Area rodeo athletes saddle up for local competition
Tyler Houle, of Polson, drags a steer down in 8.8 seconds during the Mission Mountain Rodeo on Friday evening. (Rob Zolman/Lake County Leader)
Kyle McDonald, of Ronan, claims third place with a 78-point ride during the Mission Mountain Rodeo. (Rob Zolman/Lake County Leader)
Polson cowgirl Nicole Lake nabs a third place finish with a time of 5.1 seconds in the ladies breakaway. (Rob Zolman/Lake County Leader)
Polson tie-down roper Tim Bagnell wraps up his steer and a second place finish with a time of 11.8 seconds. (Rob Zolman/Lake County Leader)
Ronan cowgirl Madeline Clary races around barrel No. 2 during the Mission Mountain Rodeo on Saturday evening. (Rob Zolman/Lake County Leader)
POLSON — The 82nd edition of the Mission Mountain Rodeo hosted at the Polson Fairgrounds’Les Baldwin Arena provided spectators with a lot of grab-the-edge-of-your-seat rodeo action last weekend.
On Friday and Saturday evening, about 100 cowboys and cowgirls from around Northwest Montana battled for top prize money during the National Rodeo Association sanctioned event which featured various livestock events like bronc riding, tie-down roping, breakaway roping, barrel racing, bull riding and team roping.
Charlo ladies barrel racer Abby Knight posted a 17.62 second ride for fourth place, while Heather Dunning of Arlee in finished in fifth place and Paige Johnston of Polson placed seventh.
Junior barrel racer Brielle Zempel of Charlo placed third with a time of 18.38 seconds followed by an 18.88 second ride by Landyn Hughes of Polson for fourth place.
With only just a handful of cowboys entering the steer wrestling event, Tyler Houle of Polson won top prize money by dragging his steer down in 8.8 seconds.
Elsewhere in the arena, Polson tie-down roper Tim Bagnell finished second with a time of 11.8 seconds, Ronan roping duo Nick and Koy McAlister won fourth in the team roping event and Polson cowgirl Nicole Lake nabbed third with a time of 5.1 seconds in the ladies breakaway.
In the bull-riding event, Payton Fitzpatrick of Polson won top cash as he wowed the crowd with an 84-point ride. Wynn Wells of Ronan picked up a second-place check with a 79-point ride, Kyle McDonald also from Ronan claimed third with a 78-point ride and Grey Fitzpatrick with a 71-point ride nabbed fourth place.
