STURGIS, S.D. – Several pre-NFR events have been postponed and will have their locations re-evaluated due to an equine herpesvirus (EHV) outbreak and new biosecurity guidelines.
And officials at the Central States Fairgrounds (CSF), hosts of the Black Hills Stock Show in Rapid City, S.D., are taking stringent precautions now in efforts to keep facilities free of the virus ahead of the seven-day AQHA Winter Classic in January that is followed immediately by the Black Hills Stock Show. Both events bring thousands of horses from across the country into arenas at both the fairgrounds and The Monument, the 500,000 square foot civic center in downtown Rapid City.
Effective immediately all activities are suspended at the CSF Event Center, outdoor arenas and all stalling. In a Facebook post, CSF officials wrote, “Our team will reassess conditions after Thanksgiving to determine when it is safe to reopen. We strongly encourage anyone whose horses have traveled in the past 30 days to follow quarantine protocols.”
Miss Rodeo America, Inc. announced that the 2026 Miss Rodeo America Pageant will proceed without the traditional live horsemanship portion at the South Point Hotel and Casino. The remainder of the pageant, which officially begins November 29, 2025, will continue as planned.
The National Finals of Breakaway Roping, the PRCA Permit Challenge, and the Benny Binion Bucking Horse Sale were all originally scheduled for the South Point Arena from Dec. 2-4. The only one to be rescheduled so far is the Benny Binion Bucking Horse Sale. An announcement was made over the weekend that the sale, including the Stace Smith World Futurity consignments, will be held on Friday, December 5th, in the South Point Showroom.
All animals will sell based off of performance videos. No horses will be in Las Vegas or in transport. All delivery will be between the buyer and the seller after all protocols are lifted, and travel is once again safe for equine athletes.
The main Wrangler National Finals Rodeo will continue as scheduled, but updated equine health guidelines have been announced. A PRCA spokesman wrote in an email Friday: “As of today, there is no impact to the competition of the NFR. While some additional precautions will be in place to ensure the animals avoid unnecessary contact with non-secure animals, this will not impact the competition.”
