Wilsall Rodeo

WILSALL, MONTANA RODEO
By Pamela Bussi

I recently ventured to Wilsall, Montana, home of the Wilsall Rodeo. Wilsall, Montana is located on US Highway 89 in the historic Shields River Valley, about 45 minutes east of Bozeman. Wilsall is located in Park County with a population of around 250. It is a peaceful, quaint farm and ranch community.

It was founded in 1887 when the owners of Jordan-Robertson Company donated a plot of land where the city now sits. As many Montana towns, the railroad was the main emphasis. The railroad came through in 1909. The first church was built in 1912 and the school in 1914. The town bar must have come shortly after or before the church and school, this would be according to Montana tradition.

In 1916 the population of Wilsall was nearly 1300 with 2 banks, 3 grain elevators,3 stores, 2 hotels, a bakery, 2 hospitals, a flour mill, 3 lumber yards, 3 churches and the most incredible of all was a paid baseball team.

The depression of 1920 hit Wilsall hard and soon the banks closed and the town of Wilsall began to loss population quickly.

Though the population and businesses are not what they once were the scenery is still the same. The Crazy Mountains make an incredible back drop. It is a quiet, scenic community filled with ranchers and women who know how to cook and hospitality is #1.

Wilsall is a true ranching community. The men and women of this valley make a living off the land, skillful as stewards of the land, and respectful of nature and its components. There is a special bond between the land and the people. Cattle can be seen for miles, as far the horizon.

Wilsall Rodeo

The Wilsall Rodeo is a two-day small-town, Montana rodeo with a barbeque and parade with the Northern Rodeo Association as a sanctioned event. The Women of Wilsall provide the food for the concessions at the rodeo.

In 1953 a few locals with a rodeo bug talked of doing a rodeo in Wilsall. There was a town meeting with about 30 people in attendance and as they say the rest is history. Today about 150 members make up the Wilsall Rodeo Committee that put on a top notch small-town rodeo.

In the beginning shares of stock were sold for money to erect the chutes and arena. May of 1954, the chutes and arena was built. The first rodeo took place on June 29th, 1954. With great success the rodeo has continued every since 1954.

In 1958 the rodeo became a two-day event with many locals desiring to try their hand at riding some type of animal. All of the shows are amateur, but many of the riders have gone on to the professional rodeo circuit and made into rodeo stars.

Showcasing the best cowboy and cowgirl in rodeo events takes place mid June at this ranching community of Wilsall, Montana. Ride ‘em, buck ‘em or tie ‘em. It all takes place at the Rodeo in Wilsall.

Wilsall Rodeo takes place annually mid June and the Wilsall Ranch Rodeo takes place the end of August.

Life of a Cowboy and Cowgirl in Montana

The Montana cowboys and cowgirls tend cattle, living on ranches. Many of the ranches in the area are large spreads of land. Horseback riders tend the animals, checking for the health of the herd as well as water for their animals and fence.
Many ranchers in the area have a summer pasture and a winter pasture. The winter pasture is closer to home as the winters can be long, white and impassible with vehicles.

Those who do not live on the ranch, but rather read about it, feel that ranching is romantic and John Wayne being the norm for ranchers, which any Montanan will tell you is bogus. Dude ranches in Montana are scattered throughout the state that take the out of state visitor and give them a ranching treat.

Cowboys and Cowgirls have their own equipment, clothing, poetry, jewelry, coffee, dances, recipes and activities. The cowboy sometimes is known as the west gun slinger as well. Barbed wire and denim jeans say, “Cowboy”.

Nelson Story from Bozeman, Montana was one of the first trail bosses in the state. He made his fortune in mining gold in Virginia City, Montana.

Chuck wagons, cattle drives, branding parties and calving are high events in the life of the cowboy and cowgirl.

Cowboys and cowgirls are proud of their abilities as horsemen and take great pride in the quality of their saddles, reins, bits, and spurs. They have a love of the land, their animals and lifestyle.

Saloons, poker, trappers, hunting, mining and gambling, vigilante are words that sometimes describe a cowboy or cowgirl.

Montana Rodeos

Montana and Rodeo are two words that are synonymous. The other two words that go together at Rodeo’s are hamburgers and Budweiser. Small town rodeos to the larger city rodeos take place from June to September. The season opens with the Miles City Bucking Horse Sale. Cowboys ride bulls and horses which are scored and sold to compete in the summer rodeo circuit.

Today there are six standard rodeo events: bareback bronc riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, steer wrestling and calf roping. Team roping is specialized event as well as barrel racing which women participate.

In the riding events, the cowboy must stay on the animals for 8 seconds, holding on with one hand. Riders are disqualified if they fall off or touch the animal with their free hand. In bareback bronc riding, the rider must hold on to a special rigging mounted just behind the horse's shoulders while the horse bucks wildly. Riding saddle bronc is similar except the rider holds on to a single halter rope and sits on a special light saddle.

Bull riding is the most dangerous of all rodeo events. The cowboy holds on to a flat braided rope that is around the bull. A flank strap is tied around the midsection of the bull. It in no way harms the bull genitalia, rather it is an irritant to the bull and he wants to get it off of him. The bull bucks and kicks in an attempt to get rid of the irritant. Immediately after the bull ride, the strap is removed.

The gate of the shoot is opened after the bull rider indicates he is ready for the ride. The bull and rider compete and crowd gets very involved cheering for the rider. Bull riding is the most popular event and has its own tour, the Professional Bull Riders tour.

Calf roping, steer wrestling and barrel racing are all timed events. In calf roping the cowboy on the horseback ropes the calf, dismounts and ties three legs of the calf. The rider then remounts, loosens the rope, and waits for five seconds to see if the calf escapes. If the calf does free itself, the cowboy is disqualified.

In steer wrestling, a rider transfers from a running horse onto the back of a steer, catches its horns, stops the steer and wrestles him to the ground. In barrel racing, the rider races their horse around barrels set in a cloverleaf pattern.

No rodeo is a rodeo without the rodeo clown. They are agile, talented and alert to the happenings in the arena. The rodeo clown is the cowboy’s advocate. The main job of the clown is to protect the cowboy. Clowns try to distract the animal so that the rider can get a safe distance from the animal. Clowns generally wear bright, mismatched outfits, silly hats, and other attire that may cause the animal to go for the clown rather than the cowboy. The clown as well keeps the audience involved in the rodeo with skits, jokes and commentary.

For a listing of Montana rodeos check out the Montana events website.

Article is written by Pamela Bussi. Pamela resides in Bozeman, Montana with her husband and co-business owner of Ideal Photography, www.idealphotography.biz. Pamela grew up on a farm and ranch in northern Montana, along the hi-line. She was active in her family farm and ranch. She grew up loving the land, and country lifestyle.

Pamela enjoys traveling her state, Montana, photographing and writing about small town lifestyle. For more information, check out her website at: www.pamelabussi.com.