Up Next: Great Northern Ram Open Rodeo tonight

The Havre Junior Rodeo kicked off the Great Northern Fair Wednesday night inside the arena at the Great Northern Fairgrounds, and, as always, it was a great event.

But the junior rodeo was only the beginning.

Tonight, cowboys and cowgirls from all over will take center stage as the Great Northern Ram Open Rodeo comes to the fair with a full slate of rodeo action. The one-night rodeo starts at 7.

The Great Northern Ram Open Rodeo is in its second year as an open rodeo, and a full sheet of competitors are entered, including plenty of local contestants.

Things will get started with wild bronc riding, with Dane Jacobson, Blake Preeshl, Joel Baer, Makae Nack, Rylan Mitchell, Craton Nelson and Cole Boardman entered. Tie-down roping will feature Jade Gardiner, former MSU-Northern rodeo team member George Marcenko, Marty Watson, Albert Koenig, Eric Watson, Preston Watson, Neil Tatsey, Jay Billingsley and Andrew Cole.

The saddle bronc riding will feature former NFR contestant Jesse Kruse, as well as Dougie Hall, Allen Gobert, Connor Murnion, Brett Doore, Kolby Kittson, Shane Birdrattler and Michael Warburton, while plenty of local cowgirls are entered in the barrel racing. The full list of barrel racers includes, Kava Huestis, Paige Swinney, Haley Glasrud, Rylee Strauser, Lauren Viles, Tandie Solberg, Brenna Krueger, Kelsie Meland, Misty Ahlgren, Terry Ray Kirkland, Kylie Mukuski and Cierra Kunesh.

There are also 16 total teams entered in tonight’s performance for team roping, while Caydee Johnson, Shay Tatsey, Anna Callaway, Cierra Kunesh, Jacey Fortier, Brenna Krueger, Jessie Orahood, Nichole French, Casey Solomon, Tara Novak, Ashley Koenig and Shanda Armstrong are entered in breakaway roping.

The bull riding, which is the first of two nights of bulls at the fair, will feature Kolton Bishop, Chad Wolf Child, Taylor Harwood, Chanty Navarro, Connor Murnion, Jarret Jacobi, Ty Murphy, T.J. Allen, Dakota Dickenson, Presley Crawford, Leo Johnson, Christopher Moore and Jonathan Moore.

Tonight’s performance will also feature steer wrestling, junior barrel racing, junior breakaway and mini bull riding. There was also slack this morning as well as the Great Northern Breakway Roping this afternoon.

The 2018 Great Northern Ram Open Rodeo starts at 7 tonight inside the arena at the Great Northern Fairgrounds. The second annual Cody Four Colors Memorial Bull Riding is set for Friday night at 7 p.m.