Valentine, Neb., is spreading heartfelt community outreach and support as it hosts its 25^th annual Heart City Bull Bash on Valentine’s Day weekend, Feb. 14-16, 2025. The Valentine Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a wide variety of fun activities around its signature event — the Bull Bash — which is scheduled to be held Saturday, showcasing area breeders’ livestock. There will be pens of bulls, heifers and also horses set up on Main Street. Last year there were 16 pens of bulls ranging from two to six head and two pens of heifers. 

“It is really hard to believe that (25th year) to be the case. I remember and attended the very first one, and have not missed it since,” said Jenny Moore, executive director of the Valentine Chamber of Commerce. Valentine is in Cherry County, which is said to be the largest cattle-producing county in the nation with nearly 166,000 cows.

“Cherry County is blessed with many resources such as grass and water which are essential to raising great cattle and being known nationwide for it. But it’s the people who are committed to ranching, great genetics and community that make Cherry County true cattle country,” said Ann Marie Bosshamer, executive director of the Nebraska Beef Council.

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Just behind Cherry County’s No. 1 ranking, Nebraska’s Custer County is No. 2 with 100,000 cattle, and Holt County is third with 99,000, according to the Nebraska Beef Council. 

“We are a proud bunch of hard working, resilient individuals who pride ourselves on our role in feeding the nation,” Moore said.

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SOMETHING FOR THE YOUTH

There’s also livestock judging for members of 4-H and FFA and collegiate which draws competitors from across Nebraska, as well as from Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and even California.

Cherry County Angus/Balancer livestock producer and agriculture teacher Brent Nollette added the livestock judging contest for the youth several years ago.

“We’re doing the livestock judging on Feb. 14, Friday, Valentine’s Day, which is the day before the actual Bull Bash because colleges go on to compete (that next day) to another livestock event, the Cattlemen’s Classic in Kearney, Neb. For the Bull Bash, there are eight pens with four livestock animals in each pen, and the kids show up, they don’t bring cattle, but they just judge. The animals shown are from other seed-stock producers who bring them for the event,” Nollette said. 

Active in livestock judging as a 4-H and FFA member himself, and also later at the collegiate level, Nollette learned first-hand how to judge livestock. Now, he’s also one of the agriculture teachers and FFA advisers at Valentine Community Schools.

“I enjoy it, I grew up in this area and raised livestock myself. It’s a fun event for me, and it’s great to provide opportunities for 4-H and FFA and collegiate members to compete,” said Nollette, who ranches with his dad and his brother. They raise registered Angus and Balancer cattle, and have an annual Bull Sale every year in late January, when they sell 2-year-old bulls. Agriculture and cattle are all in the family, as Nollette’s brother is also an ag teacher in Cherry County at Cody-Kilgore, and their dad is a retired ag teacher.

Valentine is also hosting a 5K Run With the Bulls coinciding with Saturday’s Bull Bash and participants will be running near the bulls, although not exactly with the bulls.

The Valentine’s Day holiday weekend kicks off Friday, Feb. 14 with a Chili Cook-off, Chocolate Lovers Dream Contest, the livestock judging and a Ball Drop. The Ball Drop is a game where numbered ping pong balls are dropped from the extended ladder of a fire truck while participants scramble to gather the balls. Numbers are drawn using a bingo machine and winners receive a prize donated from area businesses.

There are also commercial exhibits displaying implements, ATV dealers and feed stores.

OTHER ACTIVITIES

On Saturday, Feb. 15 there are a long list of fun activities including a vendor and craft show, quilt show and art show. There’s also a wine tasting featuring wines from Nebraska and South Dakota. There’s also a dance with a country music band and the Luck of the Draw 4-H raffle.

“The 4-H Luck of the Draw is the only fundraiser for Cherry County 4-H. Proceeds help pay for their scholarships, trophies, ribbons and expenses they incur throughout the year, and there are hundreds of prizes. You can buy raffle tickets from local 4-H members for a variety of items, from feed bunks to cosmetics to childrens toys to artwork,” Moore said. You can even buy a teeth cleaning appointment from a local dentist — everybody likes to contribute,” Moore said.  

Sunday concludes the holiday weekend with the 74^th annual Heart City Coronation when a king and queen from each high school class are crowned, and also the local retirement community nominates a king and queen.

The final activity for the Valentine’s Day weekend is the presentation of the Heart City Heart Award.
“It’s an honor placed on a local person who has shown the most ‘heart’ in Valentine, Neb., of a giving nature,” Moore said. “Somebody who is kind and will help their neighbor.” 

SCHEDULE

Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14

Livestock Judging: Contest registration is from 8:00-8:30 a.m. at Valentine Livestock. Contest begins at 9 a.m.  

The Ball Drop, Chili-Cook-off and Chocolate Lovers Dream Contest will be held at the fairgrounds.

Saturday, Feb. 15

Bull Bash is held on Main Street

Running With the Bulls 5K race takes place at 11 a.m. Registration begins at 10:15 a.m. at the Comfort Inn. The warm up is a loop up Main Street on either side of the cattle pens.

Vendor and Craft show 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at Connot Brothers Auction. Has room for 30 vendors. Hog Trough will serve food in this location. 

The People’s Choice Quilt Show 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at Nelsen Furniture. Entries/registration begin at 8:30 a.m., continuing throughout the day. No fee to enter, but there are cash prizes. 

Art Show held by the Sandpainters Art Guild at Security First Bank runs from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Wine tasting from 2-4 p.m. at Sandhills State Bank featuring local wineries.

Country music band

Luck of the Draw 4H Raffle

Sunday, Feb. 16

Heart City Coronation held at Valentine High School at 6 p.m.

Heart City Heart Award presentation

For more information, go to http://www.bullbash.net/