He’s been in the Flathead Valley before, but it’s been awhile.

“I was 5 years old,” Orin Larsen of Inglis, Manitoba, said.

“A vacation when I was little.”

Twenty-two years later, he’s back. A much shorter visit this time, however, as he was here strictly for business.

The 27-year-old bareback rider, ranked seventh in the latest Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association standings, was the top draw in his event for the first performance of the Northwest Montana Fair PRCA Rodeo at the Flathead County Fairgrounds on Thursday.

“It’s out of the way to get here,” said of why he’s failed to make this an annual rodeo stop.

“I wish I came here more often.”

And that might happen now after his showing on a horse called Critical Smile. Larsen was the seventh rider out and posted the highest score of the night with an 88. That mark is also strong enough to hold up with two more nights of rodeo action to follow.

Seth Lee Hardwick of Ranchester, Wyoming, was the sixth cowboy out and briefly topped the leaderboard with his 85-point ride on All In. Hardwick is ranked 18th.

Checking in with the third-best score was Pascal Isabelle of Okotoks, Alberta, with an 80 on Shadow Falls. Trevor McAllister of Polson was next with a 78.

“The horses are great here,” Larsen said of the Kesler Championship Rodeo stock.

“And Kalispell is such a beautiful place in the world.”

Larsen had plenty of background information on Critical Smile, which helped him score high and make his full eight-second ride count.

“Couple of my buddies had him this year,” Larsen said.

“They had good looks on him. They did win.

“He’s a young horse,” Larsen added. “Fun feeling horse ... just electric. He doesn’t have a pattern yet, he’s still learning. He’s getting better and better every time. I felt pretty much in control for the most part.”

Larsen’s busy schedule continues as he is scheduled to ride in Billings tonight.

“I’ve been pretty fortunate,” he said. “I keep getting horses like this that I need to be on for the season and the NFR (National Finals Rodeo in December).”

Larsen finished eighth last year at the NFR. He’s qualified for that season ending event three times.

Thursday’s saddle bronc lineup featured the high-flying Wright brothers from Milford, Utah — Ryder, ranked third in the standings; Rusty, ranked sixth, and Spencer, who is 17th.

The other-ranked cowboy was Isaac Diaz of Desdemona, Texas.

Ryder Wright notched a 77, Spencer Wright was a point better and Diaz came through with an 84 on Sunset Strip.

There was no score for Rusty.

But it was an unranked Montana cowboy who had the best go.

NFR finalist Jesse Kruse of Great Falls left the arena with an 86 on Willow Brook to hold down first place.

“There were some good horses, good riders here,” Kruse said. “He (Duane Kesler of Kesler Rodeo Company, the stock contractor) said he’s good. A young, upcoming good horse. He bucked good, stayed strong and didn’t weaken.”

Kruse, normally a contender for a world title, has struggle through a tough 2018 season.

“Injuries, trying to get my saddle act together,” he said.

“I’ve mainly done the circuit (Montana) to get this all figured out. And that hasn’t been going very well either. Hopefully next year it will take off again. Hopefully this is a turnaround.”

He said the fair rodeo “is too good of a rodeo” to pass on.

“I always want to come here.”

The rodeo weekend continues for Kruse with stops in Circle, Billings and Baker the next three days. Then it’s back home to Great Falls for two days before another road trip that includes stops in Miles City, Rapid City, South Dakota, and Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

Heidi Schmid of Kalispell gave rodeo fans something to cheer about as she had the second-best time in barrel racing at 17.76. Heather Crowler of Poplar leads with a 17.56.

Gerald Eash of Trego has the sixth-best score in saddle bronc with a 69.

Rodeo action tonight and Saturday begins at 7:30 p.m.

Northwest Montana Fair

PRCA Rodeo

Thursday

Flathead County Fairgrounds

Bareback riding ­— 1. Orin Larsen, Inglis, Manitoba, 88 points on Critical Smile; 2. Seth Lee Hardwick, Ranchester, Wyoming, 85; 3. Pascal Isabelle, Okotoks, Alberta, 80; 4. Trevor McAllister, Polson, 78; 5. Tristan Hansen, Dillon, 77; 6. (tie) Spur Lacasse, Calgary, Alberta, and Wyatt Maines, Maple Creek, Saskatchewan, 76 each.

Team roping — 1. Jade Stoddard, Sugar City, Idaho, /Matt Williams, Rexburg, Idaho, 7.4 seconds; 2. Brady Tryan, Billings/Kasper Roy, Mossleigh, Alberta, 7.8; 3. Shane Schwenke, Zortman/Mike Beers, Kamloops, British Columbia, 7.9; no other qualified runs.

Saddle bronc — 1. Jesse Kruse, Great Falls, 86 points Willow Brook; 2. Isaac Diaz, Desdemona, Texas, 84; 3. Spencer Wright, Milford, Utah, 78; 4. Ryder Wright, Milford, 77; 5. Mitch Pollock, Winnemucca, Nevada, 73; 6. Gerald Eash, Trego, 69.

Tie-down roping — 1. J.C. Crowley, Poplar, 15.5 seconds; 2. Donnie Benson, Dillon, 15.9; 3. Jade Gardner, Winnett, 16.5; 4. Casey Butaud, Houston, Texas, 19.8; 5. Ty Hedrick, Jackson, 21.0; no other qualified runs.

Barrel racing — 1. Heather Crowley, Poplar, 17.56 seconds; 2. Heidi Schmid, Kalispell, 17.76; 3. Lexi Benson, Dillon, 17.93; 4. Brenna Krueger, Zortman, 18.98; 5. Kellie Collier, Hereford, 21.30; no other qualified runs.

Bull riding — 1. Nevada Newman, Melstone, 77 points on Electric Blue; no other qualified rides.

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Total payoff: $70,108. Stock contractor: Kesler Championship Rodeo. Sub-contractor: Kesler Rodeo.