Little Britches Rodeo set for this weekend

Hi-Line Rodeo Team 2020 Big Sky Little Britches Rodeo mini-circuit is this weekend at the Great Northern Fairgrounds with the first of three weekends’ worth of youth rodeo coming up Saturday and Sunday, as well as a Wyldman Rodeo tonight that is, in part, a fundraiser for Hi-Line Rodeo.

Hi-Line Rodeo is co-hosting the Little Britches-sanctioned events with Laurel-based Big Sky Little Britches — the only National Little Britches Rodeo franchise in Montana. All three weekend competitions will be held in the Bigger Better Barn.

The Wyldman Rodeo starts tonight at 6 p.m. at the Great Northern Fairgrounds. The regular rodeo action will also include Ironman team competitions in adult and youth divisions. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Hi-line Rodeo Team to help them cover their annual expenses.

The Little Britches events will feature nine rodeos over the three weekends — Oct. 17-18, Oct. 24-25 and Nov. 7-8 — with a 9 a.m. start time each day. Each two-day event has two, back-to-back youth rodeos on Saturdays and one on Sundays.

Classes at the Little Britches Rodeo will include:

• Senior Team, 14-18: Dally ribbon roping and team roping.

• Senior Girls, 14-18: Breakaway roping, pole bending, barrel racing, goat tying and trail.

• Senior Boys, 14-18: Saddle bronc, bareback bronc, bull riding, steer wrestling and tie-down roping.

• Junior Team, 9-13: Dally ribbon roping and team roping.

• Junior Girls, 9-13: Breakaway roping, pole bending, barrel racing, goat tying and trail.

• Junior Boys, 9-13: Saddle bronc steer, bareback steer, bull riding, goat tying, flag racing and breakaway roping.

• Little Wrangler, 5-8: Flag racing, pole bending, barrel racing and goat tail untying.

• Trail Hand, 7-younger: Flag race, pole bending, barrel racing, goat untying and dummy roping.

Each weekend event comprises three point-earning rodeos, with two held back to back Saturday and one held Sunday.

Entries for the upcoming weekend of rodeo are closed now, but youth can still sign up for the other two weekends by Oct. 21 and Oct. 28, respectively. Contestants can compete at three rodeos, which is one weekend event, without being a Little Britches member, but non-members will need to pay a fee of $25, except competitors in the Trail Hand division.

Costs for classes without livestock range from $10 to $12, but classes with livestock are $18 to $28 and rough stock are $42 to $57. The increased costs pay for the livestock and rough stock fees.

Only Little Britches members will earn points toward qualifying for the annual national finals in July in Guthrie, Oklahoma. Contestants can pay the $80 annual membership fee to become a Little Britches member.

Hi-Line Rodeo Team is a group of students from 5-18 years old in the Hi-Line area competing in Montana High School Rodeo and or Little Britches Rodeo, their webpage says. The group organizes rodeos in the area, including last weekend’s Montana High School Rodeo Association competition in Havre; travels to competitions; and promotes rodeo in the community.

In the coming three weekends of Little Britches rodeos, each class in the different age groups will have a 60 percent payback to the top contenders. Admission for spectators is free.

For general information contact Karen Gibson at 945-1328 or [email protected] or go online to the Hi-Line Rodeo Team Facebook page, which will also have any updates about the events. To register for upcoming Hi-Line Rodeo Little Britches competitions, call Michelle Burchard at 390-6570.