In Montana (MT), cowboys are built into the culture. In most movies that take place within the state, there is a cowboy protagonist or a cowboy side character.
The majority of people from MT don’t become cowboys/cowgirls, but some do live out this dream by competing in Rodeos.
Rodeos usually take place in the summer, and the people who are competing are traveling cowboys/cowgirls who are either a part of a company or are entered on their own. However, Rodeos don’t just have to be for adults traveling; there is a whole Rodeo culture that belongs to colleges, and the University of Montana (UM) has been making some noise in the community this season.
University of Montana
The UM’s Rodeo team started their season on the first and second of May at the Missoula County Fairgrounds. The stadium was packed, and the fans’ roar could be heard from over a mile away.
There were ten events that the cowboys or cowgirls could compete in: Saddle Bronc Riding, Bareback Riding, Bull Riding, Tie Down Roping, Steer Wrestling, Team Roping Header, Team Roping Heeler, Barrel Racing, Breakaway Roping, and Goat Tying.
The hardest events out of this lineup would be the Saddle Bronc Riding (SBR), Bareback Riding (BBR), Bull Riding (BR), Tie Down Roping (TDR), or Team Roping (TR). Each of these events is hard in its own right, with them either being technically difficult, physically demanding, or downright dangerous.
The men’s team came in third for the tournament with 370 points, and the women came in second with 130 points.
To get points, teams are scored throughout the tournament. Scores are split into two events: rough stock or timed events. The rough stock is out of 100 points, and 50 of the points are based on the rider’s control while the other 50 are based on the animal’s bucking. These points are earned by participating in events like SBR, BBR, and BR..
The timed events are based on how fast the cowboy/cowgirl completes the event, with ten seconds added if any penalties occur like leaving the starting box too early. These events are TDR or TR.
Women’s Team
The women’s team has eight women on their team, but only four of them can earn points for the team, while the other four can only earn individual points.
Lacy Lawrence got fourth in Barrel Racing with a time of 35.47 seconds. Barrel Racing is where a rider and their horse must run a certain pattern of one right turn and two left turns around three barrels that are arranged in a triangle.
Two other women from UM also placed in Barrel Racing, with Lexi Muregoinggo in sixth place with a time of 35.86 seconds and Nicole Davidson who got eighth with a time of 40.18 seconds.
Tamara Zaugg got second in Breakaway Roping with a time of 6.4 seconds. Breakaway Roping is primarily a women’s only event where one has to rope a calf while they are riding a horse. The time stops once the calf has the rope around it and there is no tying involved.
Men’s Team
The men have seven cowboys on their team, but only six of them can compete in a tournament.
Rance Allen got ninth in Tie Down Roping with a time of 33.0 seconds. Tie Down Roping is also known as Calf Roping, where a cowboy has to rope a calf while riding a horse, then get off and tie at least three of the calf’s legs together.
Kale Day Chief got first in the Team Roping Header, with a time of 15 seconds. This is a two-person event where the Header must chase a steer around trying to rope either its head or horns so the Heeler can rope its back legs.
For the other part of the event, Chase Kellett was the Heeler, and because it is a partnership, he also went first with a time of 15 seconds.
The season has only just started, but the UM Rodeo Team is in a great spot to make steady progress and to potentially get a few athletes into the College National Finals Rodeo. Finals will have over 400 athletes and will take place in Casper, Wyoming, on June 14-20.
