Montana High School Rodeo Finals Preview

Montana’s high school rodeo community is gearing up for its crowning event, as the Montana High School Rodeo Association (MHSRA) prepares for its finals competition to kick off June 2 at the Majestic Valley Arena in Kalispell.

It’s the second year the finals in Montana’s high school rodeo scene will take place in the Flathead, and the MHSRA is encouraging people to come out to see rodeo athletes from communities across the state face off for a chance to punch their ticket to the National High School Rodeo Finals in Rock Springs, Wyoming in July.

Amid prep athletics in Montana, rodeo has a distinctly long season, which begins back in August and goes until the end of October, before picking back up again at the end of March. Many of the MHSRA athletes also play other sports, like basketball, football and track. In the lead up to each season, horses also need to be brought up to competing shape, which can be especially grueling amid Montana’s deep winter freezes. It’s not a school-sponsored sport, so competitors are also responsible for their own transportation to events, and finding their own practice space. As a result, the finals amount to the culmination of months of work inside and outside the arena, and miles and miles of travel.

When the season is in full swing, there are weekly competitions held in roughly the eastern and western parts of the state. To qualify for the finals, competitors have to earn one point in their event, which is the equivalent to a 10th place or better finish. The maximum points a competitor can carry going into state is 150, which is the equivalent to 15 first-place finishes. State qualifiers also have to meet a fundraising requirement through the sale of tickets for an annual raffle. Raffle prizes include a four-wheeler, a horse trailer, a cooler and a smoker or flattop grill.

An estimated 160 people entered into the finals this year, with many of them entered in multiple events. The top 16 in each competition will advance to the finals competition on Saturday, June 7. From there, the top four in each competitive category will have the chance to go to nationals.

This year’s finals rodeo includes bareback riding, saddle bronc, cutting, breakaway roping, bull riding, reined cow horse, goat tying, pole bending, light rifle shooting, barrel racing, steer wrestling, team roping, tie-down roping, and trap shooting. The finals will also include a rodeo queen competition starting on June 2, and numerous other opportunities, including interviews, for which athletes can earn scholarships. All told, more than $50,000 in scholarships are awarded over the course of the week.

Supplying the timed event cattle and bulls this year is Eiker Rodeo out of Glendive. Buck Naked Rodeo out of Jordan is supplying the bareback and saddle bronc horses, and supplying the cow horses and cutting cattle is Beau Michael out of Browning.

Denver Gilbert, the president of the MHSRA, who is based out of the Billings area, is confident that among those competing at this year’s finals are future collegiate and professional rodeo athletes. Gilbert himself said that he paid his way through college on rodeo scholarships, and competed professionally for eight years.  He said MHSRA is in a good place, with a great group of kids coming up through the junior high and high school ranks.

“Our sponsors have really stepped it up the last couple of years, and we found a great home for our state high school finals at the Majestic Valley Arena in Kalispell,” Gilbert said. “The whole valley has been really receptive to the high school rodeo finals there, we’re very excited to be there. It’s an awesome facility and everybody enjoys going there. So Montana high school rodeo is doing really well.”

In his characterization, Gilbert said that it’s generally an individual sport, with the exception of team events, but that there’s still a strong sense of community.

“The friends you make in rodeo are your friends for life. And we’re a very big family. Everybody helps everybody else, and, you know, competes with everybody else, but at the end of the day, we support each other very well, and we’re a very close knit group,” Gilbert said. “So, you know, going into the finals, the good thing about it is, it’s going to be a great finals because nothing has been determined in any event as far as year end results, it’s all going to come down to the state finals, and it’ll be a great rodeo, just like it always is.”

Amy Robbins, who handles communications and marketing for the rodeo, described the Majestic Valley Arena as a great fit for the event because it offers an enclosed space, which was a priority for the MHSRA for the safety of contestants and livestock.

The nearly weeklong event features two rodeo announcers, music, food trucks and other vendors on site. Robbins said the goal is to create an upbeat, fun mood, and that families travel from all over the state to cheer their relatives on. The finals get “pretty intense,” but Robbins said there’s a good blend of competitiveness and camaraderie.

