Cottonwood Equine – Montana Equestrian Center - Revised Listing

Premier Montana Equestrian Center

Big Sky Classic Hunter Jumper event

The Cottonwood Equine Center, conveniently located near Billings MT with a Beartooth Mountains backdrop, is notably one of the premier equestrian and commercial events centers in Montana and certainly among the best in the northern Rockies. Nestled along the beautiful Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River, this exceptional facility can accommodate everything from luxury vacation rental housing to major equine events. The commercial demand for year-round equestrian facilities, corporate retreats, beautiful wedding venues, and vacation rentals, is highly sought after, and the Cottonwood could just as easily be the ultimate private equestrian and recreational ranch. Complimenting the arenas and boarding facilities is a complete equine therapy and rehab facility. Having the ability to treat horses at such a venue is very beneficial to the overall facility.

The ambiance along the river, together with its productive meadows, including water and irrigation rights, bountiful fishing and wildlife; plus, amazing views of the majestic Beartooth Mountains and slopes of Red Lodge ski area to the south, makes this an outstanding setting and location. One can certainly enjoy the best of what Montana can offer in terms of productive land, scenery, and natural amenities. Cottonwood is conveniently located on fully paved roads about 30-minutes from Billings, Montana, where you can go for all your major shopping, travel, and medical needs. It’s about the same distance to and from the charming ski and recreational resort town of Red Lodge. If you are looking for a well established, income generating equestrian facility within 30 minutes of one of the fastest growing cities in the United States with unlimited upside growth potential, take a close look at the Cottonwood.

All equipment, personal property, and branding materials used in the operation of the Cottonwood are included in the sale. An itemized list will be provided to qualified buyers.

Property Highlights

• 381± total acres (65± deeded acres; 316± acres privately leased)
• 30 minutes to Billings, MT
• Yellowstone River frontage
• 2 beautiful custom-built homes
• Year-round equestrian/multiple use facilities
• Well known and established business operation

Improvements

Main Indoor Equestrian Arena

Main Arena Announcer and Concession Area

The steel framed, 140’ x 220’ year-round, multi-use indoor arena is primarily designed and used for equestrian activities and events; however it is also used for weddings and other social events. All set up and ready to go, just back up the semi, unload the stock, turn on the power and start roping. All the facilities are in place and ready to go, including the all-pipe trailer/semi-truck loading chutes, corrals, return alleys, and 7 outdoor holding pens. Plus, the fully automatic Priefert roping chute requires little need for chute help and more time spent roping. All the equipment needed for barrel racing is included as well. For other performance events like cutting, reined cowhorse, and reining, the included equipment has the tools needed to properly prepare the ground for ultimate customer satisfaction. On the east end of the arena, is a concession area that includes a viewing and/or eating area, and an announcer’s stand that comes with a brand new PA and audio system. On the opposite end, is an attached 100’ x 85’ holding barn with pens for stock and horses, and a 100’ runway used for better barrel racing starts; and safer, stronger finishes.

Warm-up Barn

Built brand new in the spring of 2022, is an 80’ x 150’ steel frame, fully insulated warm-up barn/arena. It is located adjacent to the main indoor arena for convenient contestant access or spillover use. The ground has a solid base underneath a screened sand. Comments and reactions from users overwhelmingly approve. This barn is connected to the sound and PA system in the Main Arena.

Equine, Rehab & Hay Barn

Rehab Facility Photo by Heather Daly

This multipurpose barn includes the main stall area with 35 – 12’ x 12’ fully matted stalls. The alleys are extra wide with 2’ x 12’ oak flooring for safe, sure-step footing. This area also includes an office, vet, tack and supply rooms, bathrooms, apartment/living area, wash area, and a hay and feed, warehouse storage area(s). Adjacent to it and under an attached roof is the fully insulated and heated facility used for equine rehabilitation and therapy.

Included in this area are the following:

• Salt-Epson equine spa
• AquaPacer equine treadmill
• Eight horse computer-controlled panel walker (with ground groomer)
• Mare exam area and wash rack
• Solarium – Light Treatment Stall

Mare Barn

The “Mare Barn” as it is currently called, is an older more traditional type 35’ x 50’ horsebarn, but mainly used now for storage and for foaling mares. It is not insulated, but has overhead radiant space heaters for use, as needed; and a wifi video camera system for remote monitoring and viewing of foaling mares.

