stevenson of Hobson, Mont. who also competed in the 2023 NILE with the same Quarter Horse Montana Kat. Goffman and Sheas Fancy Barbie earned another spot in the winner’s circle, securing third place.

Larsen earned another Gold Buckle with top honors in the five-year-old futurity class, winning the event with Smooth Sixtys CD.

Josh Bilbrey of Scobey, Mont. landed in second place on A Montana Frenchman and Kiarra Kennedy of Roundup, Mont. rounded out the top three on Haida RJ.

The winning continues

The Gold Buckle Incentive Barrel Racing consists of three divisions – futurity, derby and maturity – and Amy Vogel of Billings, Mont. won the Gold Buckle Barrel Futurity class on PDS Famous Whiskey.

In the Gold Buckle Barrel Derby class, Joelene Gould of Meridian, Idaho secured first place on JG Eye Opening Lena, and Jamie Riley Zingg of Hardin, Mont. secured second place with JRS Cruisin To A Win. Katie Kading of Billings, Mont. landed in third place on StreakinTaThePardi.

Ending the NILE horse event winners list was Chad Wiltfang of Rosebud, Mont., the lucky 2024 NILE filly raffle winner.

The 2024 NILE raffle filly was Rawhides Rez, donated by Nate and TJ Wald of Wald Ranch near Lodge Grass, Mont. 

Each year the NILE sells tickets for a chance to win a top-notch horse donated by an established ranch and the ticket sales support NILE youth programs.

These horses are some of the best in Montana and surrounding states, and the drawing took place during the NILE Gold Buckle Select Horse Sale.

Melissa Anderson is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.