Home Fun: A weekend of MSU-N rodeo and cross country in Havre

The Montana State University-Northern rodeo and cross country teams are both two weeks into their 2017 season. And while the first two weeks have gone good for all of the Lights and Skylights, this Saturday is one Northern has really been looking forward too.

The MSU-N rodeo teams, under the direction of head coach Doug Kallenberger, will host the MSU-Northern Big Sky Region Rodeo Friday and Saturday at Great Northern Fairgrounds. It's been several years since Northern hosted a fall season rodeo, but this weekend, college rodeo finally returns to Havre.

The Northern women are off to a great start, having won the season-opening Big Sky Region Rodeo two weeks ago in Cody, Wyoming. Last week in Glendive, the Skylights also got good finishes from Tara Lee Stimpson in breakaway roping and Paige Raty in barrel racing. The Skylights currently sit third in the Big Sky Region standings.

The MSU-N men meanwhile, are currently fifth in the Big Sky team standings. Team ropers Clay Doney and Zane Marcenko are currently fifth in the team roping standings.

So, with all of the top colleges in the Big Sky Region set to invade Havre this weekend, Kallenberger is once again excited for his teams, and to be hosting collegiate rodeo.

 "We are looking forward to showcasing this team at our home rodeo at the Bigger Better Barn here in Havre, we'd love for everyone to come see them in action," Kallenberger said.

Meanwhile, Saturday will also be a big, big morning for the MSU-Northern cross country teams. In just their third year of existence, the Northern harriers will host their first-ever home meet when they dual Central Wyoming College at Prairie Farms Golf Course.

This will be the second annual Battle of the Border between Northern and Central, with the meet taking place last season in Wyoming. The event will start with the men's 8K race at 9:30 a.m. and the women's 5K at 10:15 a.m. And no doubt, the Lights, Skylights and head coach Chad Spangler are excited to host their first meet, and let the community see what cross country at Northern is all about.

So for certain, this is a big weekend of Northern sports. The action starts with the first of two nights of rodeo at the Bigger Better Barn. The MSU-N Rodeo will start at 6:30 p.m. both Friday and Saturday night. The Battle of the Border cross country meet will start at 9:30 a.m. at Prairie Farms Golf Course.