Mission Mountain Rodeo kicks off rodeo season
Hey savvy news reader! Thanks for choosing local.
You are now reading
1 of 3 free articles.
POLSON — The Mission Mountain Rodeo celebrated its 82nd annual rodeo last weekend, packing the Polson Fairgrounds with contestants and onlookers in the first rodeo of the season in the area.
Held every year since 1940 – minus a year off for COVID-19 – the Mission Mountain Rodeo is sanctioned by the Northern Rodeo Association (NRA) and brought in contestants from all over Montana and beyond, along with quite a few well-known locals like the Bagnells, the Lyttons, the Hughes and more.
Kicked off on Friday with stock from Big Circle Rodeo, the event started off with the kiddos with mutton busting, mini buckers, and mini bulls. Then the regular rodeo kicked off at seven, with all the fan favorite events from bareback riding and barrel racing to roping and steer wrestling.
This year also featured the return of teenage trick riders Audrey Snellman and Oli Leininger, who performed at the rodeo in 2022, along with an additional performer this year. “They did a fantastic performance for us last year, these young gals, so we invited them back again,” Una Rose Graham commented. “(It’s) a nice weekend. We want people to come out and enjoy the good food and beverages and the rodeo action and the views that we have. (They get) the chance to see people they haven’t seen, the people they haven’t seen all winter – people are excited to get out and do things.”
To see the final results and winners from this weekend’s rodeo once they’re posted, visit the NRA website at: https://www.northernrodeo.com/2023-rodeo-schedule.
