Rodeo fun is highlight of Mineral County Fair
Kathleen Woodford Mineral Independent | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 7 years, 3 months AGO
A bareback rider is pulled into action by a wild bronc during the Superior Lions Club Rodeo on Aug. 5. (Kathleen Woodford/Mineral Independent).
Cowgirls from all over Montana joined in barrel racing during the rodeo at the Mineral County Fair earlier this month. (Erin Jusseaume/Clark Fork Valley Press).
Rodeo clown, Danger Dave entertained the rodeo crowd with an energetic two-hour show. (Kathleen Woodford/Mineral Independent).
Retired MSU Extension Agent, Kevin Chamberlain received an award for his 28 years of service during the Saturday rodeo on Aug. 5. (Kathleen Woodford/Mineral Independent).
A little buckaroo took to the arena at the start of the Superior Lions Club Rodeo at the Mineral County Fair. (Kathleen Woodford/Mineral Independent).
The bleachers were packed during Saturday evenings Superior Lions Club Rodeo on Aug. 5. (Kathleen Woodford/Mineral Independent).
Danger Dave did his best impersonation of Pamela Anderson in her TV role on Baywatch during a break in rodeo action. (Kathleen Woodford/Mineral Independent).
Superior student, Payton Milender, started the Saturday night rodeo action by singing the Star Spangled Banner. (Kathleen Woodford/Mineral Independent).
A cowboy takes his turn during steer wrestling at the Mineral County Fair on Aug 5. (Kathleen Woodford/Mineral Independent).
The Superior Lions Club returned for two nights of action during the Mineral County Fair on Aug. 4 and 5 with the “Go For the Gold Rodeo.”
The evening was packed with plenty of Northern Rodeo Association entertainment as the dirt arena filled with bareback riding, steer wrestling, tie down roping, barrel racing, bronc riding, and a crowd favorite, bull riding. The women’s riding club started the show with a performance of expertise riding formations around the arena, followed by Superior student, Payton Milender, singing the “Star Spangled Banner.”
The crowd was also entertained by professional rodeo clown and barrelman, Danger Dave Whitmoyer. Whitmoyer’s energy-filled antics left the crowd laughing as he danced, twerked, and out-ran bulls all evening, including an impersonation of Pamela Anderson from the popular television show, “Baywatch,” and Michael Jackson’s moon walk. He also joked that he was allergic to alcohol because, “whenever I drink I break out in handcuffs.”
But before the evening’s entertainment began on Saturday, long-time fair organizer Kevin Chamberlain was recognized. He recently retired after 28 years of service as the Montana State University Extension Agent who served Mineral County. Chamberlain worked tirelessly with the county’s 4-H program and officially turned over the reins to fellow MSU Extension Agent, Dave Brink a few days before the fair. Chamberlain was awarded a gold plaque which read, “Mineral County Fair Honoree, 2017, Kevin Chamberlain, In Recognition of Outstanding Community Service.”
The Red Eye Rodeo Company provided the stock as contestants took center-stage. Buckles were awarded to All Around Cowboy and Cowgirl, and a cooler to the high money earner. Contenders traveled from all over Montana and Idaho to participate, with Loncey Johnson from Dillon taking first place in bull riding with a score of 81 and winnings of $648. Hamilton’s Kris Anderson won in steer wrestling with a time of 5.9 seconds and won $565 and lady barrels first place went to Tammy Jo Carpenter of Kalispell with a time of 15.05 and $615.
Near the end of Saturday night’s show, several teams tried to wrangle a cow and milk it and a large group of kids chased down a calf with a ribbon on its tail. The ribbon was finally caught by a 9-year-old boy named Jackson. The Kelly Hughes Band entertained the crowd on stage outside the grand stands for the rest of the evening where couples danced under a wildfire-smoke-filled starry night.
Bareback
1st-Troy Kirkpatrick, Wise River, 82, $535.80
2nd- J2 Bridgers, Dillon, 70, $401.85
Place Saddle Bronc Town Score winnings
1st- Tyler Friend Driggs, 81, $789.60
2nd- Cody R. Miller, Pryor, 78, $592.20
3rd- Dakota Munns, St. Anthony, 72, $394.80
4\5- Brady Croy, Cameron, 68, $98.70
4\5- Cree Minkoff, Billings, 68, $98.70
Steer Wrestling
1st- Kris Anderson, Hamilton, 5.9, $565.88
2nd- Cody Wiberg, Victor, 6.5, $424.41
3rd- Caden Camp, Belgrade, 8.7, $282.94
4\5- Tyler Houle, Polson, 9.7, $70.73
4\5- Kyle Anderson, Hamilton, 9.7, $70.73
Bull Riding
1st- Loncey Johnson, Dillon, 81, $648.60
Place Calf Roping Town Time Winnings
1st- Chase Mitchell, Shepherd, 10.9, $746.36
2nd- Jed Davison, Miles City, 11.8, $559.77
3rd- Josh Harris, Ronan, 12.0, $373.18
4th- Duston Stephens, Corvllis, 12.6, $186.59
Team Roping
1st- Shawn Smith/Brandon Nicholls, Butte, 5.8, $655.18
2nd- Brad Yerian Hamilton/Michael Sacks, 6.2, $491.39
3rd- Chris Westphal/Wilson Pike, Kalispell, 8.2, $327.59
4th- Lawrence Lesofski/Matt Lesofski, Helena, 8.8, $163.80
Lady Barrels
1st- Tammy Jo Carpenter, Kalispell, 15.05, $615.23
2nd- Cierra Tredway, Belgrade, 15.30, $470.47
3\4\5- Lisa Warfield, Helena, 15.40, $241.26
3\4\5- Abby Knight, Charlo, 15.40, $241.26
3\4\5 Maggie Lund, Ronan, 15.40, $241.26
Lady Breakaway
1st- Tiffany Ogren, Hysham, 2.7, $753.74
2nd- Cierra Tredway, Belgrade, 2.8, $623.78
3\4- Lacey Camp, Belgrade, 2.9, $428.85
3\4- Tammy Jo Carpenter, Kalispell, 2.9, $428.85
5th- Jessie Marreel, Great Falls, 3.8, $233.92
6th- Darby Yeager, Choteau, 3.9, $129.96
Jr. Barrels
1st- Brynna Wolfe, Whitehall, 15.31, $105.60
2nd- Kylie Lund, Ronan, 15.63, $79.20
3rd- Haven Wolstein, Helena, 15.67, $52.80
4th- Paige Palin, Corvallis, 15.68, $26.40
Jr. Breakaway
1st- Tayla Moeykens, Three Forks, 3.2, $144.00
2nd- Mitchell Detton, Great Falls, 3.8, $108.00
3rd- Luke Murphy, Helena, 3.9, $72.00
4th- Trinity Bushnell, Helena, 4.3, $36.00