KALISPELL — It’s not just live music, rides and food that attracts people to the Northwest Montana Fair and Rodeo in Kalispell.
Livestock of all shapes and sizes will be showcased throughout the week.
The fun has officially started at the Northwest Montana Fair and Rodeo in Kalispell with 4-H and FFA livestock competitions underway.
“Because you can get out there and work your hog and show what you worked so hard for,” Glacier View 4-H Particpant Oliva Druivestein said.
Eleven-year-old Olivia Druivestein from Columbia Falls took home Grand Champion honors in both the Market Hog and Showmanship competitions.
“And so market is all about the pig, how it looks the best, so it’s structure, it’s bone and how it can support itself," Druivestein said.
Olivia’s mom, Evon, said her daughter trains for hours each day at their family farm in Columbia Falls.
“I’m pretty proud of her, she puts a lot of time and energy and effort into it, and she deserves it," Evon said.
It’ not just hogs, but cows, goats and other animals showcased in competition.
Eighteen-year-old Paige Morrison of Kalispell is a fourth-generation sheep breeder.
“So it just runs through my family, and I’ve always enjoyed sheep, it just connects with me, and I’ve done it since I was little, since like 4-year-old and it’s always been fun for me, just connects,” Morrision said.
Seventeen-year-old Brynnlea Toren of Kalispell has a special connection with her 5-year-old goat Nala.
“So I helped deliver her as a baby and then named her and helped grow her up," Toren said.
She added that there’s nothing better than competing with Nala by her side.
“When I get to show in the ring I feel like it really helps bring out my competition character with her and she’s a lot of fun. I really like getting to work with them over the years, and like she’s a mom and so I get to help deliver her babies and so that’s always a really cool process, I just love working with goats," she said
Various livestock competitions run through the week in the Trade Center Building at the fairgrounds.
More information can be found here.
