Time Capsule: Arlee’s youngest barrel racer, state grant for Polson, first scenic walkway

The Lake County Leader, April 9, 1992

How the West is worn: Arlee cowgirl earns fame, small fortune as model

ARLEE - Local barrel-racer Rachael Myllymaki, the 15-year-old who made news as the youngest contestant to ever compete in the National Finals Rodeo, is once again the subject of national attention.

Garbed in colorful ranchwear, Rachael can now be seen on posters and in national magazines as a model for Wrangler, a national western-wear manufacturer. Page, her faithful barrel-racing steed, can be seen in the background of some of the ads filmed near Geyser, Mont.

"Rachael Myllymaki learned two things at a young age," say the captions. "How to become the youngest NFR competitor ever, and how to look good doing it." The Arlee teen was contacted by Wrangler after her NFR competition several years ago brought her into the rodeo limelight, and her story appeared in "People" magazine. At first, the jeans manufacturer simply requested preliminary photographs of Rachael and her horse.

The pictures sparked some interest, and more photos were sought - this time close-ups and a body shot "to determine if I'd look good in Wranglers," said Ra-chael. A series of phone conversations followed.

The upshot was a professional photo shoot last June at the ranch of family friends Jim and Raelene Croft.

A crew of eight, including an artist to check the landscape and another to coordinate colors, a person to handle the special wardrobe, the photographer and various assistants, flew in from the East Coast to do the filming.

For 10 hours, between sunrise to sunset, Rachael demonstrated her winning smile in 1,200 shots. She was praised by the crew as a "very accommodating model," she said. She, in turn, described the group as "very agreeable," even when she struck a wrong pose. Their manner of "tiptoeing around cowpies" made the country girl and her parents, Gene and Judy Myllymaki, laugh. 

At the end of the day, Rachael was $750 richer and worn out. Although at the time she didn't think she'd care to repeat the experience, she has recently reconsidered.

Meanwhile, she's not letting her celebrity image change her style. Her new ambition is to learn roping and go to the NFR as the youngest team-roper ever.

"You've got to take risks in life. You can't be conservative," said Rachael. "You have to go get what you want. No one will give it to you."

State might help: Polson eyes grant for water tank overhaul

POLSON - City water/sewer superintendent John Campbell will be looking for grant money soon to help repair Polson's two oldest water reservoirs.

The 250,000-gallon tanks off Hillcrest Drive were built around the time of World War I, according to Campbell. Wind and wave action over the decades has caused extensive damage to their concrete walls, he said.

At Monday's city council meeting, Campbell was authorized to get repair bids and work with an engineer to draft a grant request for the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.

Campbell said the maximum amount of a DNRC grant would be $100,000. Other sources of funding may be available, he added.

In other council business Monday:

• Polson Outdoors Inc. was given permission to build two new boat slips on the west side of the city docks at Sacajawea Park.
• The council had a first reading on a beefed-up weed control ordinance.
• Some fine-tuning is expected before the next reading on April 20.
• The council appointed a committee to review Polson's sidewalk ordinances.

First step taken in building scenic walkway 

POLSON - The first section of a planned scenic walkway here is taking shape on Highway 93 west of town.

A path has been graded through the meridian adjacent to the highway, from just west of the bridge to near the Diamond Horseshoe. The path, to be lined temporarily with crushed rock, will eventually continue to the turnoff for Rocky Point Road, says Polson Tree Board chairman Gayle Siemers.

The board has been working to involve the public in an organized beautification program for about two years. In 1991, it received both a $7,000 federal forestry grant and recognition for Polson as a Tree City USA, a National Arbor Day Foundation designation for communities with an active tree-planting project.

Siemers said most of the grant money was spent on trees for the walkway. Tree Board members and other volunteers did the planting while a city crew bladed the path. Lake County has committed to doing mowing and other maintenance.

By the end of this year, the board hopes to have the walkway completed between the Diamond Horseshoe and the bridge. Next up would be paths under the bridge linking Riverside and Sacajawea parks.

"We want to make it as safe as possible" for people to use the parks and waterfront areas, says Siemers …