Great Northern Ram Open Rodeo kicks off at fair

Editor's note: For full coverage of the Great Northern Ram Rodeo, see Sports on Page A6

"The Hi-Line in Montana has some of the greatest cowboys," announcer Wade Colliflower said during Thursday night's bronc riding competition.

The Great Northern Fair rodeo kicked off at 7 p.m. Riders had turned out and people of all ages filed in to watch, cheer and enjoy.

Before the horses started buckin' and the cowboys hit dirt, Carlie Thune was crowned the new Miss Great Northern Rodeo queen.

Her crowning has been a long time coming, an excited Thune said just minutes after accepting the crown.

"I enjoy the queening. It's always been passed down," she said. "My aunt put a crown on my head and said this is what you're going to do."

Thune said, as queen, she will travel and help out at rodeos around the state.

Thune spoke very passionately about the western heritage of rodeo.

"It's a lot of family tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation," she said. "Buckin' horses have gotten stronger, the bulls have gotten bigger, calves have gotten faster, queens have gotten quicker - we've all learned to adapt. It's definitely a fun atmosphere to be in."

"I'm excited to be here - and it's very hot out here," she added, before getting on her horse.

Last year's Miss Great Northern Rodeo, Kylie Mikuski, 17, a self-proclaimed "daredevil at heart" rode saddle bronc for the first time in a rodeo Thursday night. She thought she got about "two or three" bucks before being thrown off her horse.

Kylie said she had moved from California a few years ago with rodeo a top consideration.

"I've been wanting to get into rodeo for years and finally when I moved here it gave me the opportunity to do rodeo," Kylie said. "Ever since then, rodeo has been my escape - peace and happiness - it's just so much fun."

Kylie said she knows she's in a male-dominated sport, but she sees only way to deal with it.

"I get a little bit of crap here and there, but you just gotta prove them right or prove them wrong," she said.

Her rodeo career is just beginning, she said.

"It was a lot of fun. I wanna do it again," she said.

Kolin and Christian Cash of Havre walked through the arena entrance with four children in tow, half of them with ice cream treats in their hands.

Although they'd been coming to the fair for three years, Kolin said, this would be their first time watching a rodeo. The Cashes are originally from Colorado, but moved here about three years ago.

The parents and children all enjoy the fair, Christian Cash said, but for slightly different reasons.

The kids enjoy the rides, Christian said, while the parents enjoy the food. They were all excited about watching the rodeo.