BILLINGS — People packed into the fairgrounds at MetraPark in Billings about the weekend to get in the sights, appears, smells and tastes of MontanaFair.
But off to the facet of the hustle and bustle of the midway carnival rides, folks could just take matters at a slower speed and witness a parade of gorgeous draft horses on Saturday and Sunday.
MTN News / Mitch Lagge
The team of 7 horse teams, wagons and riders was brought alongside one another by Melody Bilden, a member of the Montana Draft Horse and Mule Affiliation. With a speedy three months of preparation, she managed to get the group jointly to strut their stuff at the truthful.
“A whole lot of us are retired and this is our pricey hobby, but we love the horses. We put them to good use executing this, offering rides. Pretty much just about every a single of the teams here has carried out farming, we have completed logging and parades. Everyone in this article has carried out parades with their horses. So we just genuinely love doing items like that with the horses,” Bilden stated.
MTN Information / Mitch Lagge
Individuals came from as considerably absent as Virginia Metropolis, Lewistown and Clark, Wyoming to ride all through the 4 parades held above the weekend.
Bilden said draft horses were being properly made use of on family farms in the earlier. The breed is typically larger and much better than other horses with a calm temperament to make for a lot easier handling with daily chores.
“The draft horses were being utilised, most persons know, for farming in the previous days and they preferred some thing that they could farm with through the week and then ride to church on Sunday. You can find smaller sized drafts, but a draft horse in alone is a horse that can farm and plow and be a spouse and children horse at the similar time,” Bilden explained.
MTN Information / Mitch Lagge
But horse work on the farm or ranch absolutely just isn’t a point of the past. Several ranchers still go on horseback to go their livestock. Bilden mentioned her partner however frequently mows the grass together Highway 87 near their house south of Roundup with a horse-powered mower.
Jim stated he prefers the horse for a work like mowing simply because it is really cheaper than a fuel-powered mower and you don’t have the motor consistently blaring away in your ear.
“Well, it is a large amount more affordable. (Horses) give off fuel as an alternative of using it. So that’s generally a furthermore,” Jim claimed with a giggle.
Alongside with the foods, rides and other enjoyment within the admission gates, some star-studded musical acts drew massive crowds to To start with Interstate Arena in excess of MontanaFair opening weekend.
Pop singer, Kesha, and her stage show introduced about 5,500 people today to the arena on Friday evening.
MTN Information / Casey Conlon
On Saturday, country star Cody Johnson and his band brought about 5,300 people to the arena.
Images: Place STAR CODY JOHNSON HEADLINES Second Evening OF MONTANAFAIR
MTN News / Mitch Lagge
To find out additional about MontanaFair and its forthcoming entertainment, visit its web site by clicking right here.