“They’re cheering for each other even though they’re in competition with each other,” Robbins said of the athletes. “So all in all, it’s a great atmosphere.

Most events are free to attend, with the exceptions of the Round 1 competition starting at 6:30 p.m. on June 5, the Round 2 competition starting at 6:30 p.m. on June 6, and the championship round beginning at 1 p.m. on June 7. Ticket can be purchased at the door, and tickets for adults are $10, and discounts are available for seniors, veterans, and high schoolers, with free entry for those ages 12 and under.

Montana High School Rodeo Association Standings as of May 27

Girls All Around – 1. Linden Schenk, Joliet, 585; 2. Aspen Swenson, Huntley, 557.5; 3. Brylan Garrett, Butte, 470.5; 4. Mesa Radue, Belgrade, 354.5; 5. Bailey Billingsley, Glasgow, 349.5; 6. Abigail DeVos, Fort Shaw, 337; 7. Kylie Toavs, Shepherd, 325; 8. Cassie Gibson, Havre, 323; 9. Brooke Billingsley, Glasgow, 312.5; 10. Sally Robb, Bozeman, 296.5.

Boys All Around – 1. Tike Erickson, Hobson, 387; 2. AJ Swenson, Huntley, 377; 3. Teagen Arnold, Conrad, 346; 4. Charlie Cornwell, Glasgow, 321; 5. Tryan Knight, Wibaux, 269; 6. Ryder Gaasch, Dillon, 262; 7. Tahj Wells, Browning, 254; 8. Cooper McMillan, Huntley, 242; 9. Blaise Bolich, Belgrade, 227.5; 10. JP Cornwell, Glasgow, 225.

Trap Shoot – 1. William Barnett, Absarokee, 127; 2. Katy Ramsey, Great Falls, 111; 3. Ruby Ray, Whitefish, 105.5; 4. Lane Bantz, Townsend, 105.5; 5. Shea Berner, Great Falls, 79; 6. Preston Lee, Choteau, 56; 7. Kamdyn Henderson, Frenchtown, 39; 8. Sophia Wyatt, Dillon, 29; 9. Macie Schreckendgust, Kalispell, 26.

Bareback – 1. Leighton Lafromboise, Helena, 150; 2. William Barnett, Absarokee, 143.5; 3. Wyatt Warneke, Great Falls, 79; 4. Wyatt Todd, St. Regis, 28; 5. Wace Williams, Browning, 17.

Tie Down Roping – 1. Pacen Buller, Glendive, 150; 2. Blaise Bolich, Belgrade, 148.5; 3. AJ Swenson, Huntley, 144; 4. Teagen Arnold, Conrad, 132; 5. Bryton Mikkelson, Buffalo, 129; 6. Tike Erickson, Hobson, 124; 7. Gage Mikkelson, Buffalo, 116; 8. Cooper McMillan, Huntley, 110; 9. JP Cornwell, Glasgow, 106; 10. Tryan Knight, Wibaux, 103.

Team Roping – 1-2 Trace & Tate Poppe, Fallon, 136; 3-4 Preston Ostrum & Cooper McMillan, Huntley, 132; 5. Tryan Knight, Wibaux; 6-7 Tike & Ali Erickson, Hobson, 120; 8-9 JP & Charlie Cornwell, Glasgow, 119; 10. Sally Robb, Bozeman, 116.

Saddle Bronc – 1. Levi Noyes, Sarpy, 149; 2. Randon Boyce, Browning, 148; 3. Tahj Wells, Browning, 140.5; 4. Colton Haase, East Helena, 115; 5. Junior Calf Boss Ribs, Heart Butte, 37; 6. Stetson Seemann, Big Timber, 36; 7. Jesse Racine, Browning, 24.5; 8. Will Baeth, Manhattan, 18.5; 9. Taylor Koch, Roberts, 19; 10. Cyler Yeager, Fairfield, 17.