• 4 foaling stalls (12’x24’)
• 1 stall (12’x12’)
• 1 – 12’x12’ tack room

Shop

• Dimensions: 90′ x 30′
• Full concrete floor
• Houses the full RO system to both houses (Water Technologies)
• Plenty of tool & parts storage

Outdoor Event Related Features

Outdoor Equestrian Arena

Competition Arena Looking Toward Leased Land

The 160’ wide x 150’ long outdoor arena is the perfect summertime sporting area for all your equestrian events. The arena consists of all-pipe construction along with attached holding pens and return alleys. As with the indoor arena, the roping chute is a fully automatic Preifert made chute. There’s also a spectator seating area along with a covered announcer’s stand, and to top it off, it comes with a full set of lights; where events can continue long after the sun sets.

Other Equine Pens

Small outdoor round pen and many other paddocks and pens with loafing sheds and automatic waterers.

Outdoor Stalls

• 180 covered outdoor stalls under 9 separate buildings. Each has frost-free hydrants and availability for power if needed.
• 200 – 12’ x 12’ outdoor, portable panel, uncovered stalls.

Contestant Parking Area

Contestant Parking Area

The property has approximately 15-acres for truck and trailer parking. Of that, about 3.5 acres is specially constructed with road building construction fabric underneath, about 12-inches of road base providing for year-round access. The balance of the parking areas are used as extra space, when needed.

The primary parking area includes:

• 24 trailer and RV power hookups
• 50A, 30A and 20A plugins
• 24 water hookups

Other Improvements and Features

• Water Rights
  • 7 registered wells
  • ±22 acres of permitted irrigated land
• Each house has a cistern and uses water from the RO system in the shop
• All the barns and homes are served by automated backup power generators that use either propane or diesel. The lodge and shop are served by a “whole-house” diesel powered generator. The indoor arena, horse/therapy barn and the warmup barn are on a propane powered generator. The main house has its own generator that uses propane.

Cottonwood Homes

The two homes on the property are both extremely nice and well built homes. The current owners live in what we call the main house and the Lodge is leased out for special events, wedding parties, weekend rentals, and other commercial events. The Lodge would make a very nice luxury type home for private use and the main house could be used for other family or management. Again homes have cisterns for backup water if ever needed. Each home has onsite treated (reverse osmosis treatment) water for excellent water quality and each home is served by a whole-house back-up generator. With exception of the owners personal belongings and furnishings along with some artwork, both homes are being sold fully furnished. Details of each are as follows:

Main House

Main Home

Built in 2002, this 2-story, 5-bedroom, 5-bath (3 full, 2 half) home has 3,632 square feet of living area and an attached 960 ft² 3-car garage.

Main Level

• Master bedroom with his and her closets and master bathroom
• 2 HVAC systems
• Big and spacious kitchen that opens to a family and dining area
• Big pantry
• Gas fireplace
• Laundry & Wash room

Upstairs

• 4 bedrooms, 2½ baths
• Recreational area

Equestrian Center Lodge

Click the photo to enter the Lodge Gallery

Built in 1999, this 1½-story, 4-bedroom, 4-bathroom structure has 6,493 square feet of living area. Click the Lodge Gallery photo, to view 43 images of the lodge.

The Lodge is timber framed and built with massive hewed square timbers and inside, the big and spacious great room with vaulted ceilings and a floor to ceiling wood burning rock fireplace is quite impressive. It definitely has the look and feel of a Montana home and will not disappoint. The large kitchen has all granite countertops and high end appliances. Its large windows allow for plenty of indoor natural light and pleasing outdoor views. There are a total of 4 large bedrooms. Each comes with its own full bathroom. Three of the bedrooms are upstairs and the fourth is on the main level. Most of the upstairs bedrooms have multiple beds. In total, there are 16 actual beds, all of which are included in the offering.

316 Acre Private Lease

The Seller will convey their rights and interests in the private land lease of 316± acres to the Buyer. The terms of the lease are for 10 years (6.5 years remaining). The lease property also includes more of the river and bottomland pasture, plus some upland pasture for recreational use, riding and for grazing.