PLAINS - The second annual Chicks ‘N’ Chaps Women’s Rodeo Clinic was held at the Sanders County Fairgrounds during Fair on Friday that broke records in attendance and raised money for breast cancer awareness.

The Plains chapter of Chicks, headed by Brandi Chisholm, hosted the women-only clinic, and over 100 attendees learned rodeo skills such as roping, riding and rodeo clown barrel basics.

Professionals from the PRCA helped out at the event, hailing from places like Canada, Oklahoma and Missoula. 

The clinic participants were given 30 minutes at each station, in which they would take turns practicing the techniques taught to them by the rodeo professionals. A class favorite was “Bucky,” the bright-pink manual mechanical bull that the women were taught to ride by the fearless bullfighters that worked Fair rodeo through the weekend.

“What’s different about this year was that there were so many people willing to come,” Chisholm said. “It’s very exciting for us.”

Last year’s clinic raised enough for Chick ‘N’ Chaps to donate locally for breast cancer education and prevention to Clark Fork Valley Hospital and Cancer network of Sanders County. With that money, 23 mammograms were given for free, and three of those had to come back for further testing, and the costs of the follow-up appointments were paid for by CNSC. 

The clinic participants then sat in the “Chick Pit” at Friday night’s rodeo, donning their pink and proud to be tough enough to wear it.