Fierce competitors, families flock to Flathead River Rodeo
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Les Baldwin Arena surrounded by the Mission Mountians.
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Browning’s Rachel Hepner is 2017 Miss Indian Rodeo.
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Collin Johnson walks with his tiny tot, Harlee Johnson after her barrel racing.
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Young barrel racer Kesler Harwood beams at her mother Bess.
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Brinley Tatsey sets the pace for the Tiny Tots barrel racing.
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Danger Dan connects with the kids behind the scenes.
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Taylissa Lytle has a quiet moment with her horse before competing.
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POLSON – One thing was obvious to those who attended last weekend’s Flathead River Rodeo at the Polson Fairgrounds: it was a family event.
From babies to grandparents in the stands to children as young as 2 participating in events, the family focus was evident.
Polson residents Jim and Judy Kase brought their 3- and 5-year-old grandkids to their first rodeo. Jim Kase is a Havre native and as such has been involved in rodeos all of his life with bull riding being his favorite event.
Rodeo clown “Danger Dave” Whitmoyer, 32, of Corvallis wowed the crowd with his high-stepping antics.
Whitmoyer is a regular at the event, which he calls his “favorite by far.” And that’s saying something because he performs at about 50 rodeos a year.
“The crowd is one of the better crowds,” Whitmoyer said. “It’s not the biggest rodeo,” but it’s the best as far as he’s concerned. “It’s one of the funniest rodeos of the year,” he
said.
Whitmoyer, a Helena native and former bull fighter who has been a rodeo clown exclusively for nine years now, entertains the crowd with his shtick, which includes frequent barbs about his mother-in-law, dancing with competitors for a free t-shirt, and seemingly non-stop one-liners and jokes, including digs at Montana State University football, for example.
The event, which is held at the Les Baldwin Arena, features cowboys and cowgirls competing for fun or to qualify for the Indian National Finals Rodeo, which will be held Nov. 7-11 in Las Vegas.
The majority of the competitors come from Montana or Canada, said Pete White, the event’s fundraiser and producer. Purses ranged from $800-1,300.
Rodeo Results
