Flathead River Rodeo packs the grandstands
Berl Tiskus
Rodeo clown Danger Dave autographs a young lady’s T-shirt at the Thursday night performance of the Flathead River Rodeo, and Indian National Finals tour rodeo. Legend had it Dave Whitmoyer played football for the Carroll College Saints and is a hunting guide when he’s not performing at rodeos.
Berl Tiskus
Donna Small and her big paint horse Boogie turn into a barrel at the Flathead River Rodeo, an INFR Tour rodeo. The rodeo drew cowgirls and cowboys from around the nation.
Berl Tiskus
A tough pen of broncs makes winning a check at the Flathead River Rodeo a workout. A cowboy exits stage left
Berl Tiskus
Children dance along with Danger Dave.
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Dave Whitmoyer, known as "Danger Dave" entertained the crowd.
Berl Tiskus
Dave Whitmoyer, known as "Danger Dave" entertained the crowd.
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Faith Yolen
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Freddy Warbonnet
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A bucking horse bawls as it exits the gate.
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Jess Colliflower
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Jess Colliflower
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Faith Holyan can be seen in the jumbotron as she rounds a barrel.
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Otys LittleMustache steer wrestles.
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Otys LittleMustache steer wrestles.
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Pete White ropes a calf during the rodeo.
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A cowgirl hustles her horse along by making a "shhhhhhh" noise.
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INFR rodeo
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A spectator snaps a photo during the rodeo.
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Spurs
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Team roping
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Beside the calf chute
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Birthday girls Alaina and Catherine enjoy the rodeo.
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Only two bullriders covered their bulls during the Saturday evening performance. Justin Granger scored 81 points to win the go around.
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POLSON — Team ropers Kelsey Phillips and Kevin Yazzie won the average at the Flathead River Rodeo, an Indian National Finals Tour Rodeo, with a time of 11.8 on two steers. Even though it was dusk, the ropers had many miles to go before they slept. Loading their horses in the trailer, they headed back to Rosebud, S.D. to the Rosebud Fair and Rodeo, also an INFR tour rodeo. The Rand McNally mileage calculator online lists the trip as a cool 968.4 miles or about 14 hours and 11 minutes, but the cowboys were trying to win as much money and garner as many points for the finals as possible.
The Flathead River Rodeo began Aug. 22 and ran through Aug. 24, with slack performances and junior and senior events at 8 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
The weather was beautiful, the grandstands were full and a jumbotron mounted on the arena wall provided instant replays and close up shots of contestants. Cowboys and cowgirls gathered from Montana, Wyoming, Washington, Idaho and as far away as Florida, Arizona, New Mexico and Alberta to participate.
Pistol Creek Rodeo provided the stock, subcontracting out to other Indian stock contractors for the best of the best. A juicy string of bucking horses, tough bulls, fast roping calves and ornery wrestling steers made for good watching.
Local contestants competing, according to Pete White, rodeo general manager, were: McK’La Gonzales, Becky Jo Dumont, Yvette Vega, Nick Clairmont, Terry Pitts, Zanen Pitts, and Pete and Shanna White.
Adults from out of town polled about the event named music after the rodeo or the jumbotron as their favorite part, but almost all the kids, mostly contestants' children, were most excited about swimming in Flathead Lake.
