Local contestants among top Mission Mountain Rodeo finishers
Hey savvy news reader! Thanks for choosing local.
You are now reading
1 of 3 free articles.
It was a full house in Polson last weekend as thousands of rodeo enthusiasts converged on the county fairgrounds to watch bronc and bull riders, steer ropers, barrel racers and more compete in the annual Mission Mountain Rodeo.
A Northern Rodeo Association sanctioned event, contestants competed for money and to gain points in order to make it to NRA Finals in Kalispell in October. Following a competition season with more than 20 rodeos across the state, the top 15 NRA contestants will compete in the fall finals.
Two nights of rodeo action ended with local competitors earning top 5 finishes in several events. Darby Stonehocker of Charlo took first in Junior Breakaway Roping with a time of 4.9 seconds. Eli Higa and Koy McAllister of Ronan took second in Team Roping with a time of 9 seconds while Jesse Johnston and Josh Harris of Ronan took third in the same event with 9.9 seconds. Jordan Larson of Charlo took second in Bareback Riding with a score of 70. Sydney Brander of St. Ignatius took third in Ladies Breakaway with a time of 3 seconds. (See full results listed below.)
Big Circle Rodeo out of Circle, Montana, was the stock contractor for this year’s rodeo and brought the bulls that defied all all riders. No qualified rides were recorded in either Friday or Saturday’s Bull Riding events.
Organized by Polson Fairgrounds Inc., the annual rodeo is the biggest event held at the grounds. PFI board member Una Rose Graham explained that rodeo ticket sales as well as funds from local businesses help keep the grounds operating, maintained and allow for other events to be produced there.
“It’s very costly to produce a rodeo,” Graham said. “In the mid to high $30,000. All the sponsors who step up to sponsor the event or a chute gate – really help. We couldn’t do it without those sponsors.”
Graham, who started volunteering with the fairgrounds with her husband in the mid 90s, says her parents were involved with the fairgrounds in the 40s, 50s and 60s.
“We’re very fortunate to have that property still,” she added. “It’s irreplaceable really. A main goal of the PFI organization is to keep the county fairgrounds in taxpayers’ hands and keep it open for community events.”
Place Bareback Riding Town Score $$$Won
1 Trevor Kay Chester 75 $439.45
2 Jordan Larson Charlo 70 $336.05
3 L. LaFromboise Helena 61 $258.50
Place Saddle Bronc Riding Town Score $$$Won
1 Judd Applegate DeerLodge 77 $846.94
2\3 Hunter Haskins Superior 73 $572.93
2\3 Jason Colclough Libby 73 $572.93
4P. Mothershead Joliet 71 $323.83
5 Caiden Gray Miles City 68 $174.37
PlaceBull Riding
No Qualified /Riders
Place Steer Wrestling Town Time $$$Won
1 Justus Peterson Dillon 17.4 $601.60
2 Reno Ward DeerLodge 17.5 $451.20
3 Ryder Gaasch Dillon 20.9 $300.80
4 Ethan Stensrud Florence 28.1 $150.40
Place Tie Down Roping Town Time $$$Won
1 Cash Trexler Corvallis 10.9 $870.91
2 Quinn McQueary Belgrade 12.0 $665.99
3 Jade Gardner Ballantine 13.1 $512.30
4 Clint Craig EastHelena 13.2 $333.00
5 Ryley Mapston Belt 14.7 $179.31
Place Team Roping Town Time $$$Won
1 Chad Turner/ Helena 5.4 $1,110.61
Gavin Beattie
2 Eli Higa/ Ronan 9.0 $849.2
Koy McAllister
3 Josh Harris/ Ronan 9.9 $653.30
Jesse Johnston
4 Shane Bessette/ Corvallis 10.2 $424.65
JR Winter
5 Rocky Racine/ CutBank 14.4 $228.66
Loranzy McMakin
Place Ladies Barrel Racing Town Time $$$Won
1 Alexis McDonald Gardiner 17.51 $1,171.24
2 Mylee Welch Joliet 17.5 $962.09
3 Molly Salmond Choteau 17.59 $752.94
4\5\6 Payton Levine WolfCreek 17.65 $362.53
4\5\6 Celie Salmond Choteau 17.65 $362.53
4\5\6 Keslie Wolfe Boulder 17.65 $362.53
7 Tammy Jo Carpenter Kalispell 17.69 $125.49
8 Abby Knight Charlo 17.70 $83.66
Place Ladies Breakaway Town Time $$$Won
1 Meghan McGinley Bozeman 2.7 $1,250.20
2 Celie Salmond Choteau 8 $1,026.95
3 SydneyBrander Saint Ignatius 3.0 $803.70
4 Rachel Ward Philipsburg 3.1 $580.45
5 Milee Dailey Pray 4.1 $357.20
6 Grace Lenhardt Helena 4.2 $223.25
7 Brooklin Baukol ClydePark 4.5 $133.95
8 Alix Carpenter Bozeman 5.8 $89.30
Place Jr Barrel Racing Town Time $$$Won
1 Chaney Akin Cody 18.01 $288.00
2 Sophia Neill Whitefish 18.09 $216.00
3 Tye Brown Helena 18.29 $144.00
4 Payten Johnston Polson 18.39 $72.00
Place JR Breakaway Roping Town Time $$$ Won
1 Darby StonehoR Charlo 4.9 $240.00
2 Cooper Eash Fortine 6.3 $180.00
3\4 Brennan Harris Ronan 13.1 $90.00
3\4 Tristen Cheff Kalispell 13.1 $90.00
