LOUISVILLE, Ky. — More than 30,000 entries from across the country will arrive in Louisville Nov. 5-18 to compete at the North American International Livestock Exposition.
Held annually at the Kentucky Exposition Center, exhibitors showcase top livestock in hopes of winning a portion of the nearly $750,000 in premiums awarded during the various competitions.
NAILE is the largest all-breed, purebred livestock exposition in the world. The expo features 10 divisions of livestock competition including dairy cattle, beef cattle, dairy goat, meat goat, swine, sheep, llama, alpaca, mule and draft horse.
NAILE offers a variety of experiences for livestock enthusiasts and those new to the exposition world. Features include:
• The North American Country Store — Nov. 6-18
• The North American Championship Rodeo — Nov. 11-13.
• Livestreaming of select events — Nov. 5-18.
“We’re excited to welcome the public back to NAILE this year. The past two years have demonstrated the importance of the livestock industry and how agriculture impacts all of our lives,” said David Beck, president and CEO of Kentucky Venues. “The best livestock producers in the country showcase their animals at NAILE, making it a perfect opportunity for our guests to learn about today’s agriculture.”
Country Store
Each year shoppers look forward to the North American Country Store, which takes place exclusively during NAILE. The North American Country Store features more than 200,000 square feet of exhibit space and 105 booths offering clothing, belt buckles, sweets, cowboy hats, arts and crafts, books, musical instruments, handcrafted furniture and jewelry.
All the latest products related to showing livestock are also available, including specialized vehicle trailers for transporting animals and various livestock gear.
In addition to the shopping, the Children’s Barnyard provides opportunities for guests to interact with rabbits, mini-horses, lambs, newly-hatched ducklings and other animals.
The country store is located in the North Wing of the Kentucky Exposition Center and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Nov. 6-10 and 14-17. There are extended hours from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 11-13. The shops are open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 18.
Championship Rodeo
The North American Championship Rodeo will take place in Freedom Hall Nov. 11-13. From barrel racing to bull riding, cowboys and cowgirls will compete for the coveted first-place finish and cash prizes.
Friday, Nov. 12 is “Tough Enough to Wear Pink Night” with a portion of ticket sales going to Horses and Hope, a breast cancer awareness organization.
Tickets are available online at tinyurl.com/mewp53mt.
Livestream Broadcast
Interested guests can experience NAILE anywhere with livestream on select events free of charge. Footage will be broadcast by Show Barn Flix from locations throughout the Kentucky Exposition Center and include both judged competitions and sales.
The broadcast schedule and livestream coverage will be posted on the NAILE website at tinyurl.com/42ckz7hh.
NAILE admission is $8 for adults and free for children 5 and under, and parking is $10 daily. Entire event passes for $60 for the full event or $35 for half event passes. Event passes include parking. North American Country Store shoppers and expo visitors receive free admission Nov. 9-10.
Per the COVID-19 Face Covering Policy for all executive branch buildings and offices due to COVID-19, a face covering must be worn by everyone in all indoor areas of the Kentucky Exposition Center.
For more information, including a schedule of events, visit www.livestockexpo.org.
Follow along on Facebook at facebook.com/KYNAILE and Instagram at instagram.com/KY_NAILE.