MSU-N rodeo teams come home

The Montana State University-Northern men's and women's rodeo teams kicked off the 2014 season last week in Wyoming. But now, for the only time all year, the Lights and Skylights get to host their own Big Sky Region Rodeo.

The annual MSU-Northern Rodeo starts Friday night and runs through Sunday afternoon at the Great Northern Fairgrounds Arena, and for the Lights and Skylights it's the one time all season they don't have to travel.

Northern started its fall schedule last weekend in Powell, Wyoming, but now the Lights and Skylights will play host to the full Big Sky Region. In attendance this weekend in Havre will be cowboys and cowgirls from Montana State, the University of Montana, UM-Western, Miles Community College, Dawson Community College and the University of Great Falls. The rodeo will have two night performance, slack on Saturday morning and a short-go on Sunday. So the action will be fast and furious.

The Northern men's team will be well-represented this weekend, including by a pair of local products. Big Sandy's Cooper Jenkins is a sophomore in team roping, as is Box Elder freshman Klay Duran. Cody Ulsh and Colten Henderson, who placed in Wyoming last weekend, ride saddle bronc, while Canyon Rehbein, Cole Wagner and Austin Wagner all ride bulls. Kim Salois competes in bareback riding for the Lights, while Ethan Quinlan, Colton Weekes and Andrew Leo also compete in team roping.

The Skylights are made up of almost all local cowgirls this season. Junior Megan Raty of Chinook, competes in barrel racing, breakaway roping, team roping and goat tying, as does freshman sister Paige Raty. Chinook's Laramie Pursley, a junior, also races barrels for the Skylights, as does Havre's Lexi Eierdam. Freshman Paige Swinney, of Gildford competes in in barrel racing, breakaway roping, team roping and goat tying, while senior Mariani Jochim, of Inverness does breakaway roping. Harlem's Vanessa Horn also races barrels. Sierra Collins races barrels and does breakaway roping for the Skylights, while senior Sarah Peterson does the same.

So while this weekend is a chance for Northern and head coach Doug Kallenberger to show off its rodeo program to home fans, it's also a chance for those fans to see a lot of Hi-Line cowboys and cowgirls compete at the collegiate level.

The 2014 MSU-Northern Rodeo starts with a performance Friday at 6 p.m. There will be slack Saturday morning, followed by another performance at 6 p.m. Saturday. There will also be a short-go starting at 9 a.m. Sunday. All of the action will take place at the Great Northern Fairgrounds Arena.