Nile-Sanctioned Rodeo back at Fair

For the second consecutive year, the Phillips County Fair Grounds will be the site of the Nile Sanctioned P.C. Saddle Club Ranch Rodeo.

The event will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, August 5, in between the P.C. Fair's Indian Relay Races. Being in the middle of the horse races last year netted the Ranch Rodeo it's largest crowd in recent years, with the co-event hosting a total of 1,598 spectators.

"I thought it went really good," said Scott Meeks of the P.C. Saddle Club. "I think it turned out pretty good for the first go at the fair."

The Ranch Rodeo event which can qualify the winning team for the Northern International Livestock Exposition or the Nile in Billings was previously held at the Trafton Rodeo Arena in Malta. The Nile will be held in October.

Having the event at last year's Fair garnered large wagers for the team's Calcutta.

"We were able to get a lot of people involved in the Calcutta," Meeks said. "I just think it was a good compliment having the horse races and the rodeo. They went good together."

The Ranch Rodeo features five action-packed events including bronc riding, team penning, team doctoring, team branding and wild cow milking.

"Team penning is the one I like," Meeks said. "They have to sort three head out of the herd within a time limit and get them loaded into the horse trailer. It can be a pretty tough event. That's my favorite after the cow-milking."

Wild cow milking is exactly what it sounds like, and it is pretty intense.

"You gotta rope a cow in the arena, mug her and take the milk back to the judge," Meeks said. "The fastest time wins."

Last year's wild cow milking sent the crowd into a frenzy of laughter and a few of the riders felt the wrath of the bovine.

"You gotta be able to hold the cow and get the milk out of her without her running you over," Meeks said.

For those simply into the eight-second ride, the Ranch Rodeo features bronc riding, a proven favorite.

"The bronc riding is always exciting," Meeks said.