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Inside look at MontanaFair draft horse expo

Draft horse competition at MontanaFair
Posted at 5:18 PM, Aug 14, 2022
and last updated 2022-08-15 10:30:50-04

BILLINGS — Many competitors and their horses came to Billings for the Draft Horse Expo held at MontanaFair Saturday and Sunday.

“It’s just competition but yet it’s fun,” said competitor Jim Quade on Sunday.

Quade and his two-year-old horse, Maggie, were eager to get out to the ring. This year’s competition is their first time competing together.

“The horses themselves learn a lot from it,” Quade said.

His preparation for this event involved a lot of hard work with his two horses, but he hasn’t been training them for as long as one may think.

“I've been mowing and raking hay with the two of them about the last five weeks,” said Quade.

With the horses hooked up and ready to go, it was time for Quade to head to the competition.

And on this hot Sunday afternoon, a few spectators made their way from the rides and food trucks to watch the large horses compete.

“Well, we like horses, so we thought we’d stop by and check it out,” said Aaron Dinardi.

Like many people, Dinardi had never been to a draft horse competition.

“It was pretty cool seeing all the different horses. The mules and Clydesdale," Dinardi said.

Win or lose, Quade is just grateful he gets to work with his two horses.

“You get to trusting them, they get to trusting you and these girls will, anything you ask from them they will do,” Quade said.

Yesterdays events involved agility based activities and today was the last of the expo.