Rodeo excitement comes to Havre

While many associate the Great Northern Fair with great food and fun rides, it's also a great week for sports and none of the events are better than the Great Northern Open Rodeo.

For years, the rodeo, has been the headlining event at the Great Northern Fair, and it will be one of the big draws again this year, with some differences.

In the past, the Great Northern Ram Rodeo, was a two-day event. Now, it has been shrunk down to one night and one day of slack. However, even though the open rodeo is actually just one night, the action should be increased the second night because the Great Northern Rodeo is also helping put on the Cody Four Colors Bull Riding Friday night.

The main rodeo performance will be tonight, with the action getting underway at 7. Slack will be throughout the day and started at 10 a.m. The Bull Riding will take place Friday night, with the cowboys set to start riding at 7 p.m.

Bull riding has always been one of the most entertaining events to watch at the rodeo and this year, with a $5,000 prize to go along with the top buckle, there should be no problem attracting top cowboys to compete. There will be plenty of local talent and other top cowboys from across Montana and even from Canada in an effort to win the big cash prize. The announcer for Friday night's bull riding will be Jeff Marn. The judges will be Scott Breding and Russell Friend. The stock is being provided by Clint Solomon, Shane Gunderson and Bird Bucking Bulls.

The Great Northern Rodeo is certainly to have a different feel to it, particularly with it being just the one night, but fans shouldn't fret. They will get to see all the same events, including bull riding tonight. The bull riding competition, which has 13 entrants, will be one of the top draws, along with saddle bronc riding and bareback riding.

Some of the other events that will take place tonight are steer wrestling, team roping, tie-down roping, ladies barrel racing, ladies breakaway roping, as well as a juniors barrel race and junior breakaway roping. All events come with a top prize of $500, while the two junior events come with top prizes of $250.

One of the most exciting things about the rodeo at the Great Northern Fair is the chance for local cowboys and cowgirls to make a name for themselves. And tonight, fans will see competitors from across the state, but even more so representing Havre, Chinook, Rocky Boy, Harlem, Box Elder and Big Sandy.

George Marcenko of Havre will be one of the top local cowboys in action. He is currently sixth in the Montana PRCA standings in tie-down roping and will try to add to this stellar campaign with a strong performance in front of the hometown fans. Emily Kallenberger and Paige Raty are some of the top cowgirls that will be in action, joining numerous others from the along the Hi-Line.

Slack at the Great Northern Open Rodeo got underway this morning, while the performance starts tonight at 7, with bronc riding as the opening event. The competition will conclude with bull riding. The Cody Four Colors Memorial Bull Riding will also be held inside the arena at the Great Northern Fair. It will start Friday at 7 p.m.