Big Sky Draft Horse Expo at Powell / Tri-County Fairgrounds in Deer Lodge

The Big Sky Draft Horse Expo has been the One and Only Draft Horse Show in Montana for the past three decades. The draft horse show provides a family-friendly event that offers education, cultural history, and fun for all ages with a small-town atmosphere. Feel firsthand the immense horsepower of these gentle giants when they pass in front of the grandstand. The Big Sky Draft Horse Expo offers the beauty, grandeur, and sheer power of today’s draft horses.

The Expo’s goal is to educate the general public about draft horses, mules, and related equipment while entertaining the whole family. Several different breeds of magnificent draft horses and mules will be competing in classes during the three-day show. However, this show is not just about the competitions, it is about teamwork. Many of the participants are families who have owned and shown these draft animals for several generations. These families know what hard work is. Grandparents, parents, kids, and grandkids are up early getting their horses and mules ready for the show or work. This is a year-round endeavor.

This exciting weekend boasts Show Hitch Classes including Cart Class, Unicorn, Unicorn, Four, Six Horse Confirmation Classes, and several other classes open to the Show Hitches. There are also classes for those competitors who don’t own Show Hitches. This group is called the Open Class and these folks compete in working horse and driver classes; classes that feature skills such as log skidding, precision, and obstacle driving. There are even some classes that are based on SPEED! Also included in the show are classes for youngsters who are just getting started in this almost forgotten skill.

Expo encourages our audiences to get involved. On Saturday Draft Horse 101 will be presented in front of the Grandstand. This is an opportunity to learn about draft horses, harnessing, and some of the equipment used in driving horses. There will be lots of time for questions. During the show, there will be a time for kids to come down from the Grandstand and participate in a boot race or in stick horse barrel racing. Everyone is encouraged to visit the barns to meet the horses and their people. Bathing a one-ton animal is not nearly as easy as giving a bath to your dog. Harnesses are cleaned, manes and tails are braided, wagons and carts polished up. There is always something going on. This is where the public really gets an inside view of the devotion, hard work, and love these families have for their animals. It is absolutely wonderful to watch the youngest and the oldest working together, no electronics, no “screens” just people and animals!!!

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS JUNE 26-28, 2026 (Subject to Change)

FRIDAY JUNE 26 – 1ST PERFORMANCE
8:00 am National Anthem with Drill Team
8:15 am 1 Obstacle Course -OPEN & MASTER TEAMSTER Run at same time as skidding
8:30 am 2 Log Skidding – OPEN & MASTER TEAMSTER
10:00 am 3 Team – HITCH DIVISION “A
10:20 am 4 Tandem Cart – OPEN
10:40 am 5 Youth Team – OPEN & HITCH
6 – 12 YO – owners may use either their wagon or Assoc. Wagon
– two age groups run at same time.
6 Youth Team – OPEN & HITCH
13 – 18 YO – owners may use either their wagon or Assoc. Wagon
– two age groups run at same time.
11:15 am DRAFT HORSE 101
12:00 pm Noon Performance Ends

BREAK

FRIDAY, JUNE 26 – 2ND PERFORMANCE
6:00 pm National Anthem and Presentation of Colors by The Ramblin’ Roses Drill Team
– Hall of Fame Awards
6:20 pm 7 Feed Team Race – OPEN – Run 2 teams at a time
6:50 pm Kids’ Stick Horse Race
sponsored by Eagle Rock Belgians, 9 N Belgians & Clark Family Orchards
7:00 pm 8 Classic Six Horse Conformation -HITCH – ALL
7:40 pm 9 Mule & Horse Street Class – OPEN & MASTER TEAMSTER (2 Heats)
8:20 pm 10 Unicorn HITCH DIVISION “B”
8:40 pm 11 Antique/Unique
9:00 pm Performance Ends

SATURDAY, JUNE 27 – 1ST PERFORMANCE
8:00 am National Anthem
8:15 am 12 4-Up Obstacle Driving – OPEN & MASTER TEAMSTER
9:00 am 13 Classic Cart – HITCH (2 Heats)
9:40 am 14 4 A am breast – OPEN
10:00 am 15 Classic Youth Cart -HITCH ( 2 Heats)
10:30 am 16 Bean Bag Toss – OPEN
10:50 am Kids’ Stick Horse Race
Sponsored by Eagle Rock Belgians, 9 N Belgians & Clark Family Orchards
11:00 am 17 Gambler’s Choice – OPEN
11:40 am 18 Draft Horse Barrel Race – OPEN & HITCH (Open to all breeds – saddles or bareback)
12:00 pm Noon – Performance Ends

BREAK

1:00 pm Horse Drawn Water Wagon & Grader Demos
Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site Visitors’ Center

SATURDAY, JUNE 27 – 2ND PERFORMANCE
6:00 pm GRAND ENTRY – National Anthem
and Presentation of Colors by The Ramblin’ Roses Drill Team
– Big Sky Awards

6:20 pm 19 Canadian Maze 1 – OPEN & MASTER TEAMSTER
6:40 pm 20 Canadian Maze 2 – OPEN
7:00 pm 21 Classic Six Horse Conformation-HITCH -ALL
7:40 pm 22 Pleasure Cart – OPEN (2 Heats)
8:10 pm Kids Stick Horse Race
Sponsored by Eagle Rock Belgians, 9 N Belgians & Clark Family Orchards
8:20 pm 23 4-Up Conformation – Hitch Group A
8:40 pm 24 Ladies’s Cart – HITCH DIVISION “ B”
9:00 pm PERFORMANCE ENDS

SUNDAY, JUNE 29 – FOURTH PERFORMANCE
10:00 am Grand Entry
– Colors by Ramblin Roses & Master Teamster Award & Youth Scholarship Awards
10:20 pm 25 6 Horse Obstacle Driving – OPEN
10:55 pm Kids’ Stick Horse Race
Sponsored by Eagle Rock Belgians, 9 N Belgians & Clark Family Orchards
11:00 am 26 Classic Six Horse Conformation- HITCH -ALL
11:40 am 27 Youth Cart OPEN – 13-18 YO
12:00 pm 28 Youth Cart OPEN 6-12 YO
12:30 pm GRAND FINALE!
HISTORIC MULE HITCH pm

1-Day Friday Pass: $10 Adults / $5 Youth 11-17 / Children 10 & Under Free
1-Day Saturday Pass: $15 Adults / $5 Youth 11-17 / Children 10 & Under Free
1-Day Sunday Pass: $10 Adults / $5 Youth 11-17 / Children 10 & Under Free

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