Madison118

It’s that time of year again!
Time when cowboys and cowgirls from all over the
nation descend upon Mississippi’s capital city for the
annual Dixie National Livestock Show and Rodeo. During
the month of February, The Dixie National brings with it
a variety of programs and activities that take place to
educate, entertain, and engage participants and onlookers,
alike. The 53rd annual livestock show kicks off February 1
and runs through February 18.
The Dixie National Rodeo is the largest professional
rodeo east of the Mississippi River. It is produced by
Smith, Harper, and Morgan Rodeo Company, hosted by
the Mississippi Fair Commission in Jackson, Mississippi
and has been nominated as one of the Top 5 Large Indoor
Rodeos of The Year for the past five years. This award is
voted on by the cowboys in the Professional Rodeo
Cowboy Association (PRCA).
The rodeo kicks off February 8 and goes through
February 14 at the Mississippi Coliseum. Special entertainers
are featured each day of the rodeo and include Josh Turner,
Frank Foster, The Bellamy Brothers, John Michael
Montgomery, Riley Green, Corey Smith, and Brett Young.
Tickets may be purchased through Ticketmaster at the
coliseum box office.
The Dixie National Quarter Horse Show, the Southern
Classic, is the premier event of the Mississippi Quarter
Horse Association. Also held in February on the state
fairgrounds, it is the largest quarter horse show held
during a stock show in the nation. The Dixie National
Quarter Horse Show is the largest in the South and the
third largest quarter horse show in the United States.
The national exposure the quarter horse show receives
makes it a gathering place for the top horses in the country
and a field day for spectators. With an average audience of
over 4,500, the Friday night free-style reining is the most
crowd pleasing class and demonstrates the great physical
ability of the American Quarter Horse. The Southern
Classic dates are February 13-18.
The Dixie National Equine Expo, the largest equine
related trade show in the south, runs in conjunction with
the quarter horse show. It features everything imaginable
for the equine enthusiast. With over 65,000 sq. ft. of
shopping, the Equine Expo is located inside the Mississippi
Trade Mart on the fairgrounds. With vendors from across
the nation, the latest fashions, trends and shopping will all
be under one roof. It is one of the largest equine tradeshows
in the Southeast. The Equine Expo is February 14-18.
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