Steer Wrestling – 1. Ryder Gaasch, Dillon, 144; 2. Tike Erickson, Hobson, 143; 3. AJ Swenson, Huntley, 135; 4. Teagen Arnold, Conrad, 115; 5. Charlie Cornwell, Glasgow, 105; 6. Burke Nowak, Worden, 73; 7. Tryan Knight, Wibaux, 43

Rifle Shoot – 1. Katy Ramsey, Great Falls, 142; 2. Sophia Wyatt, Dillon, 141; 3. Isabella Moran, Kalispell, 121; 4. Ruby Ray, Whitefish, 107; 5. William Barnett, Absarokee, 54; 6. Kaelyn Caraveo, Coffee Creek, 24; 7. Hazel Davis, Great Falls, 23; 8. Kamdyn Henderson, Frenchtown, 19.

Pole Bending – 1. Machenzie Martell, Three Forks, 143; 2. Tess Megill, Bigfork, 142; 3. Brytin Steadman, Miles City, 141; 5. Shelby Gobbs, Glendive, 138; 6. Olivia Martell, Three Forks, 135; 7. Ruby Ray, Whitefish, 133; 8. Aspen Swenson, Huntley, 128; 9. Linden Schenk, Joliet, 126; 10. Esabella Moran, Kalispell, 113.

Goat Tying – 1. Aspen Swenson, Huntley, 148; 2. Raenee Mapston, Belt, 140; 3. Parker Lenhardt, Helena, 139; 4. Cassie Gibson, Havre, 135; 5. Madison Kruzich, Shepherd, 134; 6. Josie Robbins, Dillon, 131; 7. Linden Schenk, Joliet, 130; 8. Sally Robb, Bozeman, 126.5; 9. Natalie Krenning, Bridger, 125; 10. Brylan Garrett Butte, 120.5.

Girls Cutting – 1. Mesa Radue, Belgrade, 99; 2. Annastin Maier, East Helena, 19; 3. Sophia Wyatt, Dillon, 18.

Cowhorse – 1. JR Branger, Chinook, 125.5; 2. Mesa Radue, Belgrade, 94; 3. Jocie Roen, Musselshell, 81; 4. Ali Erickson, Hobson, 78; 5. Jacob Heggie, Choteau, 67; 6. Seth Nedens, Worden, 65; 7. Sophia Wyatt, Dillon, 50.5; 8. Taylor Kellom, Hobson, 30; 9. Logan Paddock, Darby, 17.5; 10. Shaylee Berg, Stanford, 15.5.

Bull Riding – 1. Tahj Wells, Browning, 107.5; 2. Octavius Christianson, Columbia Falls, 76; 3. Kas Whiteman, Browning, 55; 4. Clay Koehler, Ronan, 52; 5, Korbin Baldwin, Whitefish, 47; 6. Colter Hanneman, Florence, 44; 7. Andy Wagner, Billings, 39; 8. John Mangan, Fort Smith, 35; 9. Chase Blue, Browning, 30; 10. Joe Delaney, Grass Range, 30.

Breakaway – 1-2 Paisley Verhelst, Pryor & Linden Schenk, Joliet, 119; 3. Josephine Michael, Cut Bank, 114. 5; 4. Aspen Swenson, Huntley, 108.5; 5. Abigail DeVos, Fort Shaw, 107; 6. Molly Gilbert, Billings, 105; 7. Kylie Toavs, Shepherd, 105; 8. Madison Kruzich, Shepherd, 99.5; 9. Mesa Radue, Belgrade, 95; 10. Brylan Garrett, Butte, 93.

Boys Cuttng – 1. Jacob Heggie, Choteau, 80.

Barrel Racing – 1. Abigail DeVos, Fort Shaw, 146; 2. Jocie Roen, Musselshell, 142.5; 3. Allie Huskey, Shepherd, 136; 4. Isabella Moran, Kalispell, 134.5; 5. Landry Larson, Sidney, 127; 6. Linden Schenk, Joliet, 125; 7-8 Olivia Martell, Three Forks, & Mesa Radue, Belgrade, 124.5; 9. Kylie Toavs, Shepherd, 117; 10. Brylan Garrett, Butte, 116.

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