Junior exhibitors impress at the NILE

Billings, Mont. bustled with action Oct. 10-18 as hundreds of livestock producers, youth exhibitors and rodeo athletes from across the U.S. and Canada gathered together for the Northern International Livestock Exposition (NILE) stock show and rodeo.

Over the course of seven action-packed days – featuring livestock shows, horse competitions and rodeo events – judges evaluated top-tier junior market and breeding classes of beef, hogs, lambs and goats. 

Amidst the tough competition, a few exhibitors from Wyoming showcased some of their finest animals, walking away with top honors and proving the Cowboy State’s excellence in producing quality stock. 

Beef show results 

In the Junior Fed Market Steer Show, Quentin Harwood of Geyser, Mont. earned grand champion honors, while Layton Mrnak of Bowman, N.D. celebrated a reserve champion win.

During the NILE Merit Heifer Show, a heifer exhibited by Dani Hess of Park City, Mont. and donated by Bar Star Cattle of Musselshell, Mont. earned grand champion honors, while the Reserve Champion NILE Merit Heifer was shown by Maeve Korthuis of Sprague, Wash. and donated by 3C Cattle Company of Stevensville, Mont. 

Swine show results 

Wyoming’s own Riley West of Cheyenne represented the Cowboy State well, earning top honors with the Grand Champion Market Hog during the NILE Junior Fed Market Swine Show. Natalie DelCamp of Worden, Mont. followed in reserve.

Fellow Montana exhibitors finished at the top of the leaderboard in the breeding show.

Leighton Broksle of Whitehall, Mont. exhibited the Supreme Breeding Gilt, while the Reserve Supreme Breeding Gilt was shown by Spencer Braaten of Townsend, Mont. 

Lamb show results

Exhibitors from across the U.S. went head-to-head in the Junior Fed Market Lamb Show Final Drive. 

Ultimately, Eli Meador of Ault, Colo. came out on top, exhibiting the Grand Champion Market Lamb, followed by Hayley Byrd of Akron, Iowa with the Reserve Champion Market Lamb.

The Supreme Breeding Ewe was exhibited by Dalli Horrocks of Vernal, Utah, and the Reserve Supreme Breeding Ewe was shown by Cabrey Cooper of Burley, Idaho.

Goat show results 

In the NILE Junior Fed Market Goat Show, Taygan Johnson of Benjamin, Utah took home honors with the Grand Champion Market Goat, while Leyton Leister of Goodyear, Ariz. had the Reserve Champion Market Goat. 

Ella Hiller of Sheridan brought elite honors back home to the Cowboy State, exhibiting the Supreme Breeding Doe. Honors for the Reserve Supreme Breeding Doe stayed in Montana with Zane Downey of Whitehall, Mont.

Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.