Rapid City, S.D. (KELO) — The 66th Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo is underway in Rapid City at The Monument.

After the ribbon was cut, the first event for the Stock Show was the Celebrity Showmanship Competition. The Mayor and other familiar faces took part.

“These animals are not show animals, they’ve never been shown before. Last year we showed a zebra, a camel, all kinds of things. And it’s really just a chance for urban people to experience a little bit of what it’s like to be involved in the Black Hills Stock Show from the showman’s perspective,” Black Hills Stock Show GM Ron Jeffries said.

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The Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo continues to expand and offer more each year.

“If you’ve come last year and you’re going to see it for a second time this year or you’ve come 20 years in a row, there’s always something new. They’re doing an awesome job, the committee is growing it while keeping it in its core roots,” Nebraskan Rancher Ty Krebs said.

This year more than 360 kids are participating in youth showcases throughout the 10-day event.

“People are coming here. We’ve got more entries in our halter classes for the Hubbard supreme row. We’ve got the largest youth show we’ve ever had here. We’ve got as many kids here with cattle as we had for the National Junior Limousin Show. It’s a huge show this year and we’re excited,” Jefferies said.

Ty Krebs has been coming to the stock show since he was young to showcase livestock, and now his kids are participating in the same events.

“So you think in four years basically we’ve doubled it if not a little bit more. And that goes to say something for the work ethic of our kids. That they want to take on a project and when the competition gets that steep, they still want to do it,” Krebs said.

The Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo offers dozens of events daily. You can find that schedule here.