Friday, January 23, 2026
14.0°F

High School Rodeo Finals heat up the arena

JULIE ENGLER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 7 months, 2 weeks AGO
by JULIE ENGLER
Julie Engler covers Whitefish City Hall and writes community features for the Whitefish Pilot. She earned master's degrees in fine arts and education from the University of Montana. She can be reached at [email protected] or 406-882-3505. | June 11, 2025 1:00 AM

The Montana High School Rodeo Association State Finals were held at the Majestic Valley Arena in Kalispell last week. 

Local cowgirl, Ruby Ray placed fifth in the championship round of barrel racing with a time of 16:04. In the pole bending competition, Ray, a national qualifier in the event, finished in second place by less than half a second with a time of 20.57.  

Isabella Moran of Kalispell also qualified for nationals in barrel racing and fellow Kalispell competitor Zoey Bruyer earned third place in the breakaway event with a time of 3.23. 

Columbia Falls cowboy Octavius Christianson qualified for nationals in bull riding.

Results for local competitors: 

Saddle bronc 

Championship round: 1. Randon Boyce, Browning, 74.5; 2. Colton Haase, East Helena, 73; 3. Levi Noyes, Sarpy, 64.5; 4. Kash Bouma, Fairfield, 51. 

National qualifiers: 1. Levi Noyes, Sarpy, 225; 2. Randon Boyce, Browning, 200; 3. Colton Haase, East Helena, 167; 4. Tahj Wells, Browning, 140.5. 



Breakaway 

Championship round: 1. Josie Robb, Bozeman, 2.99; 2. Linden Schenk, Joliet, 3.07; 3. Zoey Bruyer, Kalispell, 3.23 

Bull riding 

National qualifiers: 1. Tahj Wells, Browning, 107.5; 2. Octavius Christianson, Columbia Falls, 104; 3. Andy Wagner, Billings, 72; 3. Colt Holdbrook, Roberts, 68. 

Barrel racing 

Championship round: 1. Abigail DeVos, Fort Shaw, 15.65; 2. Jocie Rowen, Musselshell, 15.96; 3. Landry Larson, Sidney, 15.99; 4. Mesa Radue, Belgrade, 16.02; 5. Ruby Ray, Whitefish, 16.04; 6. Allie Huskey, Shepherd 16.06. 

National qualifiers: 1. Jocie Roen, Musselshell, 212.5; 2. Landry Larson, Sidney, 195; 3. Abigail DeVos, Fort Shaw, 184; 4. Isabella Moran, Kalispell, 169.50. 

Pole bending 

Championship round: 1. Mackenzie Martell, Three Forks, 20.14; 2. Ruby Ray, Whitefish, 20.57; 3. Laney Rose Cote, Eureka, 20.9; 4. Tess Megill, Bigfork, 20.94; 5. Linden Schenk, Joliet, 21.10; 6. Shelby Gobbs, Glendive, 21.13. 

National qualifiers: 1. Tess Megill, Bigfork, 208; 2. Shelby Gobbs, Glendive, 186; 3. Mackenzie Martell, Three Forks, 185; 4. Ruby Ray, Whitefish, 168.  

Bareback 

Championship round: 1. Wyatt Warneke, Great Falls, 74.5; 2. Leighton Lafromboise, Helena, 66.5; 3. Wace Williams, Browning, 47. 

National qualifiers: 1. Leighton Lafromboise, Helena, 228; 2. William Barnett, Absarokee, 174.5; 3. Wyatt Warneke, Great Falls,152; 4. Wace Williams, Browning, 77. 

For a full list of results visit www.406mtsports.com. 

    Octavius Christianson, from Columbia Falls, competes in bull riding at the Montana High School Rodeo Association Finals at Majestic Valley Arena on Thursday, June 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider 
 
 


    Tahj Wells, from Browning, competes in bull riding at the Montana High School Rodeo Association Finals at Majestic Valley Arena on Thursday, June 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider 
 
 


ARTICLES BY JULIE ENGLER

Students share growth policy ideas with Planning Commission
January 21, 2026 1 a.m.

Students share growth policy ideas with Planning Commission

A dozen Whitefish High School students presented ideas for Vision Whitefish 2045, the growth policy update, to the Planning Commission.

Habitat for Humanity pitches plan to build townhomes in Whitefish
January 15, 2026 11 p.m.

Habitat for Humanity pitches plan to build townhomes in Whitefish

The Whitefish City Council meeting last week began with the swearing in of reelected Councilors Ben Davis, Giuseppe Caltabiano and Andy Feury, and was followed by more swearing as the night saw an hour of intense public comment followed by three hearings and a handful of other items.

The Flag Man spreads cheer in Whitefish
January 21, 2026 1 a.m.

The Flag Man spreads cheer in Whitefish

Al Wallenstein, The Flag Man, has been “an honest man trying to make a living selling his wares” on a few street corners on the south side of Whitefish.