Rodeo's Youth Movement

There is one sport that is often overlooked, even though it's a popular sport in the state of Montana, and that's the rodeo.

While it's sometimes overlooked when it comes to the attention other sports get, the people that are involved with it and participate in it, are extremely passionate about it. And that passion is the life force of the local Hi-Line Rodeo Club.

The rodeo team, which includes local high school and middle school competitors from around the area, got its start, in its current form back in 2013. That was when Ruby Hould took over as the club's organizer.

"There had already been a club," Hould said. "But it was inactive at the time and that's when I decided to try and take this on."

The club is designed to help kids get to different events and also to help organize things like going to competitions and even practicing in the winter, which can be difficult in Havre due to the weather.

"It's nice because it allows the kids and the parents to travel together and be at the same events," Hould said. "We are all kind of new to this, so we are kind of learning everything together. In the winter months, we practice at the Bigger, Better Barn and parents, as well as friends of the rodeo community help the kids practice their events and even (provide) stock."

The Hi-Line Rodeo Club, which also puts on the junior rodeo, an annual event at the Great Northern Fair, currently has 14 members and after competing since August, many of them have qualified to compete at the state level.

The club is split into two groups, high school and junior high and each age group currently has seven members competing. At the high school level, the team features Kylie Mikuski, Connor Bender, Austin Miller, Jenna Meldrum, Katelin Harvey, Sable Swinney and Dane Jacobson.

Most compete in two or three events and two high schoolers, sophomore Mikuski and Harvey, a junior, qualified for state. Mikuski qualified for the state finals in pole bending and goat tying and Harvey, who is from Gildford made it in barrel racing and pole bending.

When it comes to the junior high team, the results are even better as Cole Hould, Reece Miller, Enyis Colliflower, Taylor Harwood, Lexus Swinney, Brad Cichosz and Mary Gibson all qualified for the state finals.

Hould is one of the busiest team members as he competes in four events and qualified in all four, which are bull riding, tie down roping, breakaway roping and team roping. Yet, he is far from the only member to qualify in multiple events. Miller will compete at state in chute dogging, tie down roping and team roping, where he will pair with Hould.

Colliflower, who is from Box Elder, made it to state in barrel racing, pole bending and breakaway roping. Swinney made the finals in barrel racing and goat tying, while Cichosz made it as a bull rider. Gibson will also compete at state for the Hi-Line team and she will do so in the barrel racing, pole bending and goat tying.

"The kids go and compete against kids from all across the state," Hould said. "There aren't a lot of other teams out there, but there are some that we can compete against. And if the kids place well enough at state, they can go to nationals."

Last year, Tyler Davey became the first person from Hi-Line Rodeo to make nationals since Hould took over leadership in 2013, but next month at the state high school and junior high finals rodeos, the teams will have a chance to send more.

The MHSRA junior high state finals rodeo will take place in Laurel June 3-5. The high school state finals rodeo will be in Baker June 7-